Can’t confirm or deny that I was consulted in the naming!

chif123 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:29 pm An interesting review

Thanks for sharing - I enjoyed that.

His comments on form versus function are interesting, and slightly align with my own thinking, though I haven’t seen the watch close-up.

Likewise, I thought his reference to IWC was germane. It’s important to balance the halo models and the bread-and-butter models.

He’s clearly not a fan of the name Loco. Considers it frivolous in a watch of that price. I wonder what he makes of the UN Freak?

Another decent review . This time in blue

@chif123

The YouTube syntax you are trying to use doesn’t work with the tags to embed the clip on the forum. Embedding it means you can watch it direct from the post without the ads!

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:50 pm He’s clearly not a fan of the name Loco.

Umbrage taken!

As a (new) owner of a Bel Canto, which I’ve been wearing daily for the past few weeks, I can’t see when I would chose to wear the “Loco” instead of the Bel Canto should I choose to get one.

I love the work and effort CW put into this, and if they never did the Bel Canto, I’d be drooling over it…. But side by side (in pics) they don’t seem to distinguish themselves apart enough.

Perhaps in person, it would be different?

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:50 pm He’s clearly not a fan of the name Loco. Considers it frivolous in a watch of that price. I wonder what he makes of the UN Freak?

I agree with him on that. I’m of a generation that can’t help but think of one song when hearing the word loco. And I’m confident it’s not the vibe CW is shooting for! Don’t you know I’m loco?!

Hope this isn't a daft question (I'm still green behind the ears here), nor indeed a far-too-boring-on-launch-day one, but is a watch like this going to require an uncommon level of skill for its periodic servicing?

I’m gonna get one and then decide later if I’ll keep it or not.


My first impression: it’s nice — but definitely not Bel Canto-level nice. The BC is already a chunky watch, but its case design makes the thickness feel intentional and less intrusive. With integrated bracelet watches, though, you usually expect something slimmer. One of the reasons The Twelve was such a hit was how thin it was — just 8 or 9mm.


This one? 14mm. That’s thick. Czapek’s new watches, which share a similar design language, come in at 11mm — and thanks to clever, well-proportioned design, they wear more like 5–6mm from the profile. I’m genuinely surprised CW didn’t do more to visually reduce the thickness.


I’m also torn on the bubble gum colors. Is this meant to be a fun, sporty watch? If so, why only 30m water resistance and so much heft? And if it’s aiming for a more dressy vibe, then what’s with the juvenile palette and the thickness?


One thing that also stood out: the SH21 is a self winding movement while this one is manual-wind. So all that thickness — and it’s not even automatic?


The Bel Canto feels like the prettier sister. This one is the smart sister — better movement, longer power reserve. And honestly, I can already see a v2 down the line with a guilloché dial like the BC Classic line.


Czapek seems to have nailed a more refined version of this concept this year. That said, this is still a solid effort from CW — especially at this price point. There’s a lot to like, and I’m sure it’ll be a hit with CW fans.


I’ll try it and see how it wears in real life. Who knows — it might grow on me.

Hats off to CW. The price point for this watch is amazing. Another British designed movement too
I fail to understand the people who are posting snarky, ill-informed commentary on social media.
What's the problem? True to form, CW are pushing boundaries and not taking the rise out of passionate watch enthusiasts. For those who are so against this watch, there are many more, more expensive watches out there to appeal to their watch snobbery.
I don't believe these are the people CW wish to appeal to anyway.

Rant over

I think I figured out what’s “Loco” about this watch… its symmetry and indices make it a perfect ambidextrous watch.

I tend to wear my horology on my right arm, and my fitness tracker on my left. (Far more prone to bang my left wrist into things than my right)

Personally I think I like the subdial better on the bottom than the top anyways, and it sets it more apart from my BC.

Damn, now I have a much better excuse to buy one……

The specs on this watch is absolutely amazing.
The design is nice. I have a preference to the bel canto and moonglow over this but it's still beautiful.. I feel the bridge detracts a little from the beauty of the balance wheel. But as awhole it's very nice

While I love and applaud the work that went into the movement (which just looks fantastic and has a great power reserve), sadly for me this is not a style that I would buy, wear and certainly not keep. That's my personal taste in play there - as I think it looks very impressive and sublimely expensive (much more than the actual price). This and the Bel Canto are watches that I can admire on someone else's wrist without the urge to go out and buy one for myself. I hope CW have a real winner on their hands here - IMO it deserves to be.

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
I’m gonna get one and then decide later if I’ll keep it or not.

My first impression: it’s nice — but definitely not Bel Canto-level nice. The BC is already a chunky watch, but its case design makes the thickness feel intentional and less intrusive. With integrated bracelet watches, though, you usually expect something slimmer. One of the reasons The Twelve was such a hit was how thin it was — just 8 or 9mm.

The C12 The Twelve 40 is 9.95mm thick. The 12 X (Ti) is 12.30mm

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
This one? 14mm. That’s thick. Czapek’s new watches, which share a similar design language, come in at 11mm — and thanks to clever, well-proportioned design, they wear more like 5–6mm from the profile. I’m genuinely surprised CW didn’t do more to visually reduce the thickness.

C12 Loco - "At just 9.75mm thick, excluding its 3.55mm front and 0.4mm rear box sapphire crystals, it maintains a slim, elegant profile."

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
I’m also torn on the bubble gum colors. Is this meant to be a fun, sporty watch? If so, why only 30m water resistance and so much heft? And if it’s aiming for a more dressy vibe, then what’s with the juvenile palette and the thickness?

Yes; it's aimed at being a fun, sporty watch and the 'bubble gum' colours reflect this deliberately. There's a good amount of discussion on the colour palate and how the colours were selected in the Freewheelin' documentary.

30m WR? Guess one has to draw the line somewhere. It's not that thick; see above.

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
One thing that also stood out: the SH21 is a self winding movement while this one is manual-wind. So all that thickness — and it’s not even automatic?

The floating dial and bridges for the free balance wheel dictate a degree of height.

The SH21 is available in both hand wound and automatic versions; actually there are 13 variants depending on complication. More details may be found in the CWArchive

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
The Bel Canto feels like the prettier sister. This one is the smart sister — better movement, longer power reserve. And honestly, I can already see a v2 down the line with a guilloché dial like the BC Classic line.

That's a fair assessment and no doubt there will be those who will look to create a Bespoke Edition; Andrew Morgan for one perhaps?

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm Czapek seems to have nailed a more refined version of this concept this year. That said, this is still a solid effort from CW — especially at this price point. There’s a lot to like, and I’m sure it’ll be a hit with CW fans.

Maybe; but at what price?

Oh wait, I know it's a higher spec but 63,000 CHF exc VAT for the Antarctique TOURBILLON - GLACIER BLUE; that's stratospheric compared to the C12 Loco, and it's only got a 50m WR.

HAYQ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:41 pm
I’ll try it and see how it wears in real life. Who knows — it might grow on me.

We'll look forward to reading your comments.


Guy