The trend for integrated bracelet sports watches has led to a massive surge in popularity in recent years. Popular models like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Phillippe Nautilus have commanded insane values on the second hand market.
That hasn't only affected those with well-lined pockets, though. Other manufacturers have taken note, releasing pieces of their own – often at much more affordable price points. That includes notable models like the Tissot PRX 80, which won over swathes of users for its styling and affordability.
My favourite of these is the Christopher Ward The Twelve. That takes inspiration from the iconic models and reworks them into a unique design. The result wears its influence on its sleeve, with enough personality to ensure you know this isn't just a copy. It has substance, style – and now it has an 18-carat gold bezel, too!
That's on this new model, the Christopher Ward The Twelve Halo. Designed with the blueprint for The Twelve at its core, the Halo takes a more minimal approach, for a sleek and effortless end product.
The same brushed case and bracelet are present and correct, but you'll find an 18-carat gold bezel on the model. That's polished to within an inch of its life, giving a stunning contrast.
But let's face it, the bezel is probably the second thing you'll notice about this watch. At first glance, your eye will be drawn to the stark dial, which looks a lot like someone has burgled the regular dial and only left what was nailed down.
There's no date window, no indices, no dial pattern – even the seconds hand is gone! All that's left is a brushed dial, hour and minute hands, an applied logo, and text denoting the automatic nature of the watch and the Swiss Made stamp.
The result is just sumptuous. There's nothing there to steal your gaze, which helps the dial to blend into the piece as a whole. It's a really classy look.
That's set into a 36mm case – perfect for male and female wrists – and sits less than 10mm thick. That sounds like the perfect dimensions for everyday wear, and should fit comfortably under any shirt cuff.
Inside, you'll find a Sellita SW200-1 movement, with a 4Hz beat rate and 38 hours of power reserve. All of this stylish goodness can be yours for £2,195. That's pricey – in fact it's one of the more expensive models Christopher Ward has ever produced.
But it's not hard to see where that value has gone. You're getting a truly sumptuous, stylish piece, with a slathering of real gold and a decent movement inside. And if that's your thing, this is a really great option for you.
