Hi-Tech can be cool, but there are times when simplicity reigns supreme. My wristwatch is one instance where I feel less is more. I have tried several ABC (altimeter, barometer and compass) watches, and they provide interesting information. On the down side, accuracy of these features is questionable in many cases. What good is a compass when you can't trust the heading it gives you???
Christopher Ward is a young watch company, launched in 2005, yet they have taken the watch world by storm. These watches are the quintessential example of our mantra "quality gear that won't break the bank". Designed and built to standards that make brands like Tag Heuer and Rolex sweat, but without the 5 figure price-tag.
We had the opportunity to test the C60 Trident Automatic, a watch that took it's design styling from the iconic 1954 Rolex GMT Master. An elegant dive watch that is as at home with a business suit as it is with a wet-suit. Sporting a 1000 foot depth rating, I can take this watch anywhere I want to without fear of wrecking it. Powered by either the ETA 2824-2 or Sellita SW200-1 movement (identical, for all intensive purposes), used by several top name watch makers, these self winding automatic movements are everything you expect from a Swiss watch.
Aesthetically this watch is amazing. It looks like it would be right at home in a collection of heirloom timepieces. I have owned Tag's and Ebel's, neither of which had the style of the C60 Trident, and were at least triple the price. The wavy black face, the pitchfork looking Trident second hand and the amazingly bright Super-Luminova glow-in-the-dark indicators all bring a touch of style that momentarily makes you forget this is a watch designed to be used, not admired in a glass case. And all for only $499! Take that Rolex.
If you are in the market for a new watch, you have to look at the Christopher Ward line-up. Forget tracking your GPS location and heart rate, and get a timepiece that does one thing incredibly well, keep time. You will have a watch that you can pass on to the next generation, and still have a little cash in your pocket. What more can you ask for?
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