On August 26th 2021 Christopher Ward announced a new watch and it wasn’t what we expected. So, what did Christopher Ward launch and will it find a place on your wrist?
#tide
The new watch is called the C60 #tide and it is made in collaboration with #tide. #tide (https://tide.earth) is an organization that takes ocean-bound plastics and upcycles it into useful products such as watch straps. The products were developed in partnership with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences. They work with and pay fisherman in fishermen in Asia and the Philippines to collect, sort, process, and transport plastic. This stops plastic waste from entering the ocean ecosystem and aids local communities. This material is further processed into yarn and other product forms. This closes the plastic loop and serves a valuable environmental, social and economic service as well. In addition, for each #tide strap sold Christopher Ward will donate £5 to the BLUE Marine Foundation (www.bluemarinefoundation.com) to support their marine conservation work.
The watch
The watch is based upon the Christopher Ward C60 dive watch. It has a 42mm diameter, a height of 14.1mm and a lug tip to lug tip length of 49.32mm and a water resistance rating of 600 meters (60 ATM). These are a pretty standard set of numbers for a C60 but what makes this watch different is the dial. The dial is sapphire with a series of waves of colour applied to it. The waves have Super-LumiNova® X1 BL C1 incorporated into them which lend an ethereal glow to the dial at night. Christopher Ward have made the use of lume in novel ways a bit of specialty recently and this watch takes that a bit further and adds interest to the dial. There is a date window at the 6 o’clock position and the Christopher Ward wordmark is applied at 12 o’clock.
The case is the Light-catcher™ case we’ve become familiar with a blend of brushed and polished surfaces which reflect light in different ways to make an instant impression on the wrist. The minute hand is a simple baton, the hour hand is in the shape of a sacrificial dagger and the seconds hand has a pip at the minute track and the trident counter balance.
The movement is a COSC certified Selitta SW200. Christopher Ward supply the COSC certificate with each chronometer watch which is a nice touch. The movement is hidden behind a closed caseback which is deep stamped with a “#”. The caseback has a ring of blue #tide material surrounding the central engraving. There is another ring of #tide material surrounding the crown which also features a “#” rather than the usual twin flags logo.
The combination of the Light-catcher™ case, sapphire dial, applied waves and lumed ceramic bezel make this a striking watch.
The strap
This isn’t just about the watch though. Yes, it is available with a bracelet, and a very good bracelet it is too, but this watch is intended to showcase the #tide strap.
The #tide straps are very, very comfortable. They feel warm to the touch and wrap around the wrist very well. The fabric conforms to the wrist and doesn’t get too sweaty in hot weather either. They are available in 20mm and 22mm widths in a range of colours and hardware from the Christopher Ward website. Each strap is fitted with a quick release system for easy, tool-free strap changes.
Conclusions
Christopher Ward had hinted that their next watch would be an update of the C1 dress watch range so this was a surprise. On first glance, as an owner of the C60 BLUE, I thought they had re-released it in a different size. That’s not the case. The new C60 #tide is a very new watch. Christopher Ward have used a sapphire dial on a 42mm watch before but this is the first time they have applied a more complex and sophisticated lumed wave pattern to the dial. They have also skillfully combined “tide material into the caseback and crown in a way that highlights the material and the #tide organisation.
The C60 #tide is, like the rest of the C60 range, a modern take on the dive watch. The dial is a work of art and is complemented by the blue ceramic bezel and Light-catcher™ case. This is going to be a very strong “wrist” statement. The 600m water resistance and COSC certification make this a strong contender in the market and that’s before we talk about the price. Ah yes, the price. What price should a 600m, COSC certified watch with a sapphire dial actually be? Frankly, this is a bargain. The C60 #tide on a #tide strap is £895 and £1,000 on a bracelet. Not only that you’re donating to a great cause and helping communities develop a sustainable income. If the C60 BLUE led the way the C60 #tide moves the design further, adds technical flair, and contributes to a great cause. This one’s going to be a cracker.
The C60 #tide is available to purchase now from the Christopher Ward website (www.christopherward.com).
@onliberty1859
