A couple of months ago, Christopher Ward debuted a new range of integrated bracelet watches called “The Twelve”. With 40mm ‘dodecagonal’ cases and uniquely textured dials, these watches were met with a mix of criticism and praise. Like Switzerland, I found myself stuck in the middle, unsure on where I stood.
Now, Christopher Ward has launched a range of smaller The Twelve designs with 36mm cases and four eye-catching dial colours. Much more suited size-wise to my wrist, I think it’s time I finally made a decision. So here we are, taking a look the new Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 watch collection…
The Twelve
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 - Credit WatchGecko
Despite being just a few hours’ drive away from CW’s flagship boutique in Maidenhead, I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve had very little hands-on time with Christopher Ward watches. I can assure you this isn’t down to choice, just a lack of opportunity. Thankfully, since becoming a guest author at Watch Gecko, I have become a lot more familiar with the brand and I’m finally understanding all the fuss.
British watchmaking is mostly small scale, but it still has a place within the world of watches. Christopher Ward is one of a handful of British watch brands proving that, combining quintessential British design with Swiss manufacture. For a long time, they focused predominantly on affordable, well-executed dive watches but these were nothing out of the ordinary. Then came designs like the Bel Canto and The Twelve which have undeniably cemented them as a serious independent watchmaker to take notice of.
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 - Credit WatchGecko
The inaugural C W The Twelve collection launched in April earlier this year (fellow Gecko author Anthony covered the launch here). Its release was clearly influenced by the rise in popularity of integrated sports watches like the Tissot PRX or Maurice Lacroix Aikon to name just a few. But while alike in architecture to these similarly-priced models, there was something noticeably different about The Twelve, and that was the complexity of the dials.
With its unusual raised, checkboard like finish, the dial of the Christopher Ward The Twelve has divided opinions. The surface is raised, and in the case of the titanium models, offered with a gradient effect. There’s also a flat railroad track on the outer edge, a colour-matched date window and hour markers that are applied, not printed. Yes, the combination of textures and details may not be for everyone, but it’s not often you’ll find a watch at this price with this much construction complexity. We have to applaud them.
The Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Collection
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 - Credit WatchGecko
Now appealing to those of us with smaller wrists, or simply those with a love of smaller watches, Christopher Ward has reinvented The Twelve with a 36mm case size. C W designer William Brackfield describes the novelty as an example of Christopher Ward’s ‘agender’ approach: “There’s a paradigm shift across the industry, with men’s watches getting smaller and ladies’ watches getting bigger. The Twelve (36) is where they meet in the middle. We like to say, ‘Small is big!’” I’m quick to agree with him; a 36mm case hits the sweet spot for me.
Pretty much all of the same design features of the original 40mm models have made their way onto the new Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 watches. The stainless steel case retains that organically flowing barrel shape topped by a dodecagonal bezel with sand-blasted, brushed and mirror-polished finishings. The strap is also integrated and is available in rubber or metal, the latter electing brushed and polished components with bevelling on the edges. There’s still a 100 metre water resistance and sapphire crystal glass on both the front and back of the watch.
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 - Credit WatchGecko
As for the dial, the C W The Twelve 36 comes in four colours: Nordic Blue and lighter Glacier Blue which are both present on the 40mm version, as well as two new displays of Alta White and Frosted Linchen. Alta White is a twist on the best-selling Artic White but offers a warmer finish with rose gold hands and markers. Frosted Linchen, on the other hand, is a lovely mint green shade and my favourite out of the four.
The dials still feature the controversial three-dimensional texture, but unlike its bigger brother, the 36mm models no longer have a date window. To include one, they’d have to lose the 6 o’clock marker completely. Personally, this was a decision well made. With the raised surface of the dial already being a lot for some people, the removal of the complication cleans up the display a little. The hour markers are also proportionately slimmer but retain lume across their lengths to match the hands.
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 - Credit WatchGecko
Inside the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 watches is the Sellita SW200-1 automatic winding movement. It’s the same solid workhorse movement used inside the steel 40mm models, delivering 26 jewels, a 4Hz frequency and a power reserve of 38 hours. C W have added finishing to the movement to make it more their own, adding rough brushing to many of the components and the same checkboard engraving seen on the dial to the rotor.
Overall, I’m impressed with the new Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 collection. If you have a penchant for integrated sports watches but you’re like me and you’ve struggled to find much under the 38mm mark, you’re going to enjoy them a lot. Their retail price is impressive too, marked up at £850 on the rubber strap and £1,050 on the bracelet. More than anything, these watches just get me excited for C W’s future, because this is definitely a new direction for the British watchmaker and I’m eager to see what else they have hiding under their sleeve – literally.
Specs:
- Case Diameter: 36mm
- Case Height: 9.95mm
- Lug-to-lug: 40.8mm
- Weight: 56g
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Crown: Screw-down
- Back: Screw-down display caseback
- Movement: Sellita SW200-1, automatic winding
- Execution/Finish: Elaboré finish with twin flag pattern over 'Colimaçoné' finish on the rotor
- Function: Hour, minute, central second
- Frequency: 4 Hz/ 28,000vph
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Jewels: 26
- Tolerance: -20/+20 Seconds per day
- RRP £850 (rubber), £1,050 (bracelet)
We also had the privilege of interviewing the CEO of Christopher Ward - Mike France and ask him why The Twelve (36) was developed:
