In Review: The Christopher Ward Trident C60 Pro 600 Dive Watch

Christopher Ward Trident C60 Pro 600 – $641.75 – $705.50 w/ TRIDENT15 ($755 – $830)

Note: The above code is good for 15% off through Monday, 4/22/19.

Dive watches have long been popular, but in the past five-or-so years, they have picked up steam to become one of the more sought after timepiece styles. Why? A number of factors have contributed, but I’m lead to believe their versatility, simple but valuable functionality, and their place among heritage brands have been the leading causes.

This piece from Christopher Ward has two of the three, but will its lack of this triumvirate hinder the value of the piece at $755?

Au contraire. It is, perhaps, specifically because of the lack of long-term-heritage that Christopher Ward can charge $755-$830 for a watch that should cost at least twice this number.

Long a staple in the Christopher Ward portfolio, but recently revamped a few years ago, the C60 Trident Pro 600 blends tool watch usability with wardrobe flexibility. One would be forgiven for not knowing the British brand  among more “elite” watchmakers, as the company was founded in 2005.

A detailed history of the venture can be found on the company website. As to how Christopher Ward can claim British style with Swiss manufacturing, their website informs:

“We’re an English company with our HQ in Maidenhead, Berkshire, so it’s perhaps no surprise that our watch designs are heavily influenced by English narratives and our aesthetics are often discreet and understated in that quintessentially English way. However, our watches are actually made in Switzerland under the auspices of our own workshop in Biel/Bienne, just around the corner from Omega.”

Fans of classic British design (myself included) can wear a Christopher Ward piece knowing that it was built in Switzerland to the highest standards of watchmaking.

Now, I know what many of you are thinking. I thought it myself for quite some time. How can $700-$800 be considered a bargain for something that was built to tell me the time? Especially when there are so. many. cheap. alternatives out there? Context is important, and while not a direct competitor, the C60 Trident Diver should be viewed in the context of Swiss made pieces ranging from the high-end Omega Seamaster Diver and Rolex Submariner to the mid-tier Tudor Pelagos, down to the more “entry level” Oris Aquis range.

That entry level Oris? It costs twice what the C60 does, while not providing substantial technical upgrades for the price. That’s not to say it isn’t a brilliant timepiece, but shows just how much of a value the Christopher Ward truly is.

The C60 puts one of its biggest technical feats right in the main title: the “600” stands for 600M of water resistance. That’s a whopping 2,000 feet. The Oris Aquis Date? 300M.

As for the hardware, a Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement is the beating heart of the Trident, offering a self-winding, seconds hacking movement with 38 hour power reserve. A marine grade (316L) stainless steel case adds durability, shine, and yes, weight. This is not a light watch, nor is it small. 43mm in diameter and 51.5mm from lug to lug makes this watch wear big, but a 38mm option is also available. I prefer the larger option. Though this has the versatility to be worn with a suit, it isn’t a dress watch.

Christopher Ward has taken heat over the past two years for the logo rebrand. It is now dead simple. But I must say, I do like it on the C60 Pro. It provides nice visual balance to the date window cutout at 3 o’clock. Speaking of the date window- I love this added value. A date window for a Swiss made timepiece at this price is not the norm (as is a Swiss made watch at this price, period), and should not be overlooked.

A blue guilloche dial (read: wavy) brings the ocean-going nature of this dive watch to the forefront, and adds excellent texture and depth to the dial against the white hour indexes. Beautiful in any color, the blue dial and bezel contribute to a greater visual pop than the black and white versions, without going too far. VERY subtle lime green hits make an appearance at the top of each hour index, and clue the wearer into another key feature,

SUPERLUMINOVA. For the uninitiated, this is the stuff that makes your watch glow in the dark. Without getting too technical, there are different types of lume, and SuperLuminova and its variants are the best of the bunch.

The lume extends to the hands, where they fill the large sword shaped minute and spade shaped hour hands. A small dot on the trident branded second hand contains the material. And, how about that trident? Still one of the coolest hands in ALL of horology.

Despite lacking an exhibition caseback, the rear detailing is well executed. Screwed down caseback, with Trident branding and the guilloche texture from the dial makes an appearance along with the “Swiss Made” call-out.

Does it have the hand-me-down heritage of a Rolex or Omega diver, or the widespread hype of a Panerai? No, of course not. The brand is only 14 years old. But, with a 5 year warranty and power coming from an industry-respected and recognized movement, it is built to last and be admired for years. Will the prestige of the C60 Pro and Christopher Ward grow in the years and decades to come? Perhaps. One thing is for certain: the value for your money.