A one watch purchase

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
Dom
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A one watch purchase

Post by Dom »

I'm one of those people who do watches no favours. They are the first thing that gets put on in the morning and the last thing to be taken off at night. They are in constant use and, to be frank, tend to get abused as a result. Logically that makes me a candidate for the cheapest bits of rubbish available but I do have a soft spot for a good watch.

With the demise of my latest citizen which survived six years I've decided to treat myself to a good, but accurate, mechanical. All it needs to to do is tell the time and be supremely legible (the joys of getting older and eyes not being what they once were). Even a date is not really a necessity.

I'm drawn to the Sandhurst, not through some deep love of the military but more because I think that this watch might just tick all the boxes for what I want but wonder how well it would stand up to constant everyday use.

Has anyone any experience with one of these being used constantly as an everyday watch?
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Dom wrote: Fri Apr 07, 2023 11:21 am Has anyone any experience with one of these being used constantly as an everyday watch?
The more you peruse the forum the more you will realise that most of us are a bit strange and wear quite a few different watches.

What you are talking about, however, is wearing watches as they were designed to be worn. You shouldn’t have any problem whatsoever. I wore my C63 Sealander GMT for months on end last year. It just does the job.
Steve
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Dom
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Dom »

That's good to hear. As you rightly say, to me a watch a tool to do just one job, but well. I'm rather hoping to get more that a few months out of one though!
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by ajax87 »

The Sandhurst would be a great choice for all the reasons you outlined. It’s a legible tool watch, and a chronometer. Buy it and wear the heck out of it.

I wore my first CW for 7 years straight, a C5 Aviator, hardly missing a single day. The only reason I stopped was for a 3 year affair with an Apple Watch. Then I grew my mechanical watch collection and now rotate them almost daily. But a CW can hack daily wear for sure.
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Soporsche »

I have a friend/acquaintance who has owned a CW Trident Mk1 since it was released and wears it every day as his 1 watch. Also for swimming, DIY, chores, socially etc its always on his wrist and still looks good and is reliable.
No reason a CW wouldn't do the job admirably, just because many forumites (me included) chop and change watches like their underwear is no reflection on the capability as a reliable long term tool.
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by JAFO »

I have multiple one watches. The thing is, I now enjoy being able to rotate the one watch.

I do have one pair of glasses, although I did buy an extra pair of sunglasses when they offered me a second pair for free. (Well almost free). I should have gone to Specsavers. Actually I did go to Specsavers.
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

For a one watch the C65 Sandhurst is an excellent choice for the reasons you've outlined.

Within the CW Military range there is a C65 Dartmouth currently being worn and chronicled as a one watch by @Jcalder68

Additionally, I believe @Paul Drawmer wears his Bronze C60 Trident Mk2 on a routine, daily basis.

For me? I'm sorry but I fall in the 'lucky to wear the same watch two days running ' camp. :oops: :oops:

Guy

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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Jcalder68 »

Hello, Dom.
I recently challenged myself to see if I could get by with just the one watch. This was roughly two months ago.
My watch of choice was a Dartmouth (Series 1 in black) model, from the same military family and sporting the same movement as the Sandhurst you are thinking of.
I had several candidates in mind when starting this challenge. I wanted COSC accuracy, water resistance, robustness and the ability to dress up/down depending on the situation. I’ve owned a Sandhurst in the past, and this was a candidate, but I wanted a bezel. In a similar way, so was either the Colchester or Lympstone models, but these were too tactical for smarter times.
I can’t fault ,y Dartmouth. It is plenty accurate (currently at +/-2sec on any given day and a total of only 10sec off since adjusting to BST) and has handled everyday use perfectly - office work, workshop work, cycling, camping, car racing, car washing, dog walking, baths and showers. I have swapped between a handful of straps, depending on activity - bracelet for smarter times and meals out, handmade leather options for most daily use and nylon NATOs for most outdoor activities.
It does not have a single mark on it, aside from a couple of scrapes inside the lugs from my constant strap changes.
One watch is certainly a possibility, and I can highly recommend any of CW’s military options.
Hope this helps, and let us know what you go for.
Keep well,
C
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by David. S »

The sandhurst is a fantastic watch, I picked up one of the last series 1 models in the Clearance sale.
It wears incredibly well, the 38mm case and short L2L length are perfect. The dial is simple and very legible,with a distinct vintage feel.
And as you would expect with a COSC movement, its very accurate.
It looks great on the bracelet, or a strap, I've been wearing mine on a reddish brown leather, or army green rubber hybrid.
I would definitely recommend the sandhurst, it's a beautiful watch.

David
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Tilco »

I’m with you. I wear my Seiko SRPB51 all day every day. I put it on in the morning and take it off right before bed. I’m waiting on a C60 300 to replace it. Only thing is I’m not gonna want to do yard work go fishing with my CW so I guess I’ll start rotating. The sandhurst looks like a wonderful piece to wear everyday……just might want to keep around a beater as well.
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Dom »

@Tilco

That's where we would differ in as much as it would be worn irrespective of the job at hand. In terms of legibility and function (all I really require is to be able to tell the time, accurately) the Sandhurst ticks all the boxes. It's available with a leather strap. my preference with any watch as my wrists are really too small to make bracelets comfortably and besides which I find them irritating). It doesn't have that 'bling' look of almost any other watch around which serves to make it less conspicuous.

This just leaves the question of it's durability. It might be sacrilege to say it here but I'm not exactly kind to watches. By that I don't mean that I deliberately abuse them but I do tend not to think about them or their general well being during the course of my day to day activities. I've been thinking long and hard about this all over the weekend. Four days without a watch has been a form of torture, I'm just so subliminally accustomed to checking the time.

Today is really decision time. Do I opt for what I hope will be a better quality watch that will last longer than the cheap and cheerful types I have routinely bought in the past or do I stick with buying watches that I know will have a limited life. Should I opt for Steel or Bronze. I know that there are cheaper 'plain' automatic variants in the CW cannon that might make more sense as a CW trial piece but the +- 20s a day potential for being 'out' means that within 48 hours I could be missing a train given South Eastern's propensity to shut the doors 30s prior to departure.

I do hate these complex decisions!
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Dom wrote: Tue Apr 11, 2023 7:28 am Do I opt for what I hope will be a better quality watch that will last longer than the cheap and cheerful types I have routinely bought in the past or do I stick with buying watches that I know will have a limited life.
Bear in mind that you are asking this (possibly rhetorical?) question on a brand centred forum whose members seem in the main to be happy and satisfied with their watches.

What answer are you expecting? What answer do you really want to hear?

The 20 seconds, by the way, is a notional maximum. I think most people find that their watches perform well within those parameters.
Steve
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Dom
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Dom »

What answer are you expecting? What answer do you really want to hear?

In reality the thing that really interests me the most is build quality / reliability. Is it realistic to expect (subject to proper maintenance) a good 15 to 20 years use from something like a Sandhurst? Give that at the time I need to have this one serviced I would probably buy another as up to 12 weeks without a watch won't work, the first example will be expected to function for about 20 years the second about 16.
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

@Dom The reason I asked those two questions was because it sounds as though you are waiting for someone to say the magic word which will either push you into buying or put you off forever.

What you are describing is perfectly possible in theory – lots of people have 20-year-old watches, myself included. No one on the forum will be able to give you a cast iron guarantee, of course. Everyone’s experience will be slightly different, even down to the need to time your arrival on station platforms to the second. Equally, I don’t think anyone is going to tell you not to buy this watch because it won’t fulfil your needs. You do of course get a five year guarantee on the movement with a new CW.

Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. Or walk away from the precipice. Good luck with the decision.
Steve
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Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time


Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
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Re: A one watch purchase

Post by ajax87 »

@Dom DO IT! And go with the steel. You mention wanting something for all occasions, under the radar, and steel will fill that role better than bronze. Bite the bullet. You won't regret it. And 20 years down the line, after likely a couple movement services, that watch will still be ticking and have some great stories to tell.
Alex
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