Today with the debut of the C60 Apex Limited Edition, British watch brand Christopher Ward celebrates 5 years since they introduced an in-house movement (caliber SH21), which has a twin-barrel mainspring with an impressive 120-hour power reserve.
The C60 Apex Limited Edition is limited to 100-pieces and uses a new COSC-version of the Swiss-made caliber SH21 with a power indicator and cut-out date wheel indication. Additionally, the watch has cut-outs on the dial, giving a small glimpse of the mechanics underneath.
Running at 4Hz, the SH21 has 35 jewels (4 jewels were added for the new power reserve indicator and date wheel) as well as an oscillating weight on ball bearings for increased self-winding efficiency. For this limited edition the rotor and bridges feature bright orange or blue anodized aluminum and have been skeletonized, visible on both sides.
According to Christopher Ward, the company worked with Swiss skeleton watch specialists Armin Strom to help showcase as much of caliber SH21 as possible. They skeletonized the aluminum and tungsten rotor, with an orange finish for the top of the weighted area. The main bridges were also skeletonized and feature a blue anodized aluminum finish. The SH21’s exposed hour wheel received a circular brushed finish, as well as other cutaways. On the front, most prominently, the bridge supporting the power reserve indicator is skeletonized and features a bright orange anodized aluminum bridge.
The Christopher Ward C60 Apex Limited Edition comes in a stainless steel case that measures 42 mm x 16.35 mm, 54 mm lug-to-lug, and has a 22 mm interlug width. Sapphire crystals protect the front and back and the caseback has the numbered limited edition engraved around the peripheral. There’s a choice of a blue and orange rubber/textile strap, an all blue rubber/textile strap (with quick-release levers), or a stainless steel bracelet. Total weight is 99 grams on a strap.
Interestingly, the watch meets ISO 6425 dive watch requirements with features such as a unidirectional countdown bezel (with blue ceramic insert), a water-resistance rating of 300 meters, luminescence on the dial and bezel, and a locking crown. It even has an automatic helium escape valve for saturation diving, on the left side of the case, (not a requirement of the ISO6425 standard), to reinforce that it is, in fact, a legit dive watch, not just a limited edition skeletonize fashion piece with no professional functionality.
Retail is $3,990.
