Christopher Ward New Releases New Watches Trident

New Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000 marries the world of deep diving with globe trotting

Featuring a 42mm diameter, an external countdown bezel as well as an internal 24-hour ring and fourth GMT hand, the new C60 Elite GMT 1000 is a match made in heaven.

New Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000 marries the world of deep diving with globe trotting

COVID-19 has nothing on Christopher Ward. The British brand is on a roll this year, and how.

First they release the C65 GMT Worldtimer that is hands down the most bang for your buck watch of recent times and a very handsome watch even if you don’t care about the financial side of it. And now this, the new C60 Elite GMT 1000 that so intricately marries the opposing worlds of deep diving and world travelling that one would think they were born to co-exist.

Featuring a 42mm diameter, a helium escape valve, an external countdown bezel as well as an internal 24-hour ring and fourth GMT hand, the new C60 Elite GMT 1000 is a match made in heaven.

On Watch Ya Gonna Do About It we pay heavy emphasis on watches that serve more than one purpose. Part of the reason behind starting our new website was that we wanted to focus on watches that can transcend the weekend day / weekend barrier, and assist our readers and new watch enthusiasts in finding the perfect all rounder. 

If-fact, we have a dedicated section called Fusion Friday where we list watches that transcend the monotony of purely a dress watch or a sports watch, and we even use this in our Infographic reviewing criteria. 

The new Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000 is one such watch, a prime example of the perfect all-rounder. 

To show you how, we have broken up the review into three different comparison sections.

The Immediate Competitor

To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at a watch that is closest to CW’s new release in terms of specifications, the Oris ProDiver. 

The Oris ProDiver was released back in 2018. In terms of comparison, it’s got the same 1000m water resistance and an added GMT function. 

01 774 7727 7784 Set Oris Dive Control Limited Edition LowRes 9315
Oris Dive Control Limited Edition | Courtesy © Oris 2020

The movement is very similar too, in-fact it’s pretty much the same as Christopher Ward’s own C60 Elite 1000. The ProDiver uses calibre Oris 748 which is essentially a re-worked Sellita SW220 movement. 

And both these watches come in lightweight titanium.

Now for the differences: the Oris ProDiver is a very large 49mm compared to CW C60 Elite GMT 1000’s 42mm diameter. It’s got a lower power reserve of 38-hours compared to CW’s 42-hour. It costs 5’000 AUD, roughly twice the price of CW. 

OMEGA 210.30.42.20.04.001 Close Up LOW 1
Waves on dial and Helium value at 10’o clock – Omega Seamaster 300M | Image Courtesy ©Omega

The dial of the ProDiver with its mix of Omega Seamaster inspired waves and concentric circled sub-dial is busy. The marginal use of yellow is not very legible. Also, while excellent as a dive watch, the GMT function seems like an after thought on the Oris, as I don’t reckon an avid traveller would want to wear a 49mm watch on long haul flights.

That said, the Oris ProDiver has a subsidiary second sub-dial at 9’o clock, a fine timing device with stop-seconds, and a Rotation Safety System bezel. The latter gives divers the assurance that the bezel hasn’t been inadvertently moved and is what lends the watch an extra flair. 

Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000
Courtesy © 2016 Christopher Ward (London) Ltd.

The External Comparisons

Now let’s look briefly at what’s around in the luxury market. 

The Rolex Submariner is water resistant up-to 100m; Rolex GMT-Master II is again 100m — the watch C60 Elite GMT 1000 directly competes with — and Omega Seamaster offers 300m water resistance. 

One of the few watches that does beat its water-resistance is the Rolex Sea-Dweller clocking in at 1220m. 

Now let’s put theses specifications in terms of monetary values: the Submariner costs 11,100 AUD, GMT-Master II retails for 13,600 AUD, Omega Seamaster 300M Co-axial costs 6,950 AUD, while the Sea-Dweller costs 17’740 AUD. 

Compared to these, the C60 Elite GMT 1000 is only £1,495 (~2500 AUD, Australian pricing to be confirmed).

Guaranteed it doesn’t have the name tag or legacy of the other watches, but compare the watches at the price points and the CW option is literally a no brainer for those who prefer value for money or are on a budget. 

Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000
Courtesy © 2016 Christopher Ward (London) Ltd.

The Internal Comparisons

CW achieved great success when they released the now sold out C60 Trident Elite 1000 in a 300 piece limited edition run. The brand then followed it up with the recently released C60 Elite 1000, reference C60-42ADD3.

The C60 Elite GMT 1000 is essentially a GMT version of the above reference number.

In terms of looks, design aesthetics and watch dimensions, both are pretty much identical. There are a few differences, and we are listing them here. 

Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000
Courtesy © 2016 Christopher Ward (London) Ltd.
  1. C60 Elite GMT 1000 uses the Sellita SW330 calibre instead of the SW220 of the non GMT version. The main difference this provides is that of an increased power reserve of 42 hours, up by 4 hours from that of C60 Elite 1000.
  2. The indexes are missing at 3 and 9’o clock.
  3. The C60 Elite 1000 has a day/date window at 3’o clock whereas the new GMT version only has a date.
  4. The GMT version has a peripheral 24-hour dial ring with printed numerals.
  5. Because of this ring the indexes are shortened on the GMT version.
  6. GMT obviously has an extra ‘4-th’ hand
  7. At 6’o clock, next to the word ‘Chronometer’ an additional ‘GMT’ text is printed. 

Now that we have broken up the review into three different comparison sections, hopefully this would have placed the watch is a much better context for you to navigate through the complex dive watch market.

The Options 

C60 Elite GMT 1000  is available in two colour variations: Blue dialled with orange accents and orange GMT hand (our favourite of the two) and black dial with red accents and red GMT hand.

In terms of strap options, CW is spoiling you with choices: the watch is available with either a lightweight titanium bracelet or hybrid rubber/ Cordura® strap in a choice of black or navy, with or without a bright underside in red or orange.

The strap width is a pretty generic and easy to find 22mm size and the official straps also feature the quick-release technology making it easy to buy both and simply swap between them. 

The Movement 

The heart used — Sellita SW330 — is a self winding COSC-certified mechanical movement beating at the frequency of 4Hz (28’800 A/h). 

The movement is encased inside a 42mm diameter and 16mm thick brushed and polished Grade 2 titanium case that measures 49.3mm lug to lug and weighs only 77g. 

It comprises of 25 jewels, Christopher Ward’s twin-flag engraving over ‘Colimaçoné’ finish on the rotor and boasts of a 42-hour power reserve. The movement can be admired through the screw-down exhibition caseback that features a unique engraved serial number.

The watch also features a unidirectional brushed or polished zirconia ceramic bezel, an embossed screw-in crown and an integrated automatic helium release valve at 9’o clock that doesn’t jar like the Omega one at 10’o clock. 

The Dial 

The watch face shows the traditional functions of hours, minutes and central hacking seconds, along with a date window at 3’o clock, and a fourth GMT hand. It is protected by a 3.8mm thick anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

The polished blue dial with ‘twin flags’ matte finished at 12’o clock is where our heart lies; the blue and orange combination is very sporty and eye-catching, and compared to the black and red combination, is far more contemporary. 

The legibility appears to be high thanks to the top-brushed indexes with diamond polished facets, and the sandblasted and polished hands. 

Aesthetically the signature Trident counter-balance on seconds hand stands out along with the peripheral flat 24-hour dial ring with printed numerals and the Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 GL C1 in-filled hands, indexes and bezel.  

Watch Ya Gonna Do About It?

Christopher Ward has been upping the ante this year. Like the C65 GMT Worldtimer released recently, the new C60 Elite GMT 1000 is a part of the brand’s Trident collection.

One of the key defining features of Christopher Ward watches as a whole is the amazing value-for-price proposition their watches offer. 

Not only are they very reasonably priced, they are also handsome watches that bear the Swiss Made stamp. For anyone dipping their toes testing the complex world of luxury watches, Christopher Ward is an exceptional starting point. 

Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000
Courtesy © 2016 Christopher Ward (London) Ltd.

And for those who are already neck deep in this world, and who don’t just wish to buy a watch to show off the big brand name tag, Christopher Ward is a brand that will offer you a great dependable watch that will compliment any existing collection.

Heck god forbid if you are ever in a plane crash, this would be the perfect watch to be wearing – the watch could tell different timezones and in the event you fall in the ocean, there is a greater chance it might still work (depending on what depths you sink to). 

Here’s hoping you don’t ever have to use it for this reason, but hey, it’s good to know the option exists.

Bringing you the best of both worlds — diving and GMT functionality — the new 2020 watch release Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000 manages to offer something so unique that it is hard to beat in the market today. 

Watch out for our detailed hands-on review coming soon.

The new C60 Elite GMT 1000 is available from 1st April 2020 from £1’495. For more information on this watch and other Christopher Ward watches, head to their website here.

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