What do you get when you cross Christopher Ward with YouTube’s Andrew Morgan Watches? “The Red One”, apparently.
Originally released as the C1 back in 2022, it’s safe to say the Bel Canto has been charming the watch community ever since. Already an undeniable work of art in the visual sense, the C1 takes things one step further by delighting our ears with a previously unheard-of (at least in the realm of sub £4000 watches) chime, thanks to its FS01 chiming module.
C1 Bel Canto on the Original Vintage Highley Genuine Leather Watch Strap - Credit WatchGecko
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- £68.00
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Just a few days before the C1 made its way into the world, OMEGA released a chiming timepiece of their own. Far from dimming the shine of Christopher Ward’s latest addition, the OMEGA Speedmaster Chrono Chime proved how special it actually was to find this kind of complication at such an accessible price point. For comparison, the Speedmaster with Chime complication will set you back around just under a staggering £500,000. The Bel Canto on the other hand can be yours for a mere £3,195 if you opt for the Vacona Leather strap, making it the most affordable Swiss Made mechanical chiming watch in the world.
C1 Bel Canto on the Leuven Cavallo Flat Handmade Horse Leather Watch Strap - Credit WatchGecko
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This isn’t to say that the Bel Canto is a complete like-for-like comparison of offerings from OMEGA or Armin Strom, but it is similarly crafted using Grade 5 Titanium (a first for CW) and despite its arguably simpler hour-striking functionality, it’s no small feat for any brand to create an effective chiming watch. Especially one that was not so long ago considered a ‘microbrand’.
Offering haute horology that was accessible for the masses, Christopher Ward quickly won over not only watch enthusiasts but also the critics, claiming the prize for the Petite Aiguelle Category at 2023’s prestigious Grand Prix D’horlogerie De Genève (GPHG).
The original limited-edition design, presented with a futuristic, three-dimensional blue sunray-brushed dial, naturally, flew off the shelves and the extremely exclusive 300-piece run was decimated in only a few hours. It’s safe to say many of us missed out and amongst the disappointed many for whom the C1 was, for now, out of reach was none other than Andrew Morgan. Keen to get his hands on a piece of Christopher Ward’s historic Bel Canto, Morgan approached Christopher Ward with a very special request. Andrew Morgan said:
“I’ve been a fan of the C1 Bel Canto since it first launched but missed out on ordering one. I asked the Christopher Ward team if they had any more left and they said no. But they did say I could make one of my own. I knew immediately what colour I wanted: red. It’s also the third most popular colour after blue and green, and the Bel Canto already comes in blue and green. But I felt kinda bad being the only one to have a Bel Canto in red. So, we decided to make more.”
And just like that, “The Red One”, a collaboration between Christopher Ward and Andrew Morgan Watches, is set to ignite the Bel Canto flame once again. Quite literally this time, as despite its comparable 41mm Grade 5 Titanium case, the new edition is presented with ‘Intense Red’ dial in homage to a few of Morgan’s favourite things, namely Ferrari and the iconic Swiss Lindt chocolates.
C1 Bel Canto “The Red One” x Andrew Morgan Watches - Credit Christopher Ward
Mike France, CEO and co-founder of Christopher Ward, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Andrew, our good friend and fellow Bel Canto admirer, for this exciting launch which also marks the first time we have unveiled an official Bel Canto collaboration, open to all customers. It’s been interesting seeing inside Andrew’s mind as we have worked with him to create this fantastic version of the watch - and we can confirm it is definitely red”.
Capturing some of the ‘whimsical spirit’ popular watch reviewer Andrew is known for, the special-edition Bel Canto features Morgan’s signature logo on the sandblasted caseback and will launch for pre-order on June 27th. This time around numbers are unlimited, making the Bel Canto truly accessible for those who wish to get their hands on one. Just be sure to get your orders in before the purchase window closes at 5pm BST on July 3rd!
Technical Specifications
- Size: 41mm
- Dial: Intense Red
- Height: 13mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 48mm
- Case Material: Grade 5 Titanium
- Strap Options: Delugs White Rubber CTS or Delugs Grey Alcantara Signature, with quick-release pins
- Movement: Automatic Sellita SW200-1 with FS01 chiming module
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM (30 meters)
- Additional Features: Clear sapphire jewels, sunray finished module plate, on/off pusher at 4 o’clock, and mirror polished chiming gong
- Case Weight: 53g (78g with strap)
- Complication Type: Hourly chime
- Vibrations: 28,800 p/hr (4Hz)
- Timing Tolerance: +/- 20 sec p/day
- Lume: SLN C1 X1 BL
