£3k for a Christopher Ward

[SVS]

I'm exaggerating. This is only £2,950.

It may be heresy amongst WIS, but I quite like CW. Nonetheless, I think £3k is a bit of a stretch.

[SVS]

And yet, apparently, CW has averaged over 40% annual sales growth. Allegedly miles ahead of Bremont.

[SVS]

Prand, I think you've hit the nail on the head re: the change in company ethos. That's what makes the higher prices seem dishonest.

Also, CW's newer prices make many of their watches more expensive than long-respected brands like Stowa. I wish CW well because it's a British company, but the latest prices put me off buying CW.

[SVS]

I would buy CW if this was still their company ethos:

prand said:

their company ethos, which was to originally supply well priced, but good watches, using a channel to save costs and deliberately cock a snook at the big boys.

Now Steinhart seems to be increasingly filling the gap in the market that CW has vacated. Not to mention all the high-quality German manufacturers that have solid brand value (e.g. Damasko, Stowa, Archimede, Tourby).