Company: Christopher Ward

http://www.christopherward.com

Watch Model: C11 Extreme 1000 Diver

From the website:

Titanium is a chemical element (Ti) which was discovered in Cornwall in 1791 by geologist William Gregor. It is as strong as steel, yet 45% lighter and is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater which makes it just about the best case material possible for a dive watch.

It’s not only the case material, however, that makes the C11 Extreme one of the finest professional dive watches available. We have also engineered the case with a 4.3mm thick AR08 coated sapphire crystal to give water resistance for up to 1000 metres (nearly 3.300 feet) which puts this watch in a very small group of watches that have been watertight to this depth. The helium release valve integrated into the case is activated during very deep dives when the differential between the inside and outside pressure reaches a critical point, preventing the watch from exploding.

Powered by a certified chronometer version of a Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, adds all important accuracy to reliability.

So, this is a watch that very serious divers need to safely perform under extreme depths. For the rest of us, it is a privilege to have the chance to own such a fine piece of engineering – especially one that looks as cool as the C11 Extreme!

Specifications:

Features
Swiss made
Limited Edition of 1000 pcs worldwide
Self winding automatic chronometer
COSC certified
38 hour power reserve
Date calendar
Anti-shock system
Satin-brushed titanium case
Screw-down crown
Screw-down helium release valve
4.3mm museum-grade AR08 anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Screw-down Internal countdown bezel
Bespoke SuperLuminova hands and indexes
Screw down deep-etched engraved back plate
Screw down crowns
Unique engraved serial number
High-density rubber dive strap with titanium clasp
Deluxe presentation case and owner’s handbook
Diameter: 42mm
Height: 14.9mm
Calibre: Sellita SW200-1 (COSC)
Vibrations: 28,800 per hour
Case: Titanium
Water resistance 100ATM (1000 metres)
Strap: 22mm Rubber

The Packaging:

The packaging is very elegant to say the least when you open up the outer signed cardboard box. The inner box is a wooden box signed with CH Ward London. When you open the lid to the wooden box, you are greeted with your first view of the C11 watch which is fastened to a soft leather pillow and a very nice engraved metal plate with the model number and the number of watches produced in the limited edition. The bottom tray lifts up and underneath is the manual, a microfiber cloth and the other papers that are included with the watch. Overall it’s a very nice package.

The Case:

The titanium case is beautifully designed with extreme functionability in mind. As you can read above in the above picture, the case goes through some extreme tests to ensure it does not fail when it’s wearer depends upon it the most, in the depths of the sea. The titanium is meticulously brushed giving the case a nice, almost gun metal color throughout. There are 4 hex head screws in each corner of the square case. I really like the fact that they went with a square case as opposed to a round case. There are so many dive watches out there, but there are very few that use a square case. There are 3 crowns on this watch each with a different function, but each crown is easily gripped and function flawlessly. The singed CW crown at the 3 o’clock position is used to set the time and date by unscrewing it, the first position manually winds the watch when turned. Pull out one click and this sets the date, and pulling it out fully allows you to set the time. The crown at the 2 o’clock position allows you to operate the inner unirotation bezel. The bezel rachet action is very smooth, with little to no play whatsoever. The more time you spend with this watch, you really appreciate how well designed it is. The crown at the 8 o’clock position is the helium release valve which prevents the case from blowing apart during its intended use for diving. I would have like to see this crown signed with the periodic table symbol He, just a suggestion. Each crown has cross thread machining to the edges which are very easy to grip. The lugs are very short and rounded allowing the watch to wear smaller on the wrist and is quite comfortable. I’m glad the lugs aren’t longer because it would wear ackward if they were in my opinion. The case back also is secured down by 4 hex head screws and features some very nice engraving detail. There is a beautiful sword fish with wave like detailing in the background. What I also like that there isn’t an over abundance of information cluttering the case back. Sweat and simple, featuring the words “Titanium Extreme 1000 Meters” and the limited edition number out of 1000.

The Dial:

The dial really pops on the watch because of the green hands & numbers set against the beautiful matte black background of the dial itself. The hour and minute hands are wide which makes legibility in the water very easy. I do prefer hands to be on the wider side, it disappoints me when there is an awesome tool/dive watch that fails in terms of hands that look way too small for the rest of the dial/watch. Such a fail does in fact sway my decision to actually buy a watch, which I do pass up when this fail occurs. Thankfully the C11 doesn’t fail. The black seconds hand extends to the inner chapter ring of the bezel and has a green tip which is coated with lume just like the hour & minute hands. The dial features the hours 12, 3, 6, 9 but the 12 o’clock position features a 0 instead of 12. The dial features some text on it which under the 12 o’clock position is in white “CHRWard London” and above the 6 o’clock position the text printed in green is “Titanium Extreme 1000 and Certified Chronometer” is printed in white. The circular date window is featured at the 4 o’clock posisition and is on a black date wheel with white numbers. It’s very easy to read and a good size which isn’t intruding on the rest of the dial. The whole dial is viewed and read with ease in water because of the AR08 coated sapphire crystal. The crystal is 4.3mm thick, and because of that thickness it ensures better water tightness when you dive into deeper depths. The inner bezel has a white triangle marker at the 12 o’clock position and white markers from the 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock. The remainder of the markers are in the same green as the hour & minute hands.

The Movement:

Ticking away inside the C11 is a Sellita SW200-1 (COSC) automatic movement which is basically the same movement as the ETA 2824. Sellita is capable of making a pretty much identical movement as ETA as Sellita has the machines to do so, and much of the movement components are not protected by patent laws due to the age. I’ve heard arguments about which movement is better and blah blah blah. It just depends on your personal tastes and what you prefer to spend your money on. Since ETA has strictly gone to supplying companies only within the Swatch group, companies like Christopher Ward to look for alternative movements. The ETA and the Sellita are both accurate and are both dependable. The Sellita movement inside the C11 is COSC CERTIFIED which means it runs at -4/+6 seconds daily rate.

The Strap:

The high density rubber strap is super soft and very comfortable. It hugs the wrist wonderfully because of how soft and pliable the rubber is. The buckle is full of detail and is what really makes this strap special. The buckle is made of titanium which matches the case perfectly, and the corners of the buckle has two hex head screws in it, which also matches the case. A detail that I really love and tip my hat to CHWard for adding this small, but awesome detail.

Wrist Shots and Lume Shots:

Conclusion:

The C11 Extreme diver is a extremely well made and designed watch. You can tell that each detail was well thought out with meticulous attention to detail. It is a good value for everything that you get in this watch, 1000 m depth rating, a titanium case that was tested and tested again, great lume, a COSC movement and all of this comes in under $1400 used. In terms of design the only thing that I would personally have done different would be the inclusion of He on the release valve crown or something so it wasn’t blank. Having said that, this watch is perfect in terms of design and appearance. I would recommend this watch to someone looking for a great alternative to the same old dive watches out there. It offers a different appearance which sets the C11 apart from other dive watches out there.

A very special thanks to Christopher Ward Watches, for the honor and privilege to conduct this review.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy it.