Russell Sheldrake
I wish I was exaggerating when I said it. The new Christopher Ward The Twelve 660 is the best watch in the brand’s catalog, but it’s not. At least in my opinion. The British half-Swiss brand has been in tears lately, but the watch out all of them, whether it’s the headline-grabbing C12 Loco or the creative collaborations it created this year.
So why am I throwing away my praise as if it was the next best since sliced bread? I was lucky enough to spend a long time with this watch before it was released, but I don’t often feel a connection right away when I wear it. However, the second time this watch slipped onto my wrist, I could say it was very difficult to return. It’s worth noting to me that despite Ward having already updated its 12 lines this year in medium sizes, the fact that they took it a step further and reduced its thickness by a third. As soon as I put on it, I felt an immediate comparison with early, medium-sized neo-vintage sports watches like ref. 3800 Nautilus, you can think of very few watches that embrace your wrist.
The thinness of the watch world is nothing new. We’ve also seen countless world records break over the past decade with this pursuit of Sveltest watches in all categories. And having a thin watch is always considered flex by all brands, and designing watches as elegant as possible that can fit everything you need to accurately engrave the watch in as little space as possible. And while I’ve been a Christopher Ward fan for a long time, it’s always clear that much of their design lacks elegance. Not only did the word increase the elegance, it also took into account many small details. Anyway, enough about how great a thin watch is.
case
Starting with anything other than the case here, Christopher Ward took over 12 cases of 38mm, lowering the thickness from 9.95mm to just 6.6mm, just 1.5mm thicker than the former world-record automatic watch Bulgaliocht Finisimo Auto. However, I think the way this case is built seems even thinner than that. The bezel and caseback are slightly smaller in diameter than the case middle, which significantly reduces the perceived thickness of this watch, especially on the wrist.
The design of this case is largely unchanged from the rest of the 12 lines. You have 12 side bezels with top surfaces with brushes and polished bevels. One of the criticisms I can level out of this case is that it only comes with 30m of water resistance. And I wonder if just adding a screw down crown would help to bolster it a little more to reach those sports watch standards. But again, this is a very dressy sports watch.
We were lucky enough to be able to wear the standard stainless steel version with a blue dial, but there is also a rather exciting black-on-black model with a full DLC coated case and bracelet, which then pairs with the black dial. A true stealth piece with its color combination and thinness. It is not possible to emphasize enough how well this watch sits on your wrist. Its flat, wide dimension ratio means hugging the wrist, and without protruding it with a slightly clear and sloping end link, a 43.3mm lug lag measurement means a comfortable fit across wrist size.
When you flip the surveillance, you will see a 12-sided caseback with screws attached to the bezel design and a large sapphire display window. This is to show off the manual wind movement that fills the case from edge to edge. Finish things with a large enough ring crown. This is a clever choice by the ward’s design team as there is a temptation to wrap this watch relatively often, as it is impossible to use as there is the temptation to place an extra small crown on these thin watches.
bracelet
Regular readers of our practical reviews may be questioning my choice here as we usually start with the case and dial to the movement or bracelet, but I would like to highlight this rather stunning bracelet here. In its base design, this bracelet matches the original 12 bracelets. This is a solid Y-shaped link with a wide brushed surface and a bevel tapered with a highly refined wide surface. It also maintains quick release functionality, making it easy to replace for rubber counterparts (sold individually).
But let’s take a look at how Christopher Ward changed the original bracelet. This will fit this new thin model. The link is only 2.9mm thick, making it wonderfully clear. But it is a clasp where glow and small short arrivals appear. The clasp used in the original model was measured thicker than this monitoring head, so we had to find a new design that could keep the wrists balanced. Therefore, the new butterfly clasp, which operates via the push button, folds elegantly onto itself from both sides so that the total height of the clasp is only 4.2mm.
However, I wear this watch through pretty hot weather here in London, with no half links or tweaks. So I had to settle for the first thing in the morning to be a bit loose, just because the clock was just too stiff. If there is a way to fine tune this thickness clasp, I’m sure it’s true.
Dial
Next, access the dial. This is another example of this watch of refinement and removal. Perhaps it’s best to explain what’s not there with this dial. There was no longer a second, the date window was gone, and the Christopher Ward cross texture was gone. Instead, there is a simple two-handed display surrounded by a baton marker of 12 and twice as high as 12, with a soft grain texture on the flat dial.
When I first put this watch on, it was the effect of this dial that created such a strong connection to it. But taking everything out will further enhance the presence of the dial when you are on your wrist. There is the simplest form that a dial can take, and it acts as a visual reminder just as what’s on your wrist was shaved in the same way. Of course, there are applied markers and polished edges on the hands, but there is no exaggeration, just as the glow of those lights helps readability, so everything is not finished with a matte texture. There are four dial options Avaialbe, the light blue or teal I had, dark blue and silver dials available in the standard stainless steel case and bracelet, but the aforementioned black dial only appears in the black DLC case.
Movement
It seems strange to start talking about this move late in the article, but here we go. It is the manually damaged Serrata SW210 that helps keep this watch as thin as possible and ticking it out of the minute. This ultra-thin movement offers a 45-hour power reserve and has been properly modified for use by Christopher Ward. The bridge that holds the powertrain is skeletonized, so we take a clear look at the key components that provide energy to the balance. While this watch and its price range have minimal flashy prosperity, the industrially completed touch helps to enhance the experience when watching movement through its large sapphire display caseback.
I’m not going to hear any arguments that this must be an internal movement to impress them. Sellita is serviceable worldwide and has a recognized architecture that can be tackled by trained surveillance manufacturers. It also helps keep the costs of this model in the accessible price range that Christopher Ward has come to dominate over the past five years. It’s not as complicated as Bell Cant, but many of the suppliers who worked on that caliber were brought to perfect this, such as Paoluzzo for machining and APJ for finishing.
verdict
If you’ve been so far in this article and don’t know yet about my feeling about this watch, then I’m only impressed by the 12 660 from the moment I put it on my wrist. The dimensions are perfect, and the execution of this elegant sports watch concept has become almost perfect, achieving everything at a price that would have seemed impossible a few years ago in typical Christopher Ward fashion.
I have tried hundreds, if not thousands, of watches in this job, and although I rarely create connections with watches, especially because the connection is almost instantaneous, I would like to report that this watch will destroy that trend. I have always been a slim watch fan because I have small 6.5 inches wrists and because I believe they exemplify the best watchmaking. It’s built or easy for us to peel and take away. I believe you will find the most beautiful watch under 7mm thickness, and this new 660 may have just stole my heart.
Of course, I am not blind to the flaws of this watch. To take this to the next level, there is a small list to defeat Mike France at Maidenhead. But none of them are deal breakers. This watch brings together many great elements that create an entirely bigger piece that makes it even bigger. Many might consider this a simple slim down of a watch that already exists, but I can see more than that. There’s more to creating this watch, and if you spend time holding it on your wrist, you’ll notice all of these small features, and in the same case, this watch will help you convert it to something far beyond simple slim sports watches.
Christopher Words Price and Availability of 12 660
The new Christopher Ward The Twelve 660 is now available from the brand and Tide+Tide Discovery Studios. Price: £1,250/US $1,495/€1,625 (steel on rubber strap), £1,395/US $1,660/€1,805 (steel on bracelet), £1,295/US $1,550/€1,695 (DLC ON RUBBER STRAP/€15/9 $15/1,55/1,55/1,55/ (DLC on bracelet).
Brand Christopher Ward Model The Twelve 660 Case Dimensions 38mm(d) x 6.6mmmm
