Christopher Ward's "Twelve" Will Decimate The Watch Market. 

To be honest, i wished for an affordable watch in these specs for so long, titanium, slim, absolutely gorgeous looking, and most of all I can afford it now. Bought the blue titanium on a black rubber strap. Finally I can afford such a watch too I am soooo happy 😊

Mike France stated in an interview recently that most Swiss luxury manufacturers are using x33 of actual costs. CW are x3. He also said that the company they use were making parts for the big boys using the same machines to the same finish levels and he was confident that they were not even aware

I am waiting on my Twelve Ti in Purple. Not only do I love the Ti but the fact that they not only went with the SW300 Chronometer grade, but the one with the upgraded barrel for 56 hour power reserve. Bravo Christopher Ward. The Twelve is my 3rd CW after the C60 Trident 300 38mm white dial and the C65 Dune Bronze in Blue. Great watches all around.

My first watch from Christopher Ward was the Bel Canto in green, it will be arriving in the next couple of weeks, as soon as I seen it I had to have one, same deal with the twelve, just fell in love with it and had to have one, could not believe the spec they were offering at this pricepoint. I ordered the Titanium in astral blue with black rubber strap, my brother who does not even own a watch (50 year old) bought the same watch in full titanium and my Dad has just asked me to order him the glacier bkue in SS. That's three orders in the space of a week. I have a collection which contains some very nice watches, but I'm no watch snob, I buy because I like the look of a watch and if it's affordable I will add it to my collection. I own a Rolex 1957 GMT and a 2009 Submariner but the marque have lost me as a potential repeat buyer because of their marketing strategy which is borderline pretentious. My point is, I chose to buy two Christopher Ward watches with the money I had saved for another Rolex purchase and I personally think that speaks volume for the quality and value for money at both of these watches price points. Great channel lads, keep up the good work Regards from the Highlands of Scotland.

it was nice to hear about a brand other than the top-tier watch brands.

I own 4 CWs and I like the look of the Twelve. But, when I went to the CW website, I saw they were taking pre-orders for Bel Cantos - $3700/$4200. Ordered the Bel Canto - will wait on the Twelve.

Personally, I believe it was a miss on CW’s part not to release the Ti version in all the same colors as the BS version. Plus, it’s not just the Titanium. You’re getting a Chronometer movement, better power reserve, and I believe better lume. Only making these upgraded options available in two colors seems short sighted. Not a fan of the Astral Blue or Nebula Purple at all. Would have one of these ordered right now in one of the other four colors had they have made that available.

So glad to see you guys highlighting Adrian Buchmann here. That’s a detail that’s gone extremely overlooked in early discussion of this watch. The Antarctique is one of the most interesting watches of recent times and it’s so cool to see one of the men behind it bring a similar design to the rest of us. Your comparison to Genta’s work at different watchmakers is spot on. This is very exciting for the watch world.

Let's be real ... The Twelve will NOT force AP to lower their prices. That's because the Royal Oak wasn't worth its price BEFORE The Twelve came along, but people still paid that price in order to have THE BRAND on their wrists. And they will still pay the price, because what they're buying is the NAME, not the construction, the finishing or even the design. Same goes for Rolex ... The Twelve will not put ANY pressure on Rolex. Having said that, it's quite possible that Christopher Ward will put pressure on mid-value brands to lower their prices with this beautiful release. The Twelve is a stunning watch, and it (along with the Bel Canto) has put Christopher Ward front and centre in current and ongoing watch industry conversations.

IWC looking at this watch’s price like 😳

A guy on the design team worked on the czapek as well fun fact

way more interested in comparing the supposedly upcoming 36mm Twelve to the also supposedly upcoming 35mm PRX Powermatic

Guys, I don't think you get it. Watch enthusiasts who loved the integrated bracelet style had to sit back and watch their favoured pieces fly way above "normal" budgets, mainly by "Investors" who don't give a damn about the watch but only it's future value. So, although the demand and hype is dying down a bit for the genre, average people with average budgets have been locked out of participation at any time. The Twelve allows we normal people, to enjoy something that's a bit Zenith Defy, Czapek Antartique, Ingenieur, and Royal Oak. We DON'T CARE that it's not original, we couldn't afford any of the originals thanks to flippers, speculators and herd followers. As you hinted at, it is actually good enough to ask the question, why are the other guys so expensive, even at list. The titanium case bezel is bead blasted, brushed, and polished (the latter being something that Rolex considered was too hard) and the overall quality (and slimness) is a match for watches costing three times as much. Get real.

I had a twelve.. and I love the brand.. the quality and details are off the charts. And the finishing really great for the money.. however, in the end I didn’t gel with it. And the reasons were two - first the size. I should have just waited for the 36mm coming in August. And then secondly - it gave me a chance to try this kind of watch - and I think it’s just not for me (but better to learn that on a £1k CW than a £20k+ high end brand..) The Bel Canto on the other hand, I also had - and that’s a stone cold classic everyone should own.

I have pre ordered the blue Ti Twelve and Purple Bel Canto, can’t wait until they arrive. I honestly think CWard is a future classic collectible brand at this stage.

How can you know that "the finish" of the 12 is good if you do not hold in your hand?

We can always count on you to introduce us to models that even great G-Shock enthusiasts have not heard of. 😊 high quality content 👌

Great video and discussion as always. I love and respect what CW is doing to bring high quality at lower prices and challenge/disrupt the watch industry on consumer expectations of value. I particularly like the 12 in the purple dial. Maybe just me, but I'm not personally a fan of the CW logo, which diminishes an otherwise beautiful dial. The other watch which I think is bringing an interesting offering to the integrated bracelet market at just a slightly higher price to CW, is the Atelier Wen Perception with beautiful hand-made guilloche dials. I've purchased one....arriving later this month.

Tissot PRX does the same thing for half the cost of the CW 12. PRX also has 80 hour power reserve. The twelve with 38 hour power reserve, -20/+20 seconds a day is not great.

That advert feels like a homage to the old "beware expensive initiations" campaigns from Seiko.

We all know there's a terrific mark-up on watches, particularly at price points that get into many thousands of dollars. For example, a 25k watch is not necessarily 5 times better than a 5k watch. In fact, I think there is a law of diminishing returns the more money you spend. So much of pricing is about brand, marketing, exclusivity, etc. And while I don't own a CW watch, the "Twelve" has some very impressive looking dials! They should be commended for making watches at FAR more affordable prices in an effort to get more people into watches. In a world where everyone has smart phones, it's not like a watch is a necessity.

I don´t see how this hasn´t been done before? You got the Aikon, the PRX, and even some cheap outliers like the D1 Milano. All go for a 'Genta inspired' look and all accomplish it without being too derivative, which is where this watch fails in my opinion. The fact you hired the same designer of the Czapek doesn´t mean he isn´t copying himself?

I bought my son a CW for graduation, C63 Sealander Bronze. Very impressed.

Mike France of CW said that they want to use the 12 as a platform for future watches. I am expecting a chronograph at some point but I would love to see a perpetual calendar for $5,000 on this watch 🤞

I think I have heard somewhere this has been on the slate at CW for a while and may actually pre-date the czapek design..

I asked about The Twelve last week on Patreon. I pulled the trigger on an Astral Blue Titanium. I should have it around 11/10/23.

" La sonnerie au passage" is very cool

$1,200 more than the PRX 🤔 I do like the dial print better but I like the integrated bracelet on the PRX. The center chain is uniform on the tapered bracelet on the PRX and it gives an illusion of the bracelet going fat to thin. Some people with more OCD than me might like the tapered center link design

I own a "Twelve" and have a "Bel Canto" on order , very happy.

Also their SH21 movement deserves a mention, it arrived the same time Tudor introduced a similar movement in their BB range.

Tried it on at windup. It’s nice but was slightly underwhelmed

Looks like an aqua terra and prx mix. Beautiful watch but this will be a pass from me. Love their trident collection though

I have a 1972 Omega Seamaster Cosmic 2000 and that’s 6 years before Tissot came out with the PRX.

why you don't do the pause after "and I'm Michael"? it was funny every time

Have you seen the purple dial? It's fantastic!!!

This is another example of how overpriced watches have become from the large manufacturers. Well done Christopher Ward.

This review is too positive given you haven’t even handled the watch at this point. Just look at the current reviews of the 12, most are saying its just a better PRX.

The masterworks transition was smooth!

I think Michael is absolutely on the money when he says this will open peoples eyes to the value (or lack thereof) in some 5 figure watches. Look at what can be achieved. Bravo, fair play CW I cant eait to see whats next.

CW designed this watch to hit a price. He totally admits the BIG compromise is a single piece bracelet as opposed to a two or more piece, and the level of finish on that bracelet. That under $2k price is the result of an affordable but great movement as opposed to an in-house house movement which costs a fortune to design and a simple, elegant, easy to manufacture one piece bracelet. But CW has declared their presence with the Bel Canto and the Twelve and I definitely expect a $5-9k watch that will potentially be insane.

I’m holding out for the 36mm in Titanium which should be out by the end of the year.

Once you are past $1,500, you are into pre-owned major brand, along with longer than 38-50 something power reserves…that is the ceiling Ward is running into. On the ‘in house movement’ question….a company using a JLC movement is different from using an off the shelf ETA or Selina movement that anyone can buy.

Christopher Ward is positioning itself to go after its direct competitors for the $1K to $2K budgets. The CW Twelve is offered in both stainless and titanium and is a direct competitor to the Tissot PRX. Christopher Ward is also going after the military tool watch game with their military collection: Colchester, Cranwell, Dartmouth, Lymphstone, and Sandhurst collections. Seiko, Hamilton, Marathon, and CWC should be on alert now.

And what did you say about the GP Laureato in 2017???😂😂😂

I stay with my 2020 omega planet ocean

Love you guys covering some more affordable brands

I dont care about in-house movements, but I do about movements regulated to at least COSC even without the cert. CW does certify a very few models and I would happily pay a bit more to get it. I even asked if they might make a COSC version on the steel Aquitane but they said no (only in brass). Doesnt seem to me to be a big deal to do this but perhaps it is.

Nice piece for sure... although for some reason I haven't come around to the shark indices.

Got the blue titanium coming tomorrow and a Bel Canto in December.. whats not to love

I agree 100% when it got released I was amazed at the price point. I bought a PRX 18 months ago auto white dial and have never worn it,this Christopher Ward 12 watch I can't wait to rock that (lt.blue)

Christopher Ward makes a clean watch. They look better than a lot of establishment watches.

Saw these in the metal at SF Windup Watch Fair (April 2023) and they were amazing! Got to chat with Mike France, Jorg Bader Jr. (head of product) and saw Will Brackfield, too. It was such a treat.

Just brought a Vacheron overseas 4500V, it had visible specs of dust in the sun, wore somewhat large on my wrist. largely unimpressed and disappointed for the money. Then went to look to buy Czapek, then found lots of great design elements found on this twelve I was looking for. This is no longer can I afford this watch but shifting to is this watch providing value for its price point.

I’ve had a few Christopher Ward’s over the past few years, and gotta say they’ve been great! The build quality and finishing is absolutely unbeatable for the price, which is the biggest draw for me

I love the twelve , and who cares if it was a ripp off from czapek , look it like this now you get a czapek look for an affordable price , this watch to me does not look at all to czapek . I love the purple dial and normaly dont like purple on a watch ,but they nailed it . Very nice watch and hope to own one in the future !!!

I don't like how close the 11, 12, and 1 hour markers look. To me, it throws off the balance of the dial.

Totally agreed about the PRX and CW 12 being a "public service". I didn't really get into the whole watch scene until I came across the PRX, then the CW. I don't own either, but I've got several watches in my collection now. And I will no doubt be buying a CW 12 at some point.

Has anyone tried the Twelve vs the PRX 40 ? Does the Twelve wear smaller than the Tissot ? I'm usually good up to 40mm but the PRX felt too big

Feels just like when the PRX was released. Hype, hype and more hype for another of the same watch. We have 100 watches that look just like the Submariner at different price tiers, now we have 100 watches that look just like the Royal Oak at different prices. There's a space for everyone in the watch industry, just make sure you pick up your trash.

Speaking as a copywriter, CW kicks ass. Great watches, brave decisions (all this in Ti for £1800?!) and great tone of voice. Love them.

Christopher Ward's In-house movement is a 5days chronometer

Just wait until you need to send it back.... for any reason...customer service is almost non-existent. Out of three I bought from them, two needed to go back and one took a month just to get a response. CW has to be the worst service I've seen for any retailer.

Very nice watch but sceptical about the antimagnetic of the watch. Plus great video

Ayyy, i got the same polo sweatervest from a&f... they nice

I play in a higher echalon, but I have to agree that this is a good looking watch...!

Are CW watches easy to service in a country outside England i reside in South Africa currently.

How do you compare this to something like the Traska Commuter?

I agree this directly point at ap etc….but what about iwc releasing the new ingenieur. Could they be going after them as well?? Everyone that I have spoken to believes the ingenieur to be extremely overpriced…..what do you think?

I don't agree that the Twelve will make a significant impact to the PRX because it's more than double the price. This watch is pointed more at something like the Rolex Oyseter Perpetual or Omega Aqua Terra.

CW watch is priced just right for a micro brand watch. I have the prx 35mm just waiting for more colors for the 36mm CW12

Just bought the ‘96 strap to put on my Nomos Club Nacht 738. Gonna make that orange seconds hand pop. 😎🔥

I love Christopher Ward, I like this watch but only with non colorful dials. But that's just my taste. Their watches are the best value for money. Their C63 and C36 are my absolute favorite and the one watch I tell everyone new to watch buying to look at first.

I see 6 screws on the back of the watch - not 12. What are you talking about?

Guys thanks for all ur hard work and knowledge. Can you do a video on good gold watches that are below 20k. P.s. why doesnt zenith do more gold watches ?

Sw300 movement ( eta 2892 ) probably the best standard movement in the world.

I've been following The Iron Snail channel for a month but I didn't know he was also a part of this channel. It kinda took me by surprise.

This watch is absolutely amazing for the price, gives me vibes of the Octo or VC. This sends a message that quality doesnt need to cost atlaeast $5K

Czapek on weekends,CW for weekdays. Problem solved. 😅

Behind the dial most cw should be going for 8k minimum.

I can't wait for the 36mm size. The larger size just doesn't fit my wrist, no matter how much I love the design. I'll be interested to see what they change when they shrink it a bit to fit those of us with smaller wrists. As a long time CW buyer, I'm totally fine not having an in-house movement if it will save me money. One change I hope they make for the smaller size? A different set of colors. Think about it, that's a smart move right there.

Trying to hype this watch for no reason ( to casual users) , it is a good price and looks ok if you like steel bracelet . It looks very similar to PRX , so what is new and exciting about it.

This makes the Ingenieur’s price look really bad. Not saying an IWC shouldn’t cost more, but 6x more?

CW has been showing the watch world how much they are being ripped off by bigger brands. They will b top 10 in sales soon and will stay there with more creative marketing like they have now.

Can't wait for my Twelve to arrive!

Back when my enthusiasm far exceeded my budget, I got a Christopher Ward GMT diver (and a Hamilton intramatic) as part of my two-watch collection. I greatly enjoyed it for about 10 years before the movement died and the cost of fixing it was more than made sense. They’ve come a long way in that time, and they remain a go-to recommendation I give out for people who have a limited budget. They are not trying to compete with bigger brands 1:1 - they are doing something different. And value like the 12 is exactly what makes them fun and interesting.

I’m not sure why you’d design the intricacies of that bezel then make it so small. It lacks any of the ability to stand with the big boys because in comparison the bezel is so undersized

It's incredible to see guys speaking about the watch for 20 min without seeing it.......

I like CW, but this offering leaves me cold, aesthetically.

So the line-up is: Tissot PRX/Christopher Ward Twelve/Maurice Lacroix Aikon/Zenith Defy Skyline/Girard Perregaux Laureato/Chopard Alpine Eagle. The Maurice Lacroix has 200m water resistance and also a Sellita movement. The Twelve is an homage of the Zenith Skyline which is an homage of the AP Royal Oak.

does the Pitzmann 2 compare to this?

Christopher Ward has learned the art of the Chinese Dumping, “we offer an alike piece, with more features and more rugged, oh, and much more affordable...”

This is why I love this channel you guys find the coolest pieces and dive deep into the history and it shows your understanding of the complex watch market. Keep up the great work.

Love the case, hate the dial. The odd contrast between colors and dark just doesn't work

Only had one of their watches and there was a few specs of dirt behind the glass. Had to send it back. It’s a small sample size and I likely got unlucky but it put me off the brand

Tudor royal is still a better option, not sure why this is going crazy where it’s already been done since 2020. The 38mm was £1700

I think that if they had priced the watch at $1,000 more than they did, their sales would have been cut at least in half, probably more like 75%, as that would have put them in a completely different price category.

So I shouldn’t buy czapek now?

We have to remember that one way Christopher Ward keeps their prices down is by keeping their costs down. One of the biggest ways: online only, no celebrity endorsement. They also don't spend as much on advertising, they build the Bel Canto instead and market cleverly not in masse.

Maybe I'm wrong but I really dont like the whole stainless steel integrated bracelet thing.

Perhaps you guys could start looking at the camera more than towards each other. Apart from that the conversation is enjoyable.