Bronze watches are having a moment, thanks to the allure of the way they quickly gain a beautiful and unique patina – and the latest to lust after is the C63 Bronze 100 from Christopher Ward.
The British watchmaker has already treated us to a wide range of watches from its Sealander C63 collection, with plenty of case designs, sizes and colours to pick from. But I think its latest C63 might just be the most beautiful yet.
The bronze Light-catcher case is paired to a gorgeous dial that Christopher Ward says is “hand-distressed” for an “ombre” look. The result is a vintage aesthetic that makes the watch appear well-used despite being brand new. CW continues the design theme by pairing the C63 Bronze 100 with a distressed brown strap made from vintage oak leather. It really is a beauty.
Limited to just 100 examples – the clue’s in the name – the watch features a dial punctuated by top-brushed bronze indexes and hands filled with illuminating Super-LumiNova. There’s a date complication window at the six o’clock position and a seconds scale around the circumference of the dial.
Water resistance is 150 metres (500 feet), so it’ll survive a swim but isn’t designed for diving duties. The watch is powered by a chronometer version of the Sellita SW200-1, a self-winding mechanical movement that promises an accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day and has a power reserve of 38 hours, plus an integrated anti-shock system.
The bronze case has a diameter of 39mm and is 11.25mm thick, with a lug-to-lug measurement of 45.8mm. The partially-guarded crown at the three o’clock position is also made from bronze and should pick up a lovely patina once it has been used a few times.
Priced at £1,085, the C63 Bronze 100 is available now and, given the limited production run, we can’t see it hanging around for long.
