Recently Released: Christopher Ward Military Collection Series 2

I do not think it a stretch to say that the recent military-focused releases from Christopher Ward have been a hit. Sure, the Trident Dive line is a solid one, but for me, it’s the the C65 Sandhurst (closely followed by the C63 Sealander GMT) that would be at the top of the list if I could add one to my watch box. Recognizing the hits on their hands, CW realized it was time to make some updates. That means it’s time to get familiar with the Christopher Ward Military Collection Series 2.

For this collection, we’ve got the models we’ve seen before: Sandhurst, Cranwell, and Dartmouth. Why are these military watches? Well, the styling of course, plus the fact that they’re named for officer-training academies for the Army, RAF, and Navy. Not only that, these watches have very specific historical inspirations for them:

Sandhurst: inspired by the Smiths W10 field watch originally issued to British soldiers in 1969

Cranwell: derived from Jaeger-LeCoultre Mark XI 6B/346, an aviator watch aimed at bomber-navigators using celestial ‘look-up’ navigation
Dartmouth: finds its design roots in the 1957 Omega Seamaster 300 ‘Big Triangle’

So, we’ve seen these models before, so what are the big changes you’d notice from Series 1 to Series 2? Well, for starters, the Christoper Ward logo has been removed and was replaced by their double-flag iconography, simplifying the dials a bit. That applies to all of the models; here are the more-specific changes:

Sandhurst: still the same 38mm light-catcher case; the handset is “full arrows” and brushed, changed from the stick hands of the original. There’s also a new bronze version.
Cranwell: the case size has been reduced to 38mm, and the dial has been fully redone
Dartmouth: while the case remains at 41mm, the dial has ben fully lumed, and the bezel is now also lumed

While I think I’d still go for the Sandhurst of the three (due to having seen it in person, I suppose), that fully-lumed dial on the Dartmouth should be a treat to see on the wrist. The full collection is available now, with pricing ranging from $1,080 – $1,205. Just reinforces that you can have Swiss chronometer-spec movements in attractive designs for an affordable price point. Check all the details out below, or over at christopherward.com