Views on Christopher Ward
Discussion
Plenty of opinions on the brand and watches in general here, not sure if there's anything specific on that particular watch though.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=2&a...
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Tiger Tim said:
Owned an early C40 with the 7750 in.
The strap wasn't fantastic to be honest but and the overall quality was 'ok' but again not comparable to Omega or even Tag Heuer.
All this was fine at the sub £600 bracket but the current pricing is ludicrous for the product!
agree.....but if the OP waits a few weeks then they seem to have massive sales to shift some stock........which seems to be a great way of damaging a brandThe strap wasn't fantastic to be honest but and the overall quality was 'ok' but again not comparable to Omega or even Tag Heuer.
All this was fine at the sub £600 bracket but the current pricing is ludicrous for the product!
I bought a C4 Peregrine when they first started out, had really good customer service from them and picked it up in one of their sales (even back then they held them all the time)
It's a really well made piece of stuff - it's quartz so nothing horologically special - had the back off yesterday to change the battery and was still impressed by the quality of the case and display etc.
Was wearing my new Steinhart at the time and quality wise they're easily comparable, and I think the CW might just have pipped the Steinhart.
Recently however I've been a little shocked by the new prices and some of the "homages" - however some of the more unique stuff they do is lovely - the Jumping Hour for example.
It's a really well made piece of stuff - it's quartz so nothing horologically special - had the back off yesterday to change the battery and was still impressed by the quality of the case and display etc.
Was wearing my new Steinhart at the time and quality wise they're easily comparable, and I think the CW might just have pipped the Steinhart.
Recently however I've been a little shocked by the new prices and some of the "homages" - however some of the more unique stuff they do is lovely - the Jumping Hour for example.
The DFS of watch manufacturers - they've always got a bloody sale on.
I've got two CWs and they were very good value for money at the time. Nowadays, I wouldn't even consider them due to the current prices they're trying to charge. That's just my opinion however and no doubt someone will disagree with me.
Steinhart are still excellent value for money though and well worth a look.
I've got two CWs and they were very good value for money at the time. Nowadays, I wouldn't even consider them due to the current prices they're trying to charge. That's just my opinion however and no doubt someone will disagree with me.
Steinhart are still excellent value for money though and well worth a look.
I'm biased and I'm a CW fan. I have a dozen of them.
I'm irritated by the number of copy cat designs, but there are plenty that aren't copies of this or that.
I think the stuff at the top of their range is great value for money. The typhoon - ceramic cased 7750 for £995, the C900 single pusher, the C9 5day etc. All great value for money.
The quality is good, the revamped Trident C60 with the ceramic bezel is a real step up in quality from the model it replaces.
However, the best bit is their guarantee and customer service. It's brilliant.
I'm irritated by the number of copy cat designs, but there are plenty that aren't copies of this or that.
I think the stuff at the top of their range is great value for money. The typhoon - ceramic cased 7750 for £995, the C900 single pusher, the C9 5day etc. All great value for money.
The quality is good, the revamped Trident C60 with the ceramic bezel is a real step up in quality from the model it replaces.
However, the best bit is their guarantee and customer service. It's brilliant.
They use ETA or Sellita movements on most of their autos, decent quartz movements in those and the finish is decent. They even have a genuinely in house movement now (Yes, Bremont, I'm thinking of you...)
I've not seen the latest Tridents, but I have a previous model C60 and it's good for the price I paid (got it in a sale).
Design wise, you can argue all day. I liked the old C60 (I bought an orange bezeled one) and I've just bought a C11 Makaira too (not even been dispatched yet). Lots of watches are derivative, especially ones in this price range, hard to really say the the C11 is trying to look like anything in particular.
I don't like all their designs, but I don't like many Rolex or AP designs...
If you like the designs, they're good value in their sales, reasonable value at list.
As usual, the point on new vs used is irrelevant. A £600 CW won't cost you £600 used, meaning you can't really compare £600 used watches to them (or any other make or set of values you choose to randomly select)...
If you don't just move along would be my advice, but it seems even more fashionable to rubbish all CW watches with limited (or no) experience of them than it does TAG ones
M
I've not seen the latest Tridents, but I have a previous model C60 and it's good for the price I paid (got it in a sale).
Design wise, you can argue all day. I liked the old C60 (I bought an orange bezeled one) and I've just bought a C11 Makaira too (not even been dispatched yet). Lots of watches are derivative, especially ones in this price range, hard to really say the the C11 is trying to look like anything in particular.
I don't like all their designs, but I don't like many Rolex or AP designs...
If you like the designs, they're good value in their sales, reasonable value at list.
As usual, the point on new vs used is irrelevant. A £600 CW won't cost you £600 used, meaning you can't really compare £600 used watches to them (or any other make or set of values you choose to randomly select)...
If you don't just move along would be my advice, but it seems even more fashionable to rubbish all CW watches with limited (or no) experience of them than it does TAG ones
M
Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 24th March 09:30
I've just ordered my first CW after considering one for some time. I've ordered a C11 MSL Mk1 Auto at half price - £250! Judging by the positive reviews its a lot of watch for very little money. I'll let you know more when I receive it.
I've done lots of internet research and most of what I've read suggests the quality of CW watches is very good and up there with well know brand watches costing £2k to £3k or more. Also as someone else said you can't beat their 5 year warranty and 60 days return option. Their servicing costs are a fraction of the big brands too.
I've done lots of internet research and most of what I've read suggests the quality of CW watches is very good and up there with well know brand watches costing £2k to £3k or more. Also as someone else said you can't beat their 5 year warranty and 60 days return option. Their servicing costs are a fraction of the big brands too.
I'm unclear of their long term marketing strategy.
Last month their website shouted "Aldi - like brands only cheaper" comparing their Trident to a Tudor Black Bay.
It was cringeworthy.
I don't think that is the way to build your brand.
This is it. Tacky tacky tacky.
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/battleforthedeep....
"We like Tudor’s Black Bay.
We also like the Trident Pro.
And we know which one leaves you with more dubloons in your treasure chest at the end of the adventure."
Last month their website shouted "Aldi - like brands only cheaper" comparing their Trident to a Tudor Black Bay.
It was cringeworthy.
I don't think that is the way to build your brand.
This is it. Tacky tacky tacky.
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/battleforthedeep....
"We like Tudor’s Black Bay.
We also like the Trident Pro.
And we know which one leaves you with more dubloons in your treasure chest at the end of the adventure."
Edited by Troubleatmill on Tuesday 24th March 12:45
like the DFS of watches sums it up nicely.
Im a previous C11 customer so have some experience of the watches. Yes it was screwed together nicely and machining was OK - nothing to write home about. Comparing them to 2-3k watches is laughable however as the engineering and quality of the machining is no where near as good as Omega, Tudor or even a Sinn. Id also say that Steinhart offers far better value for money and is a much better product on any level (and yes ive owned one).
Oh and the Steinhart might be worth something you ever come to sell it, unlike a CW which will be worthless.
Think of it this way. For every customer who buys one of their watches at normal pricing; its another person who when they receive the "tada 50% discount" email will be rubbishing the brand online and think they have been ripped off. This is not a way to build a premium watch brand, but theyve certainly learnt to increase their prices YoY like the big boys! just a shame they knock 50% off the DFS prices every couple of months.
Ill never buy another... disposable watches, like disposable sofas. id rather buy a casio (who have 100x the brand values of CW!)
Im a previous C11 customer so have some experience of the watches. Yes it was screwed together nicely and machining was OK - nothing to write home about. Comparing them to 2-3k watches is laughable however as the engineering and quality of the machining is no where near as good as Omega, Tudor or even a Sinn. Id also say that Steinhart offers far better value for money and is a much better product on any level (and yes ive owned one).
Oh and the Steinhart might be worth something you ever come to sell it, unlike a CW which will be worthless.
Think of it this way. For every customer who buys one of their watches at normal pricing; its another person who when they receive the "tada 50% discount" email will be rubbishing the brand online and think they have been ripped off. This is not a way to build a premium watch brand, but theyve certainly learnt to increase their prices YoY like the big boys! just a shame they knock 50% off the DFS prices every couple of months.
Ill never buy another... disposable watches, like disposable sofas. id rather buy a casio (who have 100x the brand values of CW!)
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