It feels like only yesterday I was sitting at WatchGecko HQ being handed the box for the 40.5mm C1 Moonphase (despite this happening twelve months ago). It was a launch I was really excited about. I’d seen the PR images, and it looked like a beautiful watch, something entirely new and different for Christopher Ward and yet somehow still explicitly “them.”
But I was sadly disappointed upon opening the box. As you can read about further in my review from last year, it was a watch I had hoped would suit wrists as small as my own. In my eyes, this was a dress watch through and through. And while the dial certainly met my expectations, the case dimensions did not. Don’t get me wrong, I love a large watch if the design is right. An oversized chronograph or sports watch can look great, but for me, a watch with a dial as dressy as this deserves a case equally as refined.
Over the last twelve months, it seems those with larger wrists have since fallen in love and the C1 40.5mm has even been nominated at the prestigious Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in the Challenge category. Meanwhile, I’ve been sitting, a little green with envy, watching so many others enjoy this release.
But finally, it seems I have reason to stop complaining because Chistopher Ward has just released their C1 Moonphase watch with more compact case dimensions. For the new CW C1 Moonphase 37mm, they have resized their light-catcher case with a lovely 37mm width, making it much more suited to mine and many others’ smaller frames. The case is still wonderfully finished with brushed and polished surfaces and secures by the brand’s Consort bracelet with a slim 3mm profile and micro-adjust clasp. An Italian leather strap is also an option.
Although perfectly sized in width, the Christopher Ward C1 Moonphase 37mm is still a little thick for a dress watch in my opinion, measuring to 13.1mm tall (that’s just 0.2mm shorter than the 40.5mm reference). But I know some of the height does come down to the domed box-shaped sapphire crystal glass placed on top which works wonders with the aventurine dial below.
The dial is exactly as before, glistening in dark navy aventurine, a stone that is infused with reflective copper oxide. It really is the perfect surface to pair with a moonphase complication, mimicking the look of a clear, starlit sky. The Globolight moonphase aperture, taking up the entirety of the dial's top half, is made from a blend of ceramic and Super-LumiNova giving it an unmistakable glow when the lights go out.
Other than the new dimensions, the rest of the specs for the C1 Moonphase 37mm are the same. There’s minimal hardware or decoration on the dial, a 30 metre water resistance and an exhibition case back to show off the in-house JJ04 movement. The movement is built off the Swiss made Sellita SW220-1 and mimics the lunar cycle seamlessly, only requiring adjustment every 128 years.
The Christopher Ward C1 Moonphase 37mm officially launches on 14th November 2024, retailing for £2,130 on the Consort Bracelet and £1,995 on the fine Italian Leather Strap.
C1 Moonphase 37mm Tech Specs -
- Model: C1 Moonphase 37mm
- Dial: Aventurine glass with Globolight moonphase
- Indexes: Applied silver-tone indexes
- Diameter: 37mm
- Thickness: 13.1mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Case Finish: Brushed and polished
- Strap: Steel bracelet or Italian leather
- Movement: Sellita SW220-1 with JJ04 module, automatic winding
- Functions: Central hours, minutes, seconds, moonphase
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal
- Caseback: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Retail Price: £1,995 (Leather), £2,130 (Bracelet)
