Recently Released: Christopher Ward C63 Colchester

While I’ve had my personal favorite in the Christopher Ward lineup, once I had a chance to test out the C63 Sealander GMT the C63 line quickly shot to the top of the list. While I appreciate the steel case there, there’s something to be said about shedding as much weight from your wrist as possible. If that’s what you’re going for, then the Christopher Ward C63 Colchester is worth taking note of.

To cut the weight down, the Christopher Ward C63 Colchester relies on forged carbon fiber for both the case and the dial. As we’ve experienced from other watches, this does make for an eerily light case that is still plenty tough. The fact that they’ve also worked in a retractable titanium crown on the case makes for a visually smaller watch, though it’s still coming in at 41mm.

So, why cut the weight? The Christopher Ward C63 Colchester is part of their authorized military collection, and has ties to the British Army’s Parachute Regiment – hence the desire to shave grams (this watch, all told, is 38g, all but unheard of for an automatic watch). The caseback has a “coin” from the division set there, so you won’t forget it.

As far as the overall look, particularly with the dial and handset, the Christopher Ward C63 Colchester is very recognizable as part of the C63 family. With the darker background that the forged carbon gives, the lume-filled indices and handset stand out in sharp contrast. While this is not the most affordable CF watch we’ve seen, it is still a better value than many CF watches that are out there. Speaking of, it’s $1,195 direct from CW. Keep an eye out, as we’re working on getting a loaner in for a full review. christopherward.com