Watch Evaluation: Christopher Ward The Twelve Titanium Chronometer Watch

I used to be sitting with Mike France, who runs and co-founded Christopher Ward watches, in London when he casually pulled out two new watches he says are going to be an enormous deal for the model after they’re launched: the brand new metal and titanium variations of a group Christopher Ward calls “The Twelve.” In the present day, I assessment the titanium model of The Twelve, which is definitely a distinct watch with completely different actions from the metal variant. It’s qualitatively a really good watch and, as is the case with many Christopher Ward timepieces, an enormous a part of the promoting level is worth.

For various years now, the watch collector inhabitants has gone a bit loopy for what many individuals check with as “built-in bracelet” watches. At first, only some particular watch fashions initially designed by Gerald Genta obtained consideration. Quickly after, the watch neighborhood started rediscovering different attention-grabbing watches with built-in bracelets, lots of which initially debuted within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties. Many manufacturers regarded in their very own archives for built-in bracelet watches they produced prior to now, and in the present day, the timepiece market is more and more populated with a wide range of merchandise which have designs the place it isn’t clear the place the watch case ends and the bracelet begins. Individuals like these watches as a result of they provide the attraction of a wristwatch and in addition a jewellery bracelet, whereas nonetheless feeling masculine. Their usually sporty demeanor suits with the extra informal vogue decisions many individuals select in the present day. Extra so, the very best built-in bracelet watches are extremely versatile and may be worn in a wide range of circumstances. Whereas I do assume that the marketplace for built-in bracelet watches will decelerate sooner or later, they’ve unveiled an vital lesson about in the present day’s shopper preferences, and I believe most timepiece fans will find yourself having no less than a couple of such watches of their collections.

As a comparatively new model, Christopher Ward doesn’t have an excessive amount of historical past to drag from, however that isn’t what it focuses on. As a substitute, Christopher Ward focuses on figuring out present market tendencies and providing its personal tackle it, usually with an incredible value and snazzy efficiency. That’s precisely what The Twelve is, and I believe will probably be an incredible sporting expertise for a lot of wearers. What’s a bit odd to me, nevertheless, is that Christopher Ward determined to debut two completely different The Twelve watches on the similar time, with related value factors. This isn’t an enormous deal, however I can see customers being a bit confused about which model to go together with. In case you can afford the additional a number of hundred {dollars}, The Twelve (Ti) Chronometer, as reviewed in the present day, is the piece to get.

First let me provide a fast listing of the issues that this watch is sweet at, since Christopher Ward doubtless had a guidelines of issues it wished The Twelve to do nicely. The case is 40mm-wide and the model wished to make it fairly skinny. The titanium model is 8.95mm-thick (whereas the metal model is about 1mm thicker), which, to me, is solely skinny sufficient. The Twelve Titanium can be correct, provided that it has a COSC Chronometer-certified Swiss Made Sellita SW300-1 automated motion (4Hz, 56 hours of energy reserve) in “Elabore grade” that you could view via the rear of the case. (The metal model has an SW200-1 automated motion, which is thicker and presents much less efficiency.) Along with having an built-in bracelet design, the bracelet will also be eliminated with quick-release spring bars and may be swapped out with an obtainable rubber strap. It has an inventive, colourful, textured dial which can be fairly fashionable. Lastly, The Twelve is sporty with its 100 meters of water resistance and really legible with its distinguished lumed hour markers and fingers.

Weighing simply 41 grams in titanium, The Twelve Titanium sits very comfortably on the wrist. The titanium case may be very nicely machined and, from a distance, appears like metal (not a nasty factor). Just some years in the past, you’d by no means see this stage of distinction ending on a titanium watch case and bracelet for this value. The Twelve opts for a spherical case that has various geometric components, together with the outer bezel (which has 12 sides, because the product title suggests). That provides the watch a well-known profile but additionally doesn’t seem like any competitor product. That stated, I believe a good watch to check The Twelve with is Tissot’s PRX Computerized, which goes to be a pure competitor within the house (though Tissot doesn’t have a titanium model of the PRX right now). The Christopher Ward watch prices a bit greater than the Tissot, however I believe it has some additional options that fans will admire.

Beneath the flat, AR-coated sapphire crystal, The Twelve’s dial design is spectacular. The metal variations have related dials however with out the gradient colour impact which right here goes from blue to black (aka “Astral Blue”). The opposite at the moment obtainable The Twelve Ti has an analogous dial however in purple (which is cool, and is called “Nebula Purple”). The dial is textured with small crosses, in what’s definitely an ode to the present “double flag” (UK and Swiss) model emblem. The big utilized hour markers and fingers are good-looking however not terribly distinctive and provide glorious legibility in gentle or darkness. Total, the dial presentation in Christopher Ward’s The Twelve doesn’t disappoint. The laborious half will most likely be selecting what colour you want, since individuals usually discover it laborious to decide on between a extra traditional colour and one that’s extra fashionable and brilliant however doubtlessly much less versatile.

The only-link titanium bracelet is comfy and, fortunately, makes use of screws versus pin bars (which don’t really feel as high-end as screws) for sizing functions. There isn’t a micro-adjust, however the bracelet does make use of half-link sizes that permit for a extra exact match. For precise sporting actions, it could be greatest to make use of the obtainable rubber strap on The Twelve. The bracelet closes with a butterfly-style deployant, which I admire for not creating any additional visible bulk below the wrist.

Christopher Ward is throwing its hat into a preferred area with The Twelve watches, however the model does have one thing particular facet, particularly with the titanium model of the watch, which nonetheless prices below $2,000. With its light-weight, skinny profile, glorious motion and development, and honest pricing, I can’t see Christopher Ward having an excessive amount of hassle advertising these watches. Fans will go for the Titanium Chronometer fashions, whereas mainstream of us could be OK with the metal fashions, that are $600 USD much less. I look ahead to seeing what the neighborhood says about The Twelve Ti Chronometer and the place Christopher Ward will take this assortment sooner or later. Value for this Christopher Ward The Twelve Ti Chronometer on the bracelet is $1,825 USD ($1,375 on the rubber strap). Be taught extra on the Christopher Ward watches web site.

Essential Information
>Model: Christopher Ward
>Mannequin: The Twelve Ti Chronometer
>Value: $1,825 USD as examined
>Measurement: 40mm-wide, 8.95mm-thick, 44.5mm lug-to-lug distance
>When reviewer would personally put on it: As a sexy day by day put on with watch fanatic gusto and an incredible worth proposition.
>Buddy we’d advocate it to first: Worth-minded watch collector in search of one thing fashionable and with character.
>Finest attribute of watch: Effectively-made, engaging, high quality parts, good worth proposition.
>Worst attribute of watch: Doubtlessly complicated variations between metal and titanium fashions. Can be higher if the rubber strap had been included within the package.