CW jumps into four figures

[hornetrider]

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/new-arrival/c9-jh...



I do like it... with the exception of the roman numerals in the hour indicator. Expensive though at £1150.

[P7ULG]

Nice watch, but not one you could read at a glance

[Spice_Weasel]

The use of roman numerals for the jumping hour display seems an odd choice. The rest of the styling and the regulateur minute hand I quite like but as a whole it doesn't gel for me

[Revs_Addiction]

Like the concept, but CW are never a £1k+ brand, and that logo look TERRIBLE stuck on like that. If ever a watch needed a more subtle logo, this was it...

[Mattt]

Revs_Addiction said:

Like the concept, but CW are never a £1k+ brand, and that logo look TERRIBLE stuck on like that. If ever a watch needed a more subtle logo, this was it...

Be interesting to see their sales figures though.

[Irrotational]

Like the concept...if:-

1. It just had digits for the hour
2. the dial was bare rather than a disorienting swirl
3. It was sterile with no logo at all

I would pay good money for it...

as it is...I'm out!

[Stuart]

I think that CW have really lost what little they ever had in the first place.

[Hammerhead]

Stuart said:

I think that CW have really lost what little they ever had in the first place.

Perhaps a little harsh. I think it's good to see them trying/finding their feet. Sales will eventually tell them if they're going in the right direction.

To my eyes, The C5 Malvern (+ the C50 COSC) is probably their best design.

[Miguel Alvarez]

Not a big fan of CW as most of their watches just look like copies of other brands. This jump hour as it goes I do like because it looks different.

I prefer this though.

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/new-arrival/c11-a...

[Gizmo!]

I love single hand watches. That's just a bit odd though.

[Ikemi]

A bit expensive for a CW, especially considering that the CW range of limited edition automatic chronographs cost approximately £700-800!

A black-faced version with a small jump hour dial at 12 O'Clock would be better!

ETA: Summat like this (Please excuse poor GIMP editing skills):

Edited by Ikemi on Thursday 8th September 01:40

[Stuart]

I think that when they were doing reasonably safe if reasonably derivative watches for <£500, they made a good proposition. From what I've seen their stuff is well made, well packaged and their customer service is good. IMHO though, £500+ and certainly £1000+ has them competing with some reasonably big boys, both amongst the other specialist non high street brands and the mainstream, and I'm not sure that they are a compelling enough proposition in that company. Again, just IMHO.

[troc]

Hmm, that jump-hour does look odd and the logo really doesn't improve things. I do rather like this one though (but I'm a sucker for a power reserve complication):

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/watch-type/type-m...

[andy_s]

In other words Stuart -

[CardShark]

Ikemi said:

I initially thought that it was a bit of a dud and that they don't have the cache to pull off a £1k+ watch, on reflection I'd say that the design is growing on me (I think that it'd definately look better on the wrist than in a 2D picture) and fair play to them for trying to push their market. They appear to have built a solid reputation for quality and customer service, that's a pretty good base to extend upon.

Do like Ikemi's version as well.

[hornetrider]

Revs_Addiction said:

If ever a watch needed a more subtle logo, this was it...

I hadn't really noticed that until you'd pointed it out - now I can't take my eyes off the monstrous carbuncle!

[Ikemi]

hornetrider said:

Revs_Addiction said:

If ever a watch needed a more subtle logo, this was it...

I hadn't really noticed that until you'd pointed it out - now I can't take my eyes off the monstrous carbuncle!

They've changed the header on their website to 'Chr.Ward' - Let's hope they don't adopt this for their watch logos!

[rockandrollmark]

Just saw the promo email hit my inbox. Interesting-ish movement, but no way do CW have the history or technology to be trying to hit this market. The fact is that though nice, their watches aren't that nice and there are a lot of watches out there in this price range which will feel a lot more special on the wrist.

[the_kato]

Miguel Alvarez said:

Not a big fan of CW as most of their watches just look like copies of other brands. This jump hour as it goes I do like because it looks different.

I prefer this though.

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/new-arrival/c11-a...

This. Got the magazine through the post this morning and the C11 MSL is the first CW i've wanted to buy since my C8

Edited by the_kato on Tuesday 13th September 14:47

[Stu R]

Stuart said:

I think that when they were doing reasonably safe if reasonably derivative watches for <£500, they made a good proposition. From what I've seen their stuff is well made, well packaged and their customer service is good. IMHO though, £500+ and certainly £1000+ has them competing with some reasonably big boys, both amongst the other specialist non high street brands and the mainstream, and I'm not sure that they are a compelling enough proposition in that company. Again, just IMHO.

Hate to say it but I agree. They're trying too hard too soon with this model and it shows. I don't think they're forever confined to the lower end of the price spectrum, and certainly hope their foray to higher value pieces works out for them, but I wouldn't consider them.

Personally I don't like it. CW's are good because previously they've looked as high quality as they felt for the large part.
This one doesn't look high quality, it looks like a watch that is trying to look high quality, like a Sekonda or Pulsar. The logo looks like it was the only one they had lying around so they stuck it on regardless of it sticking out like a sore thumb. I just strikes me as looking like they sat down with a list of features and ticked a few of them at random with no thought given to the outcome.

I actually really like the face design and bezel, but it looks damn hard to read, and needlessly fussy.