British watchmaker Christopher Ward has announced a new timepiece, simply called The Twelve.
Available in stainless steel or lightweight titanium, the watch is described as fitting into the sport/dress category, and is intended to complement just about any outfit and any occasion.
Designed entirely in-house, The Twelve is available with six different dial colours and two types of movement, depending on which case and bracelet metal you opt for.
The stainless steel model is available with dial options of Basalt Grey, Arctic White (as photographed above), Glacier Blue and the darker Nordic Blue, while the titanium model, called The Twelve (Ti) Chronometer, comes with dial options of Astral Blue and Nebula Purple.
Further differences include how the stainless steel watch is powered by a Sellita SW200-A automatic Swiss movement with 26 jewels and 38 hours of power reserve, while the titanium model is driven by a Sellita SW200-1 CPOSC movement with 25 jewels and a superior 56 hours of power reserve. This means you could take the watch off on a Friday afternoon and it will still show the correct time by Sunday evening or even Monday morning.
Naturally, there is also a price difference between the two models. The stainless steel watch is priced at £1,050 on a bracelet or £850 on a rubber strap, while the titanium model is £1,595 on a matching bracelet and £1,225 with a rubber strap. The titanium model is also slightly thinner, at 8.95mm compared to 9.95mm, and significantly lighter, at 41g compared to 65g.
Both models have a sapphire crystal and an exhibition case back to show off their self-winding automatic movement. Both have a date complication at the six o'clock position and both are adjusted using a screw-down crown at the three o'clock mark.
A key detail of The Twelve's design – and where it gets its name from – is the bezel, which is a dodecagon, meaning it has 12 sides. This design is repeated on the rear, where the case is held together with six exposed screws. Water resistance is 10 ATM, or around 100 metres.
In targeting the sport/dress segment of the watch market, Christopher Ward suggests The Twelve could go up against icons of the genre like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, as well as similarly versatile watches from the likes of IWC, Zenith, Hublot and even Patek Philippe. No one can suggest Christopher Ward lacks confidence, and while it doesn't yet have the history of those brands, The Twelve shows it wants to be taken very seriously indeed.
I had the opportunity to try out The Twelve for a couple of weeks ahead of today's reveal. It's a lovely looking watch in person, with the twelve-sided bezel a subtle but clever way to differentiate it from any other timepiece in the CW portfolio.
The Arctic White dial of my review sample is more subtle than the other options, and works very well for customers who want a watch that shuns the current fashion for colourful dials. That said, the dial's textured surface catches light nicely, its pattern changing subtly with movement of your wrist.
Of course, the three different blues and the Nebula Purple, ensure The Twelve appeals to those who want a more striking timepiece.
Also striking is The Twelve's bracelet, with its integrated bracelet design with a single-link design instead of the more common three-link configuration used extensibly by others. It's a comfortable watch to wear and at 40mm is a great size, in my opinion at least. Slotting in below the 42mm threshold gives The Twelve the potential to be worn by men as well as women looking for a larger watch.
There are ten removable links to help the watch fits wrists of most sizes, and these are attached using screws instead of force-fit pins. Unless you're comfortable adjusting watches yourself, and have exactly the right tools for the job, you'll be best having Christopher Ward adjust the strap when purchasing, or taking it to a local specialist.
