C60 Homage

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
MarkingTime
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by MarkingTime »

Nobody should be surprised that a Chinese manufacturer can knock out these types of watches at a far lower cost than the original brands and with similar quality. Modern manufacturing techniques enable mass production to an excellent standard and choosing a reliable and cheap Japanese movement as the beating heart of these types of watches, should give similar reliability to any other manufacturer using the same.
The main cost savings are over using a Swiss movement and not having to provide as robust a post sales support. I suspect however, that were one of these watches to arrive DOA, it would be replaced without issue.
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gaf1958
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by gaf1958 »

Just a quick update re timing. The Heimdallr is running at a fairly consistent +7 seconds per day over the last 4.3 days.

A comment also about the crown - it’s (obviously) closely styled after the MkII crown, but the finish is not as clean, with the outer edge having a sharp finish to the touch - noticeable every time you unscrew the crown. It’s not bad, certainly no worse than some micro-brands produce, but nowhere near the CW finishing standard.

That’s the thing, or maybe I should say one thing, that distinguishes the CW from the wannabe - the level of finishing. As a stand alone watch, the Heimdallr is pretty good. Compare it to its inspiration, the C60, and it’s clear where at least some of the cost for the C60 goes - the quality of the finishing. That means time spent, which in turn means the price is higher. Add in a few additional things like the Swiss movement, five year warranty, not to mention development costs, then the price for the C60 becomes more understandable and more, dare I say, reasonable.

If the Heimdallr were not such a close copy of the C60, I’d be very well pleased with it for the very modest sum paid. It is however, clearly a C60 with a few corners cut. As such, some of the gloss rubs off. It’s not a bad watch and I’ll probably wear it from time to time.

In my opinion though, if you’re on a very strict budget and you’d like a C60 and your family or mates know very little about watches, it’s probably a great buy. Given that our odd proclivity for multiple watches and obsessing over small horological details means we are a small percentage of the public at large, that probably means that for most people it’s a great buy...

Given that most of my fellow Australians have probably never heard of Christopher Ward; wearing a Heimdallr means no more or less to them than wearing a CW would...

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Jasemh
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by Jasemh »

gaf1958 wrote:Just a quick update re timing. The Heimdallr is running at a fairly consistent +7 seconds per day over the last 4.3 days.

A comment also about the crown - it’s (obviously) closely styled after the MkII crown, but the finish is not as clean, with the outer edge having a sharp finish to the touch - noticeable every time you unscrew the crown. It’s not bad, certainly no worse than some micro-brands produce, but nowhere near the CW finishing standard.

That’s the thing, or maybe I should say one thing, that distinguishes the CW from the wannabe - the level of finishing. As a stand alone watch, the Heimdallr is pretty good. Compare it to its inspiration, the C60, and it’s clear where at least some of the cost for the C60 goes - the quality of the finishing. That means time spent, which in turn means the price is higher. Add in a few additional things like the Swiss movement, five year warranty, not to mention development costs, then the price for the C60 becomes more understandable and more, dare I say, reasonable.

If the Heimdallr were not such a close copy of the C60, I’d be very well pleased with it for the very modest sum paid. It is however, clearly a C60 with a few corners cut. As such, some of the gloss rubs off. It’s not a bad watch and I’ll probably wear it from time to time.

In my opinion though, if you’re on a very strict budget and you’d like a C60 and your family or mates know very little about watches, it’s probably a great buy. Given that our odd proclivity for multiple watches and obsessing over small horological details means we are a small percentage of the public at large, that probably means that for most people it’s a great buy...

Given that most of my fellow Australians have probably never heard of Christopher Ward; wearing a Heimdallr means no more or less to them than wearing a CW would...
Good review
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by PaulJS »

Thanks for the objective review Gary, the one thing that I am curious about is whether this actually has been produced from 'original' CW design plans / CAD.
I know you plan to check dimensions with calipers / micrometer, but if you can be bothered maybe check the positioning of the pin bar holes in the lugs and see whether a C60 bracelet will fit?

I would have thought this would give a pretty good indication as to how close this watch is to the C60 dimensions.

Cheers,

Paul
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gaf1958
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by gaf1958 »

PaulJS wrote:.... I know you plan to check dimensions with calipers / micrometer, but if you can be bothered maybe check the positioning of the pin bar holes in the lugs and see whether a C60 bracelet will fit?
....
Hi Paul, I have a summary of the comparison here...

viewtopic.php?t=51462

Cheers, Gary :)
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PaulJS
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by PaulJS »

gaf1958 wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:10 am
PaulJS wrote:.... I know you plan to check dimensions with calipers / micrometer, but if you can be bothered maybe check the positioning of the pin bar holes in the lugs and see whether a C60 bracelet will fit?
....
Hi Paul, I have a summary of the comparison here...

viewtopic.php?t=51462

Cheers, Gary :)
Hi Gary,
sorry, my oversight, I didn't realise there was another thread running on this and that you had already done a comprehensive comparison - interesting reading.

Cheers,

Paul

PS, Still really enjoying the 'original' MKII Speedy, courtesy of your good self, to the exclusion of almost everything apart from it's re-issued slightly bigger brother. I may even get round to doing a comparison on here one day when I have more than 10 minutes going spare!
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gaf1958
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Re: C60 Homage

Post by gaf1958 »

PaulJS wrote:PS, Still really enjoying the 'original' MKII Speedy, courtesy of your good self, to the exclusion of almost everything apart from it's re-issued slightly bigger brother. I may even get round to doing a comparison on here one day when I have more than 10 minutes going spare!
That would be interesting Paul. I never owned the original and re-release versions at the same time. The closest I had was the 2014 MkII together with the 70s Mk 4.5 which while very similar, had some case differences - plus of course a very different movement. Both had been sold by the time I acquired the one you now have.

I really look forward to reading it if you ever do it.
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