Go BLUE for a good cause. Christopher Ward launches the C60 BLUE Limited Edition.
The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) is a charity which aims to restore the ocean’s health by reducing over fishing. They have a number of projects around the world including the UK, Mediterranean and the High Seas. Now Christopher Ward have collaborated with them to make a 500 piece limited watch that evokes the theme of BLUE and all profits from the watch will go to support the Blue Marine Foundation.
The C60 Blue Limited edition is based upon the C60 Sapphire but adds details relating to the BLUE organization.
Specifications (from CW website)
Diameter 40mm
Lug-tip to Lug-tip 47.46mm
Height 12.95mm
Weight (case only) 83g
Water resistance 600m/2000ft
Lug width 20mm
Movement Selitta SW200-1
Lume SLN X1 BL C1
Design
The C60 BLUE LE is based on the C60 Sapphire. It has a 40mm light catcher, 316L case with a silver framed date window at 3:00 o’clock. The batons are lume filled and multi-faceted and will be familiar to anyone who has seen any of the current generation of C60 watches. The handset is also unchanged with a large arrow head hour hand and a baton minute hand. These are also generously filled with lume. In keeping with the BLUE theme the second hand is now painted a light blue and contrasts nicely with the dial. The characteristic trident counter weight is reassuringly present and correct which links this watch firmly to previous and current C60 watches.
The dial, we have to talk about the dial. It’s a stunner. The C60 sapphire featured a 0.6mm thick disk of sapphire with a blue transparent polymer sheet. Christopher Ward was the first company to introduce this technology to mainstream watch production and they are rightly proud of their mastery of the 30+ processes needed to make this work. The deep blue transparent dial now has applied waves in a dark, matte blue. The wave pattern is not the regular guilloche wave pattern, or laser ablated wave pattern of an Omega Seamaster but is based on the logo of the Blue Marine Foundation. The pattern manages to make the humdrum Sellita SW200-1 look great.
The Christopher Ward logo has returned to the 9:00 o’clock position and is nicely balanced by the date window at 3:00 o’clock. Dial text is limited to a white “AUTOMATIC” at 6:00 o’clock with the water resistance underneath it in a light blue which matches the colour of the second hand.
The Bezel is a deep blue ceramic with Arabic numerals at five minute intervals to 20 minutes and at 10 minute intervals thereafter. There is an additional minute track on the bezel from zero to sixteen minutes. The numerals and minute track are heavily lumed. This will definitely be a watch that glows brightly for a long time. There is a triangular pointer with a lume pip at the zero minutes point. The bezel is not polished and has the high gloss finish of typical ceramic bezels.
The standard strap is unique to the watch. It is made from recycled plastic waste recovered from the oceans. It is dark blue in colour with a thin line of lighter blue running down the middle. The standard range of straps is also available. The brushed steel bracelet is very high quality, comes with push button micro adjust and quick release pins. It should also suit the blue aesthetic of the watch very well.
The C60 BLUE LE has a solid stainless steel case back. The case back has the name and logo of the Blue Marine Foundation deeply stamped into it. Previous experience with CW case backs indicates that the quality of the stamping and engravings on the case back are the equivalent of anything from Tudor or Omega. The use of the BLUE logo fits nicely with the theme of the watch. You can’t see the SW200-1 or the finish of the rotor but the solid, stamped case back fits the style of the watch better.
Conclusions
The C60 Sapphire has been a hit for CW. The C60 BLUE Limited Edition has advanced the art of the transparent dial and has resulted in a very attractive watch. It is right on trend with its 40mm diameter, support of a UK based ocean charity and use of recovered/recycled plastics. When it loos this good being trendy isn’t a problem. Given the transparency of CW’s pricing model you can work out how much will be donated to the Blue Marine Foundation. I’ve done the guesstimate calculations and it’s a lot of money that’s going to be given to a good cause. Added to the looks of this watch it should be a hit for CW and a great contribution to the Blue Marine Foundation.
The C60 BLUE Limited Edition is available for delivery in early December and is priced at £895/$1,025 on the BLUE strap. It is available for pre-order from the Christopher Ward website www.christopherward.co.uk.
This review was written from information from Christopher Wards website and publicly available materials.
@onliberty1859
