Today, Christopher Ward officially introduces what some might call one of the worst kept secrets in indie watchmaking. We all knew that a dressy version of the brand’s Loco was coming – their British Watchmakers’ Day limited edition kind of gave it away. No one really thought that would be a one off, right? The all new C1 Loco Classic arrives as a fully formed product line within the brand’s Atelier lineup, and offers collectors who might have bristled at the aggressively sporty, angular C12 Loco a more refined option built on the same caliber with the same dramatic architecture.
The C1 Loco Classic is built on a 41mm 904L stainless steel “Light-catcher” case with a mix of high polished surfaces and contrasting brushed elements. The case features a pronounced groove running through the middle section, following through to the lugs, and has a curvy, rounded appearance. It’s a thick case, measuring a total of 14.1mm tall, but over 5mm of that height belongs to the domed crystal – Christopher Ward says the case itself is 8.55mm thick. Despite its overall height, Christopher Ward has gone to great lengths to create a softer and more organic shape for the Loco Classic, and while it might not work on every wrist, visually it certainly meets the brief of a more refined Loco.
As an owner of a C12 Loco, I can say that while I enjoy the case quite a bit, the real draw of the watch is the movement and the dial, and the way those two aspects of the piece are integrated, and the C1 Loco Classic delivers on that front. This is not just a straight port of the C12’s movement design into a new case. The aesthetic has been “softened” by redesigning the front and rear bridges to be slimmer and more rounded, mirroring the aesthetic of the case itself. The multi-level dial architecture remains, with the free sprung balance wheel acting as the centerpiece, always in motion. The dial at the 12:00 position is domed (following the crystal) and crafted from white ceramic with Roman numerals for time telling.
At launch, there are three variants available: gold, light blue, and black. The dial bases are grain sandblasted and varnished with a material containing powdered mother of pearl, which Christopher Ward says results in a finish that with a densely packed textured surface that offers a lot of shifting character in changing light.
Flipping the watch over, you’ll find the CW-003 caliber, with twin barrels allowing for 144 hours of power reserve. For the Loco Classic, Christopher Ward has gone with a gold plating to the baseplate, also with a grained finish that echoes the dial.
The C1 Loco Classic launches today, and starts at $5,995 on a strap, and moves up to $6,275 on a Consort bracelet. More information can be found at the Christopher Ward website here.
