C60 Elite 1000M Diver
Introduction
It's no secret that the Sketchy Boyz Watch Club is a fan of Christopher Ward timepieces. We have been fortunate enough to have many other opportunities to work with CW and are grateful for their cooperation and collaboration. CW has a presence in the Military world and civilian world that I believe has the perfect blend of form and function and a statement piece of quality and precision. Whether it's on the commander of special forces wrist giving orders to some of the most elite forces in the world or on my humble wrist on a tour of the USS Croaker a Gato Class Diesel Submarine, these timepieces fit the bill and have some serious specs to back it up. Today we look at the C60 Elite 1000, a watch that you could say is temporarily in my possession to be reviewed and then will be handed off to its new owner. This time frame I am in is a unique one as it is not a watch I purchased nor is it a watch loaned to me from the company. There is no bias and this will be a bare knuckle review of a watch I believe has the specs and looks to rival any of the major big name brands and out perform them.
Brief History
From an Idea on boat trip down the Thames in 2004 to 20 years later Christopher Ward has grown exponentially in every direction. Gaining a following of watch aficionados from all around the world. Becoming the World's first online watch brand in 2005 they have very humble beginnings. Initially starting with two models the C5 Malven Auto and the C3 Malven Chronograph. If you dig deep on CW you realize they are more than just a watch company they have a serious history in “breaking” the norms of typical watch making by many other brands and streamlining the process of watchmaking to ensure they stay at a cost and provide a brilliantly designed timepiece ready for any occasion. Creating their own movements early on to providing very elegant designs in all forms. From dive watches to dress watches they have you covered. Having the ability to customize certain models and working closely with the Military they have provided some pretty intriguing models that you know by the Units logo on the dial or case back these watches would not have been approved unless thoroughly trusted to perform.
What particularly peaks my interest about Christopher Ward is they are not just all flash no bang. They are a company that lays out who they are, what they represent and provide exactly that. There is no major push to be in any field or environment specifically and by that I mean they are not strictly a tactical watch house, or focused on diving, or racing. They have depth in their range. They are transverse through many fields to a point that the end user decides where their watches land. For example you buy a C60 Trident that was designed as a dive watch but does it matter if you ever dive with it? NO. It was not forced on you to only use your watch in that manner, it's up to you where you take your time piece. It may be ingenious marketing that gives you this feeling of ill take my watch wherever I damn well please and I know Christopher Ward's designs and specs have my back. Regardless CW brings a lot to the table and I believe they provide a rock solid product that you can rely upon in any environment and that's what the SBWC is all about.
First Impressions
As soon as I removed the watch from the box and slid it over my hand I instantly agreed with the Elite title. It was lightweight, with clean lines, very balanced and the perfect size. Going from outside to inside multiple times throughout the morning I was immediately impressed with the low light presence and the drastic difference when entering natural light again on the deck of a WW2 Class Missile Cruiser. The feeling I got from this watch was a punch way above what I was expecting and I was expecting something great. It truly is a tough no nonsense dive watch that could sit shoulder to shoulder with some major brands that charge ten times more for a watch that will most likely never truly see the proper use for fear of tarnish or patina. The Christopher Ward C60 Elite is a watch that I would consider a chameleon, a dive watch that is from a far passable in a suit but up close it's a no nonsense diver ready to take on the depths of the ocean with ease. The Elites look is very CW which I love. There is no nod to any other brand, that's not Christopher Ward's style it only nods to its own ancestors. Do I dare say this watch is a contender against the BB58? Or is it a Sleeper Planet Ocean style “Bond” Watch? It gives that vibe. What it truly shows me is that if you were to put a collection of those aforementioned watches together and sat the Elite right in the middle they would all look like they belong together and not against each other. It's a professional tool that I would gladly add to my collection one day.
Packaging
Something that is often overdone and takes up way too much closet space is packaging. The true collector of time pieces knows this struggle. CW provides a very minimalist thin profile package with the essentials laid out in layers. Upon receiving this Watch I was not in my home like I usually would be and able to lay everything out in a nice clean environment and truly pour over what was in the packaging, Instead I was handed the C60 Elite at the Buffalo Vietnam Memorial in the Naval Park and that's a pretty badass way to receive a watch. A dead drop style if you will. Immediately I went to a local coffee shop, grabbed a brew and opened the box. With the cardboard sleeve removed it reveals the CW brilliant watch box sleeve style with a faux leather embossed rectangular sleeve with a wood style insert. As you separate the sleeve and insert your shown a cleaning cloth that's packaged and layered on top of the watch manual and warranty card. Once all the documents are removed you lay your eyes on the C60 Elite for the first time in the flesh (Titanium appearance) and let me tell you it's a stunner.
Fit and Finish
The C60 Elite 1000 is a full Grade 2 Titanium construction which has the highest strength-to-Density ratio of any metallic element. This grade of Titanium is one of the best materials possible to assist in corrosion resistance and keep the weight down. The brushed case with only the slightest bit of reflection coming from the beveled edges gives this watch an almost foggy and tough look. Titanium looks and feels warm to the touch. It almost feels as if your body temperature transfers to the case when handling it.
Immediately as with most watches I gravitate to the bezel with great coin edge purchase. It's a breeze to operate. The bezel is very legible and adorned with a red inverted triangle and lume pip triangular as well at the 12 o'clock. The action is very smooth with a positive click at every position around the 120 click uni directional bezel with very little back play at all. Dropping down through the 3.8mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal the dial is a very pleasant black with what some may consider a busy dial I think is nicely laid out. Moving clockwise around the dial is the Twin Flag of the English Flag and Swiss Flag occupies the 12 o'clock position with a Day Date complication resting at the 3 o'clock that has a white text and black background making it very legible. Carrying on to the 6 o'clock there is Red and White text depicting that this piece is a Chronometer with a whopping 1000m Water Resistance. Christopher Ward is printed in white at the 9 o'clock which some may ask why have the text and the twin flag logo but what I find is genius is under some light conditions the Twin Flag all but disappears and you're left with the Christopher Ward text as the only identifying maker's mark on the dial. This backup branding is a cool addition I think that lets you know what quality piece you have on in low light conditions. Pure class. The hands sandblasted and polished with an arrow shaped hour hand and a pencil shaped minute hand reaching all the way to the chapter ring for ease of legibility.
The second hand has the CW Trident counter balance with the opposing end reaching out to the chapter ring as-well with a touch of red and a lume pip for accurate tracking in low light. The indices are Top Brushed with diamond polished facets sporting Super LumiNova throughout the indexes and hands. The crown at the 3 o'clock position on the case is protected by integrated crown guards which guide your hand to the crown with ease. The crown itself is engraved with the twin flag logo looking very sharp and gives great purchase. The action is smooth and gives you that feeling of quality CW is known for. With the crown screwed in, this watch offers you a water resistance of 1000 meters as mentioned earlier giving you confidence that this piece is ready for a dive at incredible depths. Swinging around to the 9 o'clock position you'll find a Helium Escape valve ensuring that upon ascent the watch equalizes properly giving you a sense of reliability at depth. The valve itself has the periodic table sign for Helium engraved on it “He”. Flipping the watch over reveals the exhibition case back with its 6 curved cylindrical notches which is reminiscent of a naval hatch. Through the sapphire glass you can see the Sellita SW220-1 COSC certified movement providing you with 38 hours of power reserve and 28,000 beats per hour. This movement is of course a hacking movement which allows you to accurately sync your watch to others sources and keep your Elite accurate for daily wear. The bracelet is also brushed Grade 2 Titanium and very comfortable with a milled clasp and divers extension for water sports or even just to assist in comfort as your wrist naturally swells due to the environment. It has a quick release system for ease of switching out bracelets to maybe a NATO or rubber back up. Overall all this CW Elite is very well done and a formidable diver that stands up against the big leagues.
On the Wrist
With case dimensions like 42mm Diameter and a 49.3mm lug to lug this watch wears smaller than you would think, which I believe comes from the design of the case even though it sits at 15.4mm in height. The bracelet hugs your wrist perfectly and as mentioned above can be adjusted on the fly which is a nice touch. There is no pulling of arm hair and the links flow very nicely towards the clasp. The double push button clasp makes it a breeze to take on and off although I feel this is a watch that you wouldn't take off often, it's nice and functional. The Grade 2 Titanium feels incredibly light to a point where throughout my time exploring WW2 battleships I would forget I had it on at all. Quickly to be reminded of its presence when I entered a Submarine in low light conditions and saw the lume activate giving me a brilliant first impression. The bluish tinge of the Super-LumiNova in low light is properly done not overbearing and in your face it's bright enough to get the job done and long lasting for prolonged darkness. I found myself stopping every now and then on my tour of the Buffalo Naval Park to truly take in what feat of engineering I had on my wrist. I was thoroughly impressed.
Conclusion
The Christopher Ward C60 Elite 1000m Diver is one heck of a watch that offers outstanding levels of confidence. I can wholeheartedly say that CW brings exactly what they represent to the table with their watches and I have been honored to bring you all this review. I hope you now have a better understanding of the C60 Elite and Christopher Ward. I look forward to the future with Christopher Ward as we at SBWC have an upcoming collaboration with them that I believe will be a show stopper.
As Always,
Stay Sketchy
-Derek