Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:50 pm

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

I wonder what he makes of the UN Freak?

If I live to see the 22nd century I will NEVER figure that one out. Me thinks a naming consultant would have been money well spent.
As for the choice CW has made here, if it wasn’t an English company I might think the name was somehow mistranslated.
Who was it that said “there is no such thing as bad publicity”? Its a beautifully made piece, I wouldn’t think they would need a whacky name to draw attention.
Wolves teeth on the winding mechanism would have put the reverse side completely over the top. I have often wondered why they aren’t used anymore.

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 12:01 am

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

Thanks so much for taking the time to give such thorough answers — I really appreciate it. I hadn’t realized how much of the thickness came from the actual case versus the crystal. Now that you’ve explained it, it makes a lot more sense, and hopefully that’ll be reflected in how it wears and looks in real life. I’m sure it’ll appear slimmer in person than the numbers suggest.

As for water resistance — I still feel that for a fun, sporty watch, they could’ve aimed for at least 50m. That way it could handle the occasional splash or beach day. I mean, that’s part of the point of a sports watch, right? The standard Twelve models are rated to 100m, so even 50m would’ve been a nice middle ground.

If Andrew Morgan (or a guy I know from a WhatsApp group who's possibly working on a bespoke version) explores a more textured dial option, I think it could elevate the design even further.

And yeah, even though the Czapek version seems petter on paper and maybe a bit more refined in photos, the price point kills all its attraction for me. When you start knocking off zeros, the CW version starts to look more and more attractive by comparison — haha.

So yeah, I’m excited to secure one and see how it feels on the wrist! For now I`m still in my honeymoon phase with my BC classic and look wise I think few watches can compete with it, I just love it!

A few 'quick and dirty' photos taken at the Freewheelin' film Premiere at BAFTA, last night.











NB> the lighting level was pretty low, which is not ideal, hence a grainy hue to the pics.

For me, buying?

Not at the moment; no. Not even sure if I will do.

My Schofield Obscure has become quite an 'end game' watch in a way, plus I have a Schofield B6 Deep Blue Shallow Green on order that needs to be paid for.

Moreover, the 'sprung balance wheel' concept isn't something that excites me a great deal and I have my Bel Canto Phoenix as a 'haute horology' type watch to wear.

The C12 Loco is though an undeniably fine watch, just doesn't float my boat, as one might say.

Guy

Sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra using Tapatalk

I do not like it at all but am happy for those of you who do. I get that's it's cool from a technical standpoint but do not like the aesthetics.

I appreciate the feat of engineering and the low price point they can offer it at compared to others.
What I would like to see more of in these special watches is more of an emphasis on telling time.
While this dial is slightly larger than bel canto (can't tell time at all), it still seems telling time is not a priority.
A quick glance probably won't suffice.
When Czapek and Girard-Perregaux can do these bridges with a full size watch on the dial, not sure why CW just made their next big release since bel canto also have a tiny time telling component on the dial.

UncleLoco wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:39 pm Can’t confirm or deny that I was consulted in the naming!

There’s no motive

Plaudits to CW for another outstanding piece of haute horology that isn’t out of reach of the ordinary watch lover.

Whilst I do like the watch, vibrancy of the colours and new CW003 in house movement, I’m quite conventional in my watch taste and prefer a full closed dial so I don’t think this is for me.

I do wish the size were a little more svelte both in diameter but particularly height. Having a relatively slim wrist this has put me off buying a few of CW’s key watches e.g. the Concept. I wonder if the size of the new in house movement will fit in smaller case sizes. The SH21 if my memory serves me, you couldn’t really find in anything less than 40.5mm which usually meant a large looking watch given that it was almost always in a bezel free watch.

mhh8901 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 6:02 am What I would like to see more of in these special watches is more of an emphasis on telling time.
While this dial is slightly larger than bel canto (can't tell time at all), it still seems telling time is not a priority.
A quick glance probably won't suffice.

The Chisholm Hunter review quoted here does make the point that it’s maybe aimed at those for whom telling the exact time at a glance is maybe not the priority. As a MeisterSinger owner I get that. Sometimes you have to accept that something is not for you and walk on by. Like the people who think it should be an automatic, etc.

It's a nice and cool watch, and the movement is awesome, but I think the Bel Canto is still prettier.

The dial side on the Loco - I don't mind the name by the way - is nice, but.... I don't know.... a bit too symmetrical and minimalist for me? All the straight lines, gleaming metal bridges, bare(ish) platine. Nice but maybe too tech-y?

I think that perhaps I feel that the BC is nicer because it had the clever songbird-shaped hammer. I know some people hated the bird shape, but I thought it was cute and gave the piece character.

But that just really shows that we all have different tastes and preferences.

On the other hand, the Loco's case back is VERY nice to me - such a pretty movement.

It's still a great achievement for CW, and I hope that there's a good demand for it. Also, in terms of time-reading legibility, I really don't see any problem with it. Seems really easy to read from the pics and videos I've seen.

Colourways - I don't the shade of blue used. It's a bit too much for me. The grey-black and the white versions are the nicest to me. In particular, the white one looks really nice on the black rubber strap, while the black looks good on the bracelet.

Right now, I'm more interested in what the CW-002 will be. Some points:
1. at the forum preview, I was the one who made a guess that the 001 and 002 would be auto and manual 3-hander versions of the 003 [ie, I meant that they would be "normal" movements with the balance wheel at the back]
2. however, Mike France said that that my guess was wrong. And now we know from CW's announcement that the CW-001 is actually the renamed SH21.
3. so what then is the CW-002? MF said it was done already and that we would be surprised by it [from around the 50min mark of the Preview Video]. Can't wait!

I just wonder whether the 002 will be based on the 001 or will use the same base at the 003. Because I can't believe that they would spend so much investing on the 003 just for it to be a one-off movement for the Loco, I'm guessing the 002 will have the same re-engineered SH21 base as the 003.

I'm excitedly waiting for the reply to my pre-order email this morning.

I enjoyed the insight the documentary gave and overall it is a great release but I wont be rushing out to add this piece for the following reasons:

- Bel Canto and C1 Moonglow are more interesting with cool complications- I fortunately own both






- I already own a twelve- ice cream blue




- I have this AP which was only double the cost preowned of the loco and impeccable finishing




Having said all of that….one at 40% off and try and stop me!!!

Congrats to all that make an order.


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Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 1:11 am A few 'quick and dirty' photos taken at the Freewheelin' film Premiere at BAFTA, last night.

NB> the lighting level was pretty low, which is not ideal, hence a grainy hue to the pics.

I found that to be most strange at the venue. A watch launch for some very vivid dials, with huge efforts to create multiple textures and levels and finishes within the dial and caseback, yet not setting up the tables with the multi-point illumination to show that off and relying instead on the subdued downlighting of a foyer.

I’m sure they will look spectacular in natural sunlight.

I’m intrigued to see what happens with CW-003 next, and its hopeful appearance in the (upper) middle of the range as a 6-day hand wound movement, with -0/+7 specs. Perhaps a second hand and a hacking movement might not go amiss to show that off?

I can quite understand if you have a Bel Canto and a 12 already, there'd be no desire for the new Loco. I'd been holding off on the 12, hoping for a 12 Dual Time (which i've suggested to both Mike & Will Brackfield), but i'm going for this one.

When I got a look at it at British Watchmakers Day, I was absolutely floored by it, and i've been counting down the days to it's release!

Griso wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 8:45 am ...

I’m intrigued to see what happens with CW-003 next, and its hopeful appearance in the (upper) middle of the range as a 6-day hand wound movement, with -0/+7 specs. Perhaps a second hand and a hacking movement might not go amiss to show that off?

I asked about the lack of hack-ing seconds.

I was told that it would have required a number of extra components on the dial side which would have impacted the aesthetics, and that was deemed not to be a compromise they wanted to take.

When I first bought my C11 and joined the forum I asked some newbie questions about how to take the caseback off my watch so I could see the mechanism inside. A former forumite called Cirrus, who passed away very young some years ago, sent me an old watch with an exhibition case back so that I could watch a mechanical movement without destroying my watch. Someone also posted some YouTube clips. In one of them, someone was reassembling a movement. The moment when the balance wheel was dropped into place and came to life just captivated me, and I think it's that more than anything that drove my love of mechanical watches.

Currently my chances of seeing a Loco IRL are pretty small, and it's maybe just as well. How could I pick one up and watch the balance wheel beating like a heartbeat front and centre of the whole watch - and then have to hand it back?