The first launch of 2024 for British watchmaker Christopher Ward is here, and those of us in love with their 36mm wide integrated sports watch are going to be spending their Christmas pennies sooner than expected.
The brand has launched four new CW The Twelve 36 watches: one in classic stainless steel with a new Frosted Lavender dial and three titanium models joined by a further selection of new dial colours - Cosmic Purple, Nordus Green, and Lagoon Blue. CW has kindly sent us the Cosmic Purple (Ti) model to try out for ourselves…
The Purple Dial
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple - Credit WatchGecko
It’s almost like Christopher Ward can read my mind. I’ve been seriously considering a purple-dialled watch recently, but I’m yet to land on the right model. I love the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra in purple as well as the recently launched Grand Seiko Heritage Limited Edition launched in collaboration with The Watches of Switzerland Group.
These models don’t have bright violet and magenta dials, but pastel, lilac-coloured displays that have really made my wrists itch. But sadly, both these designs are a little out of my price range. Then as if my magic, the new Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple and Frosted Lavender models have landed.
The first is the model we’ve had the pleasure of testing out this week. It presents a stunning gradient purple dial that starts off as a very pale lilac at the centre before turning dark violet at the edges. The Frosted Lavender model has no gradient effect and keeps the same shade of pale purple across the entire display.
Both dials are beautiful but personally, I prefer the look of the one-colour dial rather than the gradient finish. I think there’s something a little more feminine about the pale lilac. The darker Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple watch is still a good-looking watch but it feels a little more on the masculine side, which in all honestly works well with the darkened finish of the titanium case and bracelet.
The dials are embossed with a three-dimensional pattern comprised of CW’s logo and set with brightly polished hands and indexes set with glow in the dark lume. There’s still no date window for the 36mm model, and as someone who prefers a clean date-less display, I’m happy.
A New 36mm Titanium Case & Bracelet
This is the first time The Twelve 36 model is presented in titanium. The larger 40mm The Twelve is already available in titanium with dials of blue and purple. For the smaller titanium references, the dials are less “bright” and instead follow a pastel theme. There’s the Cosmic Purple model alongside Nordus Green and Lagoon Blue.
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple - Credit WatchGecko
No matter how many titanium watches I try on, I’m always surprised at how lightweight the material is. The CW The Twelve 36 (Ti) is one of the same, engineered from grade 2 titanium and sitting incredibly light on the wrist. The case measures to 36mm wide and 8.95mm tall (that’s a whole millimetre shorter than the steel models).
The finishing of the case is extraordinary, especially for a watch at this price point. It has three finishes just on the dodecagon bezel alone: sandblasting, polished and brushing. The combination of different finishings allows the light to bounce off the different angles of the tonneau-shaped case and integrated bracelet brilliantly. There’s the same 100 metre water resistant rating as before and flat sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating.
Chronometer Movement
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple - Credit Christopher Ward
Another new addition for the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 is a chronometer-certified movement. Like the 40mm titanium models before it, these three new novelties are powered by Sellita’s SW300-1 automatic winding movement. It’s 3.6mm height allows the case of the Twelve 36 (Ti) to be one millimetre shorter than those powered by the 4.6mm tall SW200-1.
The movement is put on display through the sapphire crystal case back and modified just slightly to include CW’s decorated oscillating rotor. It arrives with 25 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of 56 hours. It’s also been tested by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres to be COSC-certified, a merit that is noted on the dial in white.
Conclusion
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple - Credit Christopher Ward
I have to say, the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 collection is becoming my favourite family from the British watchmaker. The sizing is perfect and the attention to detail on the dials and cases is impossible to fault.
I really enjoyed my time wearing the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple watch this past week and it has definitely cemented by decision to find a purple-dialled watch. But I’m afraid to say the search still continues. I’m intrigued to see The Twelve 36 Frosted Lavender in person as the single-toned display feels better suited to my tastes.
If you like a gradient dial though, I highly recommend trying the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple watch on for yourself. It’s a great value watch with a long list of impressive spec. You get the titanium case and bracelet, chronometer-certified movement and excellent finishing for just £1,595. Or you can swap out the bracelet for a rubber strap for £1,225.
Technical Specifications:
- Brand: Christopher Ward
- Model: The Twelve 36 Cosmic Purple
- Price: £1,225 (Rubber), £1,595 (Bracelet)
- Material: Titanium
- Movement: Sellita SW300-1
- Complications: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Dial: Gradient purple
- Size: 36mm wide, 8.95mm tall
- When the reviewer would personally wear it: The Twelve 36 from CW has always been an easy-to-wear daily beater and this is no different.
- A friend we’d recommend it to first: Anyone else with a love of purple watch dials!
- Best characteristics of the watch: The lightness of the titanium
- The worst characteristics of the watch: Sadly, I’m not a fan of the gradient dial in this instance.
