While many watch folks will decry the idea of trying to have a single watch that covers all the necessary scenarios. For myself, I find an appeal to the idea (not one I’ve embraced just yet). And frankly, when we were kids – or just starting out with watches – all we had was a single watch. What would fit that criteria today? Well, most likely a dressy sports watch would cover the bases. That’s where the brand new Christopher Ward The Twelve comes in.
The Christopher Ward The Twelve watches (there are two versions) start out with some very lofty inspiration – the 1972 Royal Oak designed by none other than Gerald Genta. Not that the Twelve looks like a RO homage, but it’s where CW feels the category started. So, why this name, The Twelve? Aside from there being 12 hours in the day, you’ve got a dodecagon for the bezel. In other words, twelve different surfaces and angles, giving the watch its name.
For me, sure, the bezel is interesting. But really, if we’re talking textures and angles, it’s the dial of the Christopher Ward The Twelve that really grabbed my eye. I can’t quite make my mind up if it reminds me of a Q-Bert level or a very textured woven tie, but I like it either way. What I also like is the fact that the watch is just under 10mm thick, which is a plus in any automatic watch.
Add in the 100m WR rating, and the ability to get the Christopher Ward The Twelve on a bracelet or rubber strap, and you’ve got a watch that’s ready for every day duty, whether that means heading to the office or down to the lake. Whatever it is, the 65g weight (or 41g if you go for the titanium version) will disappear on the wrist.
Along with the two different materials, the two versions also pick up different dial colors. The movements also differ. In the steel Christopher Ward The Twelve, you’ve got the capable SW200-1 taking up timing duties. If you go for the titanium version, you’re also upgraded to the COSC-rated SW300-1 movement.
While dressy sport watches can get quite spendy, these Christopher Ward The Twelve models are not. Sure, they’re not the pricetags that we saw, say, a decade ago from CW, but they’ve also been seriously upgrading what they’ve been producing. At $1,225 on a bracelet (for steel) or $1,825 (for titanium) (and prices are lower on the rubber strap), these are definitely in the affordable – or verging on entry-level luxury – range that CW has been expanding into. We’re definitely fans, and we’ll work on getting one in for a hands-on review. christopherward.com
Tech Specs from Christopher Ward
The Twelve
- Availability: Open series
- Diameter: 40mm
- Height: 9.95mm
- Lug-to-lug: 44.5mm
- Weight: 65g
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Crown: Screw-down
- Back: Screw-down display caseback
- Movement: Sellita SW200-1
- Execution/Finish: Elaboré finish with twin flag pattern over ‘Colimaçoné’ finish on the rotor
- Type: Automatic
- Function: Hour, minute, central second, date
- Frequency: 4 Hz/28,000vph
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Jewels: 26
- Tolerance: -20/+20 Seconds per day
- The Twelve retails for £1,050/$1,225/€1,350 on a bracelet and £850/$995/€1,095 with rubber strap.
The Twelve Ti Chronometer
- Availability: Open series
- Diameter: 40mm
- Height: 8.95mm
- Lug-to-lug: 44.5mm
- Weight: 41g
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Crown: Screw-down
- Back: Screw-down display caseback
- Movement: Sellita SW300-1 COSC
- Execution/Finish: Elaboré finish with twin flag pattern over ‘Colimaçoné’ finish on the rotor
- Type: Automatic
- Function: Hour, minute, central second, date
- Frequency: 4 Hz/28,000vph
- Power reserve: 56 hours
- Jewels: 25
- Tolerance: -4/+6 Seconds per day
- The Twelve (Ti) retails for £1,595/$1,825/€2,075 on a bracelet or £1,225/$1,375/€1,595 with rubber strap.
