CW at it again
Discussion
Sorry pal, don't get it.
There are some similarities in layout, but there are enough differences in my mind for it not to be a direct 'homage'
Bracelet is different, numerals not sticks, sub dials not as bold. It's a tachy, so only so much difference you can do there.
There is only so much difference you can do in a watch, and I have seen much more obvious 'homages' than this.
Just my opinion of course.
There are some similarities in layout, but there are enough differences in my mind for it not to be a direct 'homage'
Bracelet is different, numerals not sticks, sub dials not as bold. It's a tachy, so only so much difference you can do there.
There is only so much difference you can do in a watch, and I have seen much more obvious 'homages' than this.
Just my opinion of course.
Sorry pal, don't get it.
There are some similarities in layout, but there are enough differences in my mind for it not to be a direct 'homage'
Bracelet is different, numerals not sticks, sub dials not as bold. It's a tachy, so only so much difference you can do there.
There is only so much difference you can do in a watch, and I have seen much more obvious 'homages' than this.
Just my opinion of course.
There are some similarities in layout, but there are enough differences in my mind for it not to be a direct 'homage'
Bracelet is different, numerals not sticks, sub dials not as bold. It's a tachy, so only so much difference you can do there.
There is only so much difference you can do in a watch, and I have seen much more obvious 'homages' than this.
Just my opinion of course.
That came through in a brochure they sent me and just immediately yelled "Carrera" as soon as I saw it.
I do own a CW watch, but bought it a few years back before they started selling very very similar watches and jacking the prices up.
I realise that there is only so much you can do with a dial, some hands and a bracelet but, for example, Patek and Breitling appear to have avoided stepping on each other's toes (awaits someone to drag up obscure but similar examples from those two houses).
Back to CW; I give you:
The C11 BNR:
The C60 SeaTridentMaster:
and the new, not on the website yet but in the catalogue sent to me, C60 TridentMariner:
oops, sorry, I might have got the two pictures mixed up with the last one
It's in the catalogue but not online yet - they even state in the catalogue that it "takes it cues" from the Rolex - no shiz, Sherlock - although they have had the good grace to move the date to the 4 o'clock position and change the name on the dial. With the exception of 12 o'clock they have even copied the markers.
I do own a CW watch, but bought it a few years back before they started selling very very similar watches and jacking the prices up.
I realise that there is only so much you can do with a dial, some hands and a bracelet but, for example, Patek and Breitling appear to have avoided stepping on each other's toes (awaits someone to drag up obscure but similar examples from those two houses).
Back to CW; I give you:
The C11 BNR:
The C60 SeaTridentMaster:
and the new, not on the website yet but in the catalogue sent to me, C60 TridentMariner:
oops, sorry, I might have got the two pictures mixed up with the last one
It's in the catalogue but not online yet - they even state in the catalogue that it "takes it cues" from the Rolex - no shiz, Sherlock - although they have had the good grace to move the date to the 4 o'clock position and change the name on the dial. With the exception of 12 o'clock they have even copied the markers.To be fair to CW, do they claim that their watches are completely original designs? For example, the first line on their website about the C60 says:
"The Trident series unashamedly takes its design cues from the iconic 1954 Rolex GMT Master..."
From here: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/mobile/men/dive/c...
IMO they're quite honest about where they source their movements from and what the designs are based on. Which is one of the reasons I have the watch pictured.
The C7 MkII with batons rather than numerals for the hour markers looks more like the TAG. See here: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/mobile/men/sport/...
"The Trident series unashamedly takes its design cues from the iconic 1954 Rolex GMT Master..."
From here: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/mobile/men/dive/c...
IMO they're quite honest about where they source their movements from and what the designs are based on. Which is one of the reasons I have the watch pictured.
The C7 MkII with batons rather than numerals for the hour markers looks more like the TAG. See here: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/mobile/men/sport/...
Snubs said:
The C7 MkII with batons rather than numerals for the hour markers looks more like the TAG. See here: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/mobile/men/sport/...
Yes, even more so, I missed that one.But is it any more reasonable for a "respectable" seller to make watches that look extremely similar to premium brands if they declare it? It's one thing to "take cues from" and another to make something which at a glance is almost identical?
CAPP0 said:
That came through in a brochure they sent me and just immediately yelled "Carrera" as soon as I saw it.
I do own a CW watch, but bought it a few years back before they started selling very very similar watches and jacking the prices up.
I realise that there is only so much you can do with a dial, some hands and a bracelet but, for example, Patek and Breitling appear to have avoided stepping on each other's toes (awaits someone to drag up obscure but similar examples from those two houses).
Back to CW; I give you:
The C11 BNR:
The C60 SeaTridentMaster:
and the new, not on the website yet but in the catalogue sent to me, C60 TridentMariner:
oops, sorry, I might have got the two pictures mixed up with the last one It's in the catalogue but not online yet - they even state in the catalogue that it "takes it cues" from the Rolex - no shiz, Sherlock - although they have had the good grace to move the date to the 4 o'clock position and change the name on the dial. With the exception of 12 o'clock they have even copied the markers.
Again, you have chosen an example with some marked differences:I do own a CW watch, but bought it a few years back before they started selling very very similar watches and jacking the prices up.
I realise that there is only so much you can do with a dial, some hands and a bracelet but, for example, Patek and Breitling appear to have avoided stepping on each other's toes (awaits someone to drag up obscure but similar examples from those two houses).
Back to CW; I give you:
The C11 BNR:
The C60 SeaTridentMaster:
and the new, not on the website yet but in the catalogue sent to me, C60 TridentMariner:
oops, sorry, I might have got the two pictures mixed up with the last one
It's in the catalogue but not online yet - they even state in the catalogue that it "takes it cues" from the Rolex - no shiz, Sherlock - although they have had the good grace to move the date to the 4 o'clock position and change the name on the dial. With the exception of 12 o'clock they have even copied the markers.The lugs are longer and tapered at the end
The crown and crown guard are very different, more integrated
The 12 Marker is 2 batons, not a triangle
The second hand is very different, with a distinctive Trident motif at the short end
The Hour an Minute hands are very different shapes, pointier and more ‘Arabic’ in style
The date is framed, the font is smaller and different, has no Cyclops, is at the 4 o’clock position and the date window is not curved at the ends (can it be more different than that?)
The Bezel has no ‘10’ marker, but is batons all the way to 15. The sub markers are dots, not batons. The pearl is not raised
The dial markers have sub markers between each second, each 5 second has a small inner dot.
Are they similar, yes. Are the the same, no.
Dempsey1971 said:
Again, you have chosen an example with some marked differences:
The lugs are longer and tapered at the end
The crown and crown guard are very different, more integrated
The 12 Marker is 2 batons, not a triangle
The second hand is very different, with a distinctive Trident motif at the short end
The Hour an Minute hands are very different shapes, pointier and more ‘Arabic’ in style
The date is framed, the font is smaller and different, has no Cyclops, is at the 4 o’clock position and the date window is not curved at the ends (can it be more different than that?)
The Bezel has no ‘10’ marker, but is batons all the way to 15. The sub markers are dots, not batons. The pearl is not raised
The dial markers have sub markers between each second, each 5 second has a small inner dot.
Are they similar, yes. Are the the same, no.
I haven't said that they are the same. I'm sure that you could add to your list that one of then has 0.0001g additional steel in the deployment clasp, and that the lume comes from the chinese factory next door to where Rolex source their product; my point is that they are, for me, uncomfortably close to the "original" brands and models and show little or no imagination in creativity or design. If you look at the watches above, every single one immediately makes me think of another brand rather than looking at it and thinking "wow, that's an interesting and original design". As I said in my OP, you don't look at a Patek and think "hey, they have copied Breitling" (substitute multiple different marques at your leisure for the same result). Sure there are watches out there from other brands which are not dissimilar to other makes, but not often as extremely close as these examples.The lugs are longer and tapered at the end
The crown and crown guard are very different, more integrated
The 12 Marker is 2 batons, not a triangle
The second hand is very different, with a distinctive Trident motif at the short end
The Hour an Minute hands are very different shapes, pointier and more ‘Arabic’ in style
The date is framed, the font is smaller and different, has no Cyclops, is at the 4 o’clock position and the date window is not curved at the ends (can it be more different than that?)
The Bezel has no ‘10’ marker, but is batons all the way to 15. The sub markers are dots, not batons. The pearl is not raised
The dial markers have sub markers between each second, each 5 second has a small inner dot.
Are they similar, yes. Are the the same, no.
I had hoped, and would wish, for more from a company like CW who originally positioned themselves as a sensibly-priced but high-quality alternative to the premium/Swiss brands, and not a direct pusher of homages which sail close to being copies.
andy tims said:
They are hardly the worst offenders.
Rotary, or Invicta anyone?
Steinhart ovm too! Although the chances of me owning a mil sub are nearly nil lol.Rotary, or Invicta anyone?
I think you can say that about many many brands. Some closer than others, but if it floats your boat it's fine by me. I draw the line at watches which are intending to be identical, homages are one thing, copies another.
OP - I hear what you are saying and agree. If I walked past someone in the street wearing one of thse watches or a Steinhart, Rotary I'd probably think, nice Carrera, Sub etc. I saw a Seiko at the weekend that on first glance could have passed for a DSSD.
These companies do make some nice watches but I can't ever see me buying one as I'd hate for someone to point out that it looks like a JLC, Rolex, Patek etc etc.
These companies do make some nice watches but I can't ever see me buying one as I'd hate for someone to point out that it looks like a JLC, Rolex, Patek etc etc.
Miguel Alvarez said:
These companies do make some nice watches but I can't ever see me buying one as I'd hate for someone to point out that it looks like a JLC, Rolex, Patek etc etc.
The annoying thing is they actually make some really nice original designs. I wish they'd stop with the 'homages' and leave that to the Chinese. Same applied to Steinhart, although I actually want one or two of theirs 
yeti said:
The annoying thing is they actually make some really nice original designs. I wish they'd stop with the 'homages' and leave that to the Chinese. Same applied to Steinhart, although I actually want one or two of theirs
Definitely. Rotary especially. Which reminds me I have an old manual wind Rotary that needs some love. Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff