"The Cheapest Luxury Watches In The World"...Really? - Christopher Ward Honest Review
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
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Christopher Ward Twelve 36mm Frosted Lichen ➡ bit.ly/ChristopherWardTwelve3...
Christopher Ward Website ➡ www.christopherward.com/home
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I use affiliate links when linking products in the video description. Ben's Watch Club is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We also utilize affiliate programs with other retailers. Unless stated otherwise, assume product links are affiliated. - Навчання та стиль
I appreciate the suggestions, but the screwdriver shot at 20:56 is for illustrative b-roll purposes only. Both bracelets were sized off-camera with correctly sized screwdrivers, so no need to keep telling me 😅 no chance I'm risking scratching these with a camera dangling over my shoulder haha
Very good. Was about to say the same. Great review. But damn, I now want the 12 instead of PRX 35. Cheers.
Can you please try Swiss Alpine Military by Grovana? They have nice looking watches in the 150/200 range, are swiss made (the definition of swiss made by swiss law is very messed up btw) and looks like a real banger (ronda movements)
I'm glad I saw this comment, it was rather unfortunate 😁
CW and Farer are doing great things at this price. I'm very pleased with my C60 Trident 300
Yeah Farer's recent designs have also impressed me, maybe take a look at them one day if they make something affordable enough
C60 Pro Diver 300..
What a Watch..!!!
Got my eye on the C60 Pro 300 Bronze.
@@BensWatchClub Their 36mm three-hander should fit you a treat, but yes - pricey at ~GBP 900
@@samnova450 .. Yeaah ..!!
That’s the lowest-priced butterfly clasp micro-adjustment option. It’s very similar to the one Vacheron uses both in the Overseas and FiftySix lines.
I've had my C65 Aquitaine for about a year now, and honestly, I've held it in comparison to Longines in the $3-$4K range, some older Tudors, all in hand. The finishing is pretty much up to snuff with watches in the $3-$4K range. The brushing is very consistent and clean, the Sapphire is terrific, the bracelet is rock solid and the bezel action is to die for.
Omg literally the first review of a CW when the reviewer has demonstrated the quick release bracelet. Legend mate
I've gone from disliking their dials and finding their branding unattractive to absolutely loving what they do now! Their current logo is really nice. I'm particularly fond of The Twelve-how could I not be with that dial? And the C65 Dune, the C65 Dune is just so nice, I've come close to buying it.
I do wish they still made quartz watches. Sure, The Twelve is fine as an automatic, but the C65 Dune would be ideal with a robust quartz movement. They wouldn't even need to make it cheaper; just offer a high-quality quartz movement in the C65 and sell it at the same price. If only Citizen could sell them a rock solid modern movement :D
C65 Dune is great. Put a better SW movement with higher power reserve and I will spend my money.
they make quartz. they just made a qz chronograph.
@@JacekS406 It's a cool watch for sure! I've not bought one because of the movement too.
@@cunawarit great watch. I just need something with a better power reserve. Longines spirit 37 looks like my next watch.
Got my Dune C65 and I like it a lot but that Twelve in 36mm is calling my name.
Love all my CW watches. All worth the premium.
Recently having got a 36mm sealander gmt - I'm very pleased with it. Nicely designed, running well, and I expect it to be my go-to when I am not wearing a dress watch or beater.
Woah, you’ve blew up mate. I subbed when you reviewed a whit dial Casio about 4/5 years ago but not been as active in the watch sphere as of late. Congrats and all the best !
I really love your thorough long-form content-like this extensive review!
If I might ask, would you perhaps be open to adding chapter markers to videos such as this one? I think that that could really go a long way.
No, sorry.
He’d probably obsess over whether the chapter markers are perfectly aligned
Love your review as always! Not much of a CW fan, but I still watched every second of it
Great to see an update from you Ben, I've missed your insights! You're one of my favourite watch UA-camrs
Aaaaaahhh did you miss your little bald buddy? 🥰
@@BR81-iv6lt Yep, sure did
For me personally, the BellCanto is the one to get. All of their other models can be attained similalrly from other brands at a better price. Also their prices have indeed been going up, so I expect that to continue as time goes by and I predict their desire is to eventually situate themselves in the upper tier/luxury price tier.
The Bel Canto is a stunning time piece 😍. And that’s one CW watch that will gradually go up in price over time.
I have a C65 Dune with the white sand dial and oak leather strap. I absolutely love the watch, the piece is so clean and feels very premium. The 38mm size hits the sweet spot too.
I think a Brand like CW deserves the support of the watch Comunity as a whole. I don't own one, and I haven't found one I love yet same as yourself, but I will suggest it to anyone who's looking to buy a "high end" watch in hopes they find one they like. When CW builds a watch I like I will absolutely buy it. the 3x the cost of the watch is a respectable pricing point that doesn't take into account R&D, corprate overhead, marketing, ect, and then there are initiatives the company supports like producing products with eco friendly materials. The company cares about it's customers, it's comunity, and the watch world as a whole.
Very good detailed review. Thank you for these details.
The best review of CW watches I have ever seen. Detailed, well thought, informing. Thank you Ben. 👍
I think either Hublot or Cartier put the humble SW200 in some very expensive watches.
Finally a watchable CW review. Thanks!
The friction micro-adjust is on some vacheron watches. But that's a wayyyy different price point. I love it though
Thanks so much. I'm not a watch collector, but I enjoy the attention to detail and production quality of your videos, and your clear enthusiasm.
I've been interested in CW for a while now, but couldn't justify a watch at this price range. I think my mind is changing though - I'd love one of their Moonphase watches!
I bought a C63 Sealander back in April. It’s a beautiful watch, with very high levels of finishing across the dial and a comfortable bracelet. My only complaint is that the movement lasts maybe 13 hours off wrist, as opposed to the stated 36. It often will stop working if I take it off when I get home from work and then put it back on the next morning.
That's crazy maybe you have a problem with the main spring slipping??
That does sound like a fault to be fair
I have the CW C60 Pro 600 and absolutely love it. The difference is I waited until they done a sale and snapped mine at £600! Which was a huge saving on the RRP of £1200 at the time of purchase at the beginning of this year. My advice to anyone is sign up to the CW mail list and you get an invite to their private sales direct from CW. They even sell the like new returns watches at even more money off.
Christopher Ward is a bit all over the place with me. Some of their models are not what I’m interested in what-so-ever, but others like the C65 Aquitaine are calling my name. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here - nothing that’s mind blowing but extremely solid value for money.
I felt the same for a long time. Seemed great if u wanted that true next step towards luxury as opposed to 300-500$ range. Until they introduced their c63 sh21 (in house, 5 day indicator, cosc certified, small seconds caliber) I instantly pulled the trigger on one for $2100 and im properly blown away at the value in this watch.
the next best thing is oris caliber 400 and they charge 3.5-4k usd for that.
I got my Sealander C63 a couple years before the brand popped, but it was before they changed their logo! Instead of the snazzy emblem, mine just says “Christoper Ward”. It’s the only thing I’d change tho, it has been just such a pleasure at that $1k point.
i own a 'Claude valentini millennium sport' watch, I bought it about 20 years ago. There was an entire 'watchdog' feature on this watch, it was sold at car shows, with a 'reduced from £1500' tag. By the time watchdog got hold of it the gig was over, the rest ended up on ebay, I paid about £15 for it, and it has lasted 20 years and still looks ok. But it was a pathfinder for ali express sh*tters.
I remember you saying you were going to do a review of Royal Orient in your 20 best Orient watches video, and I’d be interested in seeing how they stack up against CW
Cheers for the review Ben! QUESTION: there's been another UK brand I've had my eye on, i.e Omologato, and more specifically their Panamericana model as seen on Wheeler Dealers. Any chance you'd be able to get your hands on any of their stuff for review? Their watches usually go for under £600.
I absolutely love my white C63 Sealander GMT. Gets way more wristtime than my Longines HydroConquest as it is so much more comfortable to wear. The microadjustment on the Bader clasp works wonders. And as I love the white-orange color scheme of the Explorer II but couldn't live with either the diameter or the price, I love the slight inspiration CW took, but still making a watch of their own. Fantastic watch for the price.
I pre ordered my CW Twelve when it came out in it’s bigger form.
Still loving it and rocking it almost every day.
The fit and finish really rivals more premium brands, like my BB58 from Tudor.
Btw, you should give a shot à their new revision of the Moonglow C1 ! Truely amazing piece
I appreciate your thoroughness.
if i'm not mistakened, the butterfly microadjust clasp, was seen on the new twelve X that came out recently
Indeed, hopefully coming to more lines soon too!
I have this exact version of the 12, its a fun well put togeher watch which is awesome for summer! A matching rubber strap make it more diverse for holiday too! Keeps good time and put together well!
Respect! I really like your camera work. Good job🙌
This has probably been asked a number of times but, if so, I couldn't see it: What is the make of the case back opening tool?
I tried to zoom in on a screenshot and enhance the brand name but just couldn't work out what it is. It seems to end with "No.5/88" or "No.3/88" but I can't find those online either. Any clues gratefully received. :-)
Thanks for the review, it will help me make some decisions soon...
Also to note they have yearly sales through a link provided with signing up to their newsletter. When they do have these sales they can be upto 50% off and there is great value to be had even on new models. Back in 2018 I picked up the CW C60 Trident quartz for £175 on sale and now that watch on ebay is around £300/£350 depending on condition. I can honestly say the quality is incredible for the price point with a hardcore community of watch collectors. If anyone is considering a CW I would highly recommend
20:57 You're clearly using the wrong screwdriver... Don't blame the screws for your screw-up:)
Yep, there are reasons screwdrivers exist in different sizes.
That was just a quick staged b-roll shot for the video (where I can't risk blocking the camera). The actual adjustments were used with an appropriate sized one. 👍
@@BensWatchClub 😁😁 On the other hand we know size is not that important
@@BensWatchClub It doesn't seem that you were using the right size, the type of damage shows on those screws is matching to the size of the screwdriver you were using in your broll footage
CW watches are great for the price... I've got a C65 Supercompressor and a C1 Bel Canto, and both are made exceptionally well.
Just a note on the 12 Ti. In addition to the titanium case it has an SW300-1 COSC in the back. Quite a big upgrade. Also, the GMTs are the SW330-2.
would love to see ya review some more gmts!!! - and for fun TSAR BOMBA watches see them online and where i vacationed saw them at a legit luxury jewelry shop😂
Thanks Ben. Comprehensive review. I have a CW chronograph, which is one of my favourites. They occasionally have 'real' sales with worthwhile discounts on end if line and ex demo watches. Thats how I bought mine, with around 30% discount. Sale products dont hang around tho :-)
christopher ward are amazing, i have rolex, omega, and Sinn the Dartmouth v1 i have is perfection
I own one CW: their quartz Valour chrono. It’s awesome. I’m so happy to see a usable quartz chrono that doesn’t use the ridiculous and illegible VK mechaquartz movement. I also love the Valour’s 39mm size. It’s a huge win for me.
CW have really set a good standard , i do like their watches .
Maybe pull the trigger on that dragon fly blue one .So tempting .
23:35 - It is worth adding that the titanium versions of the Twelve use SW-300 with COSC rather than SW-200 so this 500 quid upgrade is not only dial and case material but also the movement.
Your usual very comprehensive and well considered review. of what are decent watches. I own several.. There has been a move by some "reviewers" to place this brand in a tier they can't genuinely aspire to. Paid shills?? Who knows, but I don't agree with them. It's been a long time since they introduced their in house movement, but it hasn't been widely used or developed for more uses by the brand. It's a bit thick as is so would definitely need work to put CW in the "luxury" class. They've come a long way but still aren't competing with the big boys. Perhaps as you imply they aren't really trying, not wanting to venture too far along the flat part of the price/quality curve.
Thanks for the video, Ben. I love my Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro. It is quite obviously top quality in every way. I paid $800 for it in 2015. As it came on a leather strap, I decided to purchase a bracelet from CW, but was told that the bracelets were sold out as the watch had been discontinued. Conversely, when my 1972 Seiko 6139 required extensive work, my Seiko watchmaker in North Vancouver Canada was able to source all required parts OEM from Seiko, including a crystal and bracelet links that needed to be replaced.
As I never sell a watch, this made me question future purchases beyond the major brands as future value is sure to be impacted. My Seikos that I bought as a teenager in the 70s are now worth 10 times more than I paid for them. I just cannot see that level of future desirability from CW.
He says in this video that this is not a watch with a good resale value
@@Yoshikaable You are correct. He did raise that topic, stating that watches should not be seen as investments. Based on my own experiences, I agreed with his observations.
Own a second hand 12 and I would say it’s very good for the price point. Much nicer than a PRX , it feels high quality like a more expensive watch with really 1st class finishing. The only improvement would be if the Steel models had the SW300 movement like the titanium, the slimmer movement and better quality of the SW300 would raise the bar. It’s definitely higher quality than the lower grade Swatch group such as Tissot, Hamilton, Certina and Mido ,and close to Longines.
@@johnholkham2420 second hand is a great idea! I think the prx is also a better buy second hand as well. Perhaps I just prefer second hand in general? It gets the first scratches out of the way
You had a shot of a Wise in there. Did you feature them? Looked around and could find your words and take on them..
My son bought one of their chronometers that was wildly out. He sent it back and it came back exactly the same. On the other hand he has an older CW and it’s his favourite watch.
My only historical beef with CW has been the branding and logo on the dials. I'm really glad to see they've addressed this issue because it now means, when at some point in the future I once more have discretionary funds to buy a watch (and who knows when that will be), CW will definitely be in the mix. I really like their bronze divers, for example, but a nice GMT would also be a great choice.
CW makes excellent watches. I bought a used C60 Pro for $700 and it was awesome.
11:00 I had a Zodiac Sea Wolf that had that same micro adjust on the links.
Hello! I was thinking of buying Nendo’s (Oki Sato) Buckle watch. Fo you have any experience with that watch?
Great video. Thank you.
An adjustable butterfly clasp has been around on top other brands for ages.
The CW CEO said it when The Twelve X was launched.
The thing about CW talking in “cutting out the middle man” language is that they were the first brand to sell watches directly to consumers online twenty years ago; they were the first to genuinely use 3x markups (which they’d carried across from years in standard retail at ELC) and not have a distribution network cost, and hence no middle man. All the scam brands of recent years have since repeated “middle man” and “affordable luxury” but using crappy drop shipped stuff. Meanwhile CW are a genuine British/Swiss manufacturer with their own in-house calibre in the SH-21, plus the JJ and FS modules for Sellita movements. Whilst they started off as a generic micro brand they’re now a true independent watchmaker with some incredible pieces: the Bel Canto and their recent Moonphase for example, whilst the finishing on the Twelve X is outstanding.
I’ve never understood people who don’t like watches with people’s names on. What about Roger Smith, Philippe Dufour, etc?
Ben,
Christopher Ward applies light-grade thread-lock to the bracelet screws, like Rolex. You must heat the bracelet in warm water for around five minutes to soften the material, in order to back out the screws.
You forced them, therefore stripping the screwheads. 👍🏼
CW really does do very nice work for the money. I have a Trident Pro 300, and it’s basically the cheapest watch I own, but it is so nice.
I own a Sealander and love it. Think at the time it cost me around £700 on the bracelet, wish I had waited as mine has the old Christopher Ward logo and not the twin flags which I much prefer. I love the 12 and really fancy the Ti in the darker green, best save my pennies. Great review Ben. 👍
Hey Ben, I really liked the look with the bald head. you shave with razor or hairclippers? I'm thinking about doing the same.
As I understand, the Christopher Ward logo/dial was influenced by copyright or legal claims up until recently and that's why the brand only settled on a basic logo in the last few years.
Christopher Ward is currently as of today running their bi annual sale. Can save a few hundred in each model
I don´t see any sale there
@@unaibb use search tab and type sale
@@unaibb email subscribers were sent a link today. I'm sure it'll be open to everyone else tomorrow or Friday
The blue ones cool
That strerch bracelet is very similar to that on my zodiac super seawolf. Very helpful!!
I’ve owned a CW black dial sapphire for years, I would say it’s one of my best watches purchases I’ve done.
That CEO lol "what gives you the licence to do that?"
Can anyone tell me where I might find a bracelet collar for a Citizen Garrison AT2480-57L? Or if I can even buy them at all.
Nice review Mate! as always.. beautiful watch, i prefer 12 over the Sealander. Cant agree more on spending that kind of money. What do you think of Maen watches while compared to Chris Ward? Thanks again for all the great work you do. Cheers!!
You should have mentioned the SH21 movement. It is their in house caliber with 5 days power. It was only found in limited models, but now seems like they are trying to move it to flagship models. A huge game changer with this brand and even though not shown here, i think is very worth the mention.
"""""""in house"""""""
@@atianfirebolt8125 say what you mean. how is it not in house?
CW 12 shits on Tissot PRX.. The Trident Hombre dive watch from CW is even more amazing. CW ranks right up there in bang for the $$$ in the entry luxury segment..
Best review I’ve ever watched.
Comparing my "The Twelve Ti" to a PRX, the CW is definitely a step up in movement as well as finishing quality and materials
The same way that San Martin undercuts brands like Seiko and Tissot, Chris Ward is Longines quality for a grand or more less. Perhaps even better - that microadjust butterfly clasp is a game changer. I've been happy with my Trident diver but I might have to finally pick up a new one...
I don't think there is any way to see these before you buy them right? I like the look of the Mulberry but I would like to see it in person especially as it's only available in a 36.
You have to go to maidenhead
They have put in a conscious effort to hit a ton of shows and meetups (Red Bar etc). They are definitely making the rounds. They do have the 60/60 as well. They will pay return shipping and full refund if you order it and don't like it. It gets a little tricky if you are outside the UK getting back import duty and taxes but it can be done. Also note 60/60 means that you look it over and don't like it. Not size the bracelet and wear it for three weeks then declare you don't like it. You wouldn't get a full refund in this case.
Come on Ben, nothing is better than Scammatti 😁 it's the ultimate watch brand
In that price range I prefer German brands like Sinn, Schaumburg, Damasko, Bruno Söhnle, Limes, Wempe and Junghans. Having said that the finish and design of CW look great. Superb review!!
Nice comprehensive review. I would disagree about the tight screws and your tools not being the problem though. They probably used loctite to ensure a secure bracelet, so if you don’t go at it in the proper ways, and you don’t have quality tools, you’re undoubtedly going to strip the screws.
So glad you pointed out the weird chamfering on the hour hand!
It's awful and looks very odd in most lights.
A big reason I sent the CW I bought back!!
Hey Ben, could you try out the Thomas Earnshaw ES-8230-02?
Waited so long for your video, love from 🇮🇳
Indians unite!
I own the 12 in Titanium with a purple dial. It's a beautiful watch, but it's rather expensive for what I consider to be a smaller brand. The 36 would have been a better fit for my wrist, but it was yet to be offered at the time of purchase. They are in a tough spot because they are between categories. They are not a micro brand but not a powerhouse, so finding the right price bracket is tricky. I like it better than the PRX; to me, it looks more premium. I am happy with my purchase, but I don't think I would consider my 12 a luxury watch.
i really like that logo
Adjustable link first in the industry ?? Take a look at the Vacheron 5500. CW did a great job copying this adjustment. The Twelve X will have this too. Waiting for mine.
I really like CW as a brand and am not bothered by the fact that they aren't as widely known as some of the other bigger brands, Rolex, Omega, Seiko, Citizen, etc. What I think they really need to do, as opposed to all this self directed marketing they have done, is just have a decent bloody sale on their watches. Like 50% off stock which they have had on the shelf for a longer than acceptable period. That, in my opinion is the best form of marketing. Get some watches out there to people who love them but haven't been able to afford one, and just watch the onflow of capitalisation as a result of those happy customers.
I would very much like a CW watch but i'm really not sold on the 2824 / sw200 movements, they need to get a better movement to finish off the package.
Great value for the quality and design.
Zodiac has a similar micro-adjustment system on their butterfly clasps.
Although I like CW (and currently own a 42mm Trident diver), all of my CW watches have wound like they have sand in the movement. 🤷♂️
@benswatchclub what you saying about Maen watches they are just below 1000£ ?
I owned several CW watches and they were all very high quality. I agree on the company name being weird, sounding like a department store brand, aka Montgomery Ward. I never got along with the bracelets though. They are a bit too stiff for my taste.
Did you apply heat to the screws? I suspect the use Loctite, which is understandable but annoying.
One area the more budget brands tend to skimp on is straps and of course when you buy you can match with your favourite combination, but an expectation is created they will be of equal quality. And they aren't cheap if purchased separately.
If anywhere, I'd rather they skimped on straps, but paying an extra €50 on top for a very comfortable well fitting strap won't be decisive for most people.
Some like Mr Jones have a standard case for all watches. Which means even though they are cheap I'll probably never buy more than one.
And then there's the movements. I think they gamble that most at this price point won't care, they just want a well made good looking piece. But you quickly notice the +/- 20s and 38 hour time reserve on that €800 CW that also finds it's way into a €4000 Bel Canto.
But everything's a compromise!
I have a white dial C63 (nice deal on eBay a while back. Has the centered text logo. I dont see myself selling it even down the line// I become attached to the ones I really like.
The Twelve looks awesome!
Owning the PRX Automatic I just can't justify paying double the price for the Twelve. It may be finished better and has a more complex construction but again, I kind of expect that for the price. Still it looks very good and I like the CW designs. They surely know how to make a good watch.
Looks like I'm adding a Casio to my collection until I can afford a CW 😄
Christopher Ward is definitely producing some great timepiece, but 'luxury' so subjective. In my opinion, many brands offer luxury and entry level luxury. Some can even argue Rolex OP stainless steel is the cheapest luxury watch if you want to compare to a RM or FP Journe.
I've owned 3 CW's and sold all 3. Doubt I'll ever buy another. For me they were a good introduction to luxury watches but once you start setting your sights higher it's hard to ever go back. My current daily wear is an SMP.
Loving CW at the moment
I'm a fan of CW but youre correct, better things to spend that money on, but if it's spare....
Glad they changed the logo, the old one made me think of Christopher Robin.