New Christopher Ward C12 Loco marks the dawn of a new era for the brand

It's hard not to be a fan of Christopher Ward. Split halfway between a sleepy town in England and a Swiss manufacturing facility, the brand has been around for over 30 years.

It's the last few where things have really grown, though. The brand consistently produces some of the best watches in its price segment, offering a blend of innovation, creativity and ingenuity which has won favour with users of all shapes and sizes.

From haute horologie done dirt cheap in the Bel Canto, to the sleek lines of The Twelve and the dive watch prowess of the Lumière, the brand has moved from strength-to-strength. Now, it takes another leap forward.

The Christopher Ward C12 Loco is a landmark moment not just for the brand, but for the British watch industry in general. The watch is designed around the CW-003 movement – a brand new design made specifically for this piece.

It features a pair of mainsprings delivering six days of power reserve, and is designed with symmetry in mind. The rear of the case, for example, sees the two barrels sat on top of one another, with a gear train in the middle. Every other part of the movement is hidden beneath a crescent shape on the side, which accounts for approximately 1/3 of the total surface.

On the front, the smaller dial from the Bel Canto sits centrally above an open balance wheel. That's the real money shot here – you'll lose hours just watching it sway back and forward as the seconds pass you by.

You'll find the watch in four different colour options. Those with a bolder personality can opt for the blue and orange hues, while the black and white offer something a little more muted. All four are offered on either a matching rubber strap, or a Twelve bracelet – usually I'd say the bracelet is the best pick, but this rubber strap is beautifully soft and supple, so that gets my vote.

The case is a 41mm unit crafted from stainless steel, and sits 13.7mm tall on the wrist. That sounds like a lot, but is only a byproduct of the front- and rear-mounted box crystals. Remove those, and it's just 9.75mm thick, which is much more in keeping with the feel on the wrist.

A lug-to-lug measurement of 47.5mm ensures this is a solid fit for most wrists. And – while it's certainly no dive watch – 30m of water resistance should be enough to deal with the splashes of modern life.

Pricing is as follows:

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It's certainly not a cheap watch, but I do think that represents excellent value. It's mind-boggling to think that you can get a custom-designed in-house movement in a watch which looks this good, for less than £4,000.

Ultimately, the Loco feels like a logical stablemate for the Bel Canto. Where the former is luxurious and 'old money' – a Bentley or a Rolls Royce, for example – the Loco is modern, chic, sporty and doesn't take itself too serious. It's a Ferrari or a McLaren, and sometimes you just need to go fast.

If you're interested in learning more about the creation of this piece, you can check out the Christopher Ward documentary, Freewheelin', below.

Freewheelin' Documentary | Christopher Ward - YouTube

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