Raising the Christopher Ward bar
Discussion
Ynox said:
I don't have one yet, but I work in Maidenhead (when I'm In the office, not been in for nearly 2 years...).
Maybe I should think about popping in sometime to pick one up. I like their range - not a fan of the huge written logo on the face of the watch though.
You could just buy one on the internet whenever you're not in the office.Maybe I should think about popping in sometime to pick one up. I like their range - not a fan of the huge written logo on the face of the watch though.
bordseye said:
Why does it say "Swiss Made on the face - I thought that their chronometer movement was made here in the UK?
They’re all made in Switzerland. Bremont have recently begun manufacturing a movement in the UK (and are being open about what is being bought in), and they’re still cases in Switzerland IIRC. No one else is making movements on any kind of scale in the UK.
gregs656 said:
…Bremont have recently begun manufacturing a movement in the UK (and are being open about what is being bought in), and they’re still cases in Switzerland IIRC. No one else is making movements on any kind of scale in the UK.
Given the (at times dubious) history of Bremont and their claims of authenticity, the announcement about this new movement seemed very strategically worded.Do they actually manufacture the movement in the U.K?
They are upfront about having licensed/purchased the rights to a Swiss movement from THE+/Horage, which they then modify in the U.K by adding some bits they make in house.
However the forum gossip was that they were allowed to say it is U.K made because 80% of the bits they add are made here in the U.K.
It turned out that this was 80% by weight and not 80% of the total parts, and the custom rotor they attach on the existing movement makes up for rather a large portion of that 80%…
Of course the Swiss do similar things with ‘Swiss’/‘Swiss Made’/‘Made In Switzerland’ but having been burnt by backlash before, I thought Bremont were still dancing on thin ice a bit.
Mezzanine said:
Given the (at times dubious) history of Bremont and their claims of authenticity, the announcement about this new movement seemed very strategically worded.
Do they actually manufacture the movement in the U.K?
They are upfront about having licensed/purchased the rights to a Swiss movement from THE+/Horage, which they then modify in the U.K by adding some bits they make in house.
However the forum gossip was that they were allowed to say it is U.K made because 80% of the bits they add are made here in the U.K.
It turned out that this was 80% by weight and not 80% of the total parts, and the custom rotor they attach on the existing movement makes up for rather a large portion of that 80%…
Of course the Swiss do similar things with ‘Swiss’/‘Swiss Made’/‘Made In Switzerland’ but having been burnt by backlash before, I thought Bremont were still dancing on thin ice a bit.
They are manufacturing 5 components - the base plate and four bridges which is 55% of the weight of the movement. 80% of the weight of the movement is customised by them in some way, which will include the rotor.Do they actually manufacture the movement in the U.K?
They are upfront about having licensed/purchased the rights to a Swiss movement from THE+/Horage, which they then modify in the U.K by adding some bits they make in house.
However the forum gossip was that they were allowed to say it is U.K made because 80% of the bits they add are made here in the U.K.
It turned out that this was 80% by weight and not 80% of the total parts, and the custom rotor they attach on the existing movement makes up for rather a large portion of that 80%…
Of course the Swiss do similar things with ‘Swiss’/‘Swiss Made’/‘Made In Switzerland’ but having been burnt by backlash before, I thought Bremont were still dancing on thin ice a bit.
They're not manufacturing screws, jewels (although the jewels are being pressed into the movement in the UK), wheels etc in the UK.
The cases are made in the UK but I believe the movements are housed in Switzerland still.
In the interview I heard, Bremont were upfront about all of this.
Doofus said:
Castrol for a knave said:
Seems a bit odd to buy that watch if you haven't been a member of the Parachute Reg. It's a nice piece mind.
People swoon over Omega moon watches.I quite like that Colchester but did wince a bit at this Because precision is a matter of life and death in military operations, we’ve chosen a COSC-certified version of the Sellita SW200.
Similarly I couldn't get on with a Seamaster with "007" on the second hand or that IWC with "Top Gun" on the dial…
I like the "vanilla" speedy pro because it's "been there done that" and doesn't really make a song and dance about it.
funinhounslow said:
But not so much the endless special editions (Snoopy excepted)
I quite like that Colchester but did wince a bit at this Because precision is a matter of life and death in military operations, we’ve chosen a COSC-certified version of the Sellita SW200.
Similarly I couldn't get on with a Seamaster with "007" on the second hand or that IWC with "Top Gun" on the dial…
I like the "vanilla" speedy pro because it's "been there done that" and doesn't really make a song and dance about it.
I completely agree with you. I quite like that Colchester but did wince a bit at this Because precision is a matter of life and death in military operations, we’ve chosen a COSC-certified version of the Sellita SW200.
Similarly I couldn't get on with a Seamaster with "007" on the second hand or that IWC with "Top Gun" on the dial…
I like the "vanilla" speedy pro because it's "been there done that" and doesn't really make a song and dance about it.
funinhounslow said:
I quite like that Colchester but did wince a bit at this Because precision is a matter of life and death in military operations, we’ve chosen a COSC-certified version of the Sellita SW200.
Similarly I couldn't get on with a Seamaster with "007" on the second hand or that IWC with "Top Gun" on the dial
Like jdw100, I completely agree Similarly I couldn't get on with a Seamaster with "007" on the second hand or that IWC with "Top Gun" on the dial
tertius said:
I thought they bought/merged with a movement manufacture in Switzerland?
Yes, you are right. I misread their comment that "Calibre SH21 is Christopher Ward’s in-house mechanical watch movement. It was launched in 2014 and is the first commercially viable mechanical movement from a British watch company in 50 years." to imply they made them here. Which is perhaps the card they are playing rather than saying that they are in reality a Swiss company not a British one.
WhisperingWasp said:
tertius said:
I’ve just bought a CW Sealander Elite - really very impressed by it; very nicely made and some interesting features, especially the pop out crown.
Thoughts and photos in due course please. Being a local, I got taken to C Ward HQ last year for my birthday. It was great to go and look through a wide variety of the watches in the flesh with a coffee. I came away with a cracker of a watch. the C60 Elite GMT. Which sadly does not seem like its for sale any more. Mrs P paid with a £100 voucher and we also got the rubber strap thrown in as well as the titanium bracelet.
1 year of regular wear, still very pleased with it. Currently eying up one of the C63s with my own £100 voucher!
EDIT - apologies for the blurry pics, I also note in close up the case has had a few scratches - a common problem with titanium I gather,
1 year of regular wear, still very pleased with it. Currently eying up one of the C63s with my own £100 voucher!
EDIT - apologies for the blurry pics, I also note in close up the case has had a few scratches - a common problem with titanium I gather,
Edited by prand on Tuesday 9th November 17:00
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