Nina called on Christopher Ward to create a whimsical moonface watch for Mr. Jones’ artistic talent. The British duo’s celestial clock looks at cartoon-like illustrations of the moon peeking from behind a mountain of clouds like pastel blue marshmallows. Offbeat Design uses Christopher Ward’s ultra-higher moon phase caliber to depict the position of the moon seen in the actual sky at night.
I happen to own Mr. Jones Golden Hour Watch. My little wrist is a 45mm giant, but that’s the whole point behind this emotional and enthusiastic design. Its whimsical dial captures the tranquility of our proud British gardens in the UK in a bold yet beautiful way, depicting the majestic worker bee floating on a carpet of white jasmine petals. A beautiful pollinator – a design focus – lies above a 3D dial containing a rotating disc that represents time through red triangles and delicate red flowers. It’s a fantastical visionary watch like me: memorabilia and quillkeys from lovers of Alice in Wonderland take on the traditional layout.
Although the design is unusual, the artistic design-driven dial is not a new concept in Jones’ watches. British watchmakers create designs that look like they’re quickly stepping into the modern art gallery. The design, similar to artist Andy Wilx’s Golden Hour Watch, is filled with an equal level of curiosity and intrigue from fans. Examples include the Night Owl, designed by French author and illustrator Xavier Brioche, and Number Crunch, a co-designed between Jones and the artist Onoliod Pillo.
Now, Jones Watch has worked with British watch brand Christopher Ward to design a new novelty visual named Celestial. Watchmakers became the world’s first online-only premium watch brand in 2004, and by selling directly to consumers, they managed to avoid the overhead costs associated with traditional retail channels.
Notable for its designs such as the aggressively styled C60 Dive Watch series, the brand has worked with several entities over the years. Some examples include YouTuber Andrew Morgan’s first ever collaborative effort on Bel Canto. Synergies Horlogères later merged in 2014 after designing the caliber JJ series with masterwatch maker Johannes Yanke. Mike France’s CEO and co-founder of Christopher Ward has also become one of the supporters of the British Alliance of Watch and Watch Makers, helping to move forward with Jones founder Crispin Jones.
Double-British Collab is a limited edition of just 300 pieces and features a rather cool visual. In the partnership between the two UK brands, Christopher Ward handles assembly and production while Jones designs the watch visuals. In terms of performance, Christopher Ward’s in-house craftsmanship allows the cartoon-like moon to mimic the natural stages of the celestial body each month thanks to the company’s partially internally developed caliber JJ04. In a parody of laughing at the British sky at dusk, the bright moon peeking out from behind a bed of 3D pastel blue clouds with pillows facing deep blue and silver guilt starry sky. If injured, the monthly complications maintain a total accuracy of 128 years.
As can be seen from a glance at the dial, the timekeeping element of this watch does not involve traditional time markers and hands. Instead, it asks for the help of two sweeping swallows. One is on the outer edge of the dial for a few minutes and the other is inside the time. The Purple Bird is part of the artwork for Mr. Jones’ assembly technician Bea Watts and signed up for an internal competition held at the company.
“My designs celebrate the beauty of the night sky in a playful way,” explained Bee, “Sitting outside to see the sunset, inspired by a magical feeling, I stay there until I transition into the night. The moon begins to appear in the sky, dive into the air, and in my designs, it is densely packed into the air. The design captures comfort and quiet feeling, encouraging me to understand the grabs of a particular moment.”
The eccentric, almost galaxy-looking dial is inside stainless steel at a rate of 37mm, marking something entirely new to Christopher Ward, whose normal layout is usually three hand-shaped types. Christopher Ward x Jones Celestial is equipped with a caliber JJ04 using a Ceratabase combined with Christopher Ward’s in-house monthly phase module. This is the same move used in the brand C1 MoonPhase with an Aventurine dial.
The Celestial Watch displays the movement with a 38-hour power reserve through a special MJW-adored sapphire caseback. The brand developed this module and linked the moon to the hand of time. This ensures that both are permanent movements, showing the moon phase with one smooth, continuous movement rather than a progressive click. In theory, the movement does not need to be adjusted for 128 years. As long as it’s been damaged, you’ll want to maintain your watch before that! Finally, this watch is attached to a five-link polished brushed steel bracelet or a light blue leather strap.
Christopher Ward x Jones Heavenly Pricing and Availability
Christopher Ward x Jones Celestial is a limited edition of 300 units and is available from both Christopher Ward and Jones’ online stores. Price: 2,650 US dollars (strap), 2,810 US dollars (bracelet).
Brand Christopher Ward x Mr. Jones Model Celestial Case Dimensions 37mm(d) x 13.10mm
