When you have spent a week handling the Christopher Ward C65 Dune it does change your perspective of a company.
We have of course reviewed many Christopher Ward watches but most of these have been from a very capable militaristic or dive heritage, but once you've handled the C65 Dune you look on the brand with totally different eyes because you now know what they are capable of.
Christopher Ward C65 Dune - Credit WatchGecko
Therefore it was with some excitement that we had subsequent hands on with the new C65 Dune. The C65 is unmistakably engineered as an outdoor, almost Field, watch yet its sophisticated styling allows it to be used on any occasion. It has instantly recognisable Christopher Ward DNA such as the Trident second hand and dual flag logo.
Christopher Ward gave the C65 a clever vintage look and it's nice to see circular luminous numerals being used. It reminded us of the underrated and classic Breitling Steel Fish. The Field Watch ethos comes through in the 38mm case size which means that the watch can be worn by almost anybody.
The C65 is competitively priced at £760 which, although may seem a lot of money to some people, is actually reasonable for what you're getting, given the build quality and unique design skills synonymous with Christopher Ward.
A closer look at the C65
The C65 Dune comes in four different dial colours which are imaginatively titled Black Sand, Marine Blue, Beachgrass and White Sand. Three of these models have a textured sun ray dial whilst the White Sand has a chalk matte finish. The symmetry of the watch is one of its strongest aesthetics with a sunken date window at the 6 o’clock position on a matching colour date wheel. The hands are really purposeful especially the brands highly distinctive Arrowhead hour hand.
Christopher Ward C65 Dune Cream - Credit WatchGecko
The watch is inspired by outdoor and adventure watches of the 1960s and 70s which is why Christopher Ward have smartly decided to utilise Super Luminova Old Radium Grade X1 which delivers modern low light capability but gives a very sympathetic patina during daylight hours.
As normal Christopher Ward have not compromised on the movement which is visible through a crystal display back. The C65 is powered by an SW200-1 Sellita movement modified with a very attractive Christopher Ward rotor displaying the brand name and their famous dual flag logo engraved across the rotor. The SW200 is a 26 jewel movement with a 4Hz frequency giving a very smooth sweep. It also has a 38 hour power reserve and a built-in anti shock system.
The bulk of C65s are in steel however for a much higher price the C65 is also available with a COSC certified Sw200-1 movement and the case and bracelet in bronze.
Choose your metal!
We had two models to test – the White Sand and the Marine Blue in bronze. Both were physically almost identical yet looked very different thanks to the case material.
Christopher Ward C65 Dune Bronze/Blue - Credit WatchGecko
Bronze is not to everyone's taste, but it is undeniable that it does give a watch a very different characteristic. The metal will patina over time as you handle it and while some people express unease about the change of finish you will end up with a very unique watch. If you want to have a chronometer certified C65 then you will have to go for the bronze option. The deep blue of this model is really striking and does give the watch an unmistakable dive quality which is well placed as all models are water resistant to 150 metres.
With the steel White Sand (which was our favourite) Christopher Ward seems to have created the perfect watch to explore a desert with. You would think with the sand dial that Old Radium lume would not stand out but it was quite the opposite; the legibility is exceptional.
Christopher Ward C65 Dune Cream - Credit WatchGecko
Both watches were presented on well made canvas straps and as a final touch you can pay just £30 more to have 25 characters of your choice engraved onto the case making the C65 a fine gift.
In conclusion
The C65 Dune is in our opinion one of the best watches Christopher Ward has developed to date channelling a vintage well travelled look but creating a model that is both stylish and contemporary. We recognise this is no mean achievement so kudos to Christopher Ward.
Christopher Ward C65 Dune Blue/Bronze - Credit WatchGecko
