In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Discuss Christopher Ward watches

What should Christopher Ward do with their branding?

Keep it as it is - the rebrand is good
29
46%
Revert back to their old Chr.Ward brand and refresh it
24
38%
Create a 'heritage' and a 'modernist' line of watches
10
16%
 
Total votes: 63

Stuart1
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Stuart1 »

Is it me or are more of the CW line up having the twin flag logo on ? I have just noticed the C60 chronograph, C60 Anthropocene GMT and C63 sealander elite. If this slow roll out continues when will the updated C60 Tridents be out? I noticed that both C60 Blue 40mm and 38mm are missing from the line up.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by strapline »

^^ ^^
Was looking at the models you mentioned to see what they look like after having had the twin flag only treatment. I think the Anthropocene looks great. I also noticed that the dark blue Super Compressor seems to have gone missing from the line up. Perhaps that will reappear with just the twin flags.

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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Mikkei4 »

CW should stop right now before the whole range is changed - the painted TF looks cheap.

If the TF is going to be the sole identifier of the brand then it should be an applied item in a default sliver finish and other finishes to suit, eg brass.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Stuart1 »

I thought that the Super Compressor was having a new colourway added? Therefore, the dark blue has just been dropped. I am not sure where the rumour came from. My understanding was it would be a new dial colour with the white bezel. I am quite please with new look.
From memory the C60 Trident was to be replaced in spring 2023, which may mean that this is just a slight face lift with the new branding.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by thomcat00 »

Stuart1 wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 4:26 pm Is it me or are more of the CW line up having the twin flag logo on ? I have just noticed the C60 chronograph, C60 Anthropocene GMT and C63 sealander elite. If this slow roll out continues when will the updated C60 Tridents be out? I noticed that both C60 Blue 40mm and 38mm are missing from the line up.
This is the plan going forward to have the Twin Flags logo be the primary identifier on dials of all the watches; the brand name will be on the reverse. Aquitaine is leading the roll out. Others, as stock turns over, will follow.

The 38 and 40mm C60 sizes have been out for a few months.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Stuart1 »

thomcat00 wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 4:40 pm
Stuart1 wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 4:26 pm Is it me or are more of the CW line up having the twin flag logo on ? I have just noticed the C60 chronograph, C60 Anthropocene GMT and C63 sealander elite. If this slow roll out continues when will the updated C60 Tridents be out? I noticed that both C60 Blue 40mm and 38mm are missing from the line up.
This is the plan going forward to have the Twin Flags logo be the primary identifier on dials of all the watches; the brand name will be on the reverse. Aquitaine is leading the roll out. Others, as stock turns over, will follow.

The 38 and 40mm C60 sizes have been out for a few months.
Yes, that was my understanding. Mike France said as much in an interview.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by ajax87 »

Mikkei4 wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 2:50 pm CW should stop right now before the whole range is changed - the painted TF looks cheap.

If the TF is going to be the sole identifier of the brand then it should be an applied item in a default sliver finish and other finishes to suit, eg brass.
^^^ Yes 100%. The use of the swish only is fine, but it does look cheap as is. Any type of applied logo would help, whether SS or enameled white or colored.

I’m used to seeing the swish only and it’s growing on me, but as prices increase, I expect a higher level of finishing than what looks like a blob of white paint.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by NationOfLaws »

I don’t mind the painted logo on the blue Aquitaine because it matches the indices and hands, but I think it sticks out pretty badly on the black Aquitaine where the lume is aged.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Stuart1 »

I am planning a visit to CW to have a look at them all. Currently all my CW's have the original logo on.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by JAFO »

Mikkei4 wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 2:50 pm CW should stop right now before the whole range is changed - the painted TF looks cheap.

If the TF is going to be the sole identifier of the brand then it should be an applied item in a default sliver finish and other finishes to suit, eg brass.
Maybe it's tricky to do as an applied index, because the right section motif actually consists of 4 unconnected squares. Maybe the dial finish is applied after the full logo piece is attached.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Kip »

To apply the Twin Flags is very tricky. The feet (pins) will be very tiny and difficult to pin to the dial.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by StrappedUp »

Kip wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:53 am To apply the Twin Flags is very tricky. The feet (pins) will be very tiny and difficult to pin to the dial.
Given that the TF logo is bigger than the majority of the lume plots on the Aquitaine, I can't imagine it'd be too troublesome.

Plus, they've already done it with the Motorsport range Kip.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by Stuart1 »

StrappedUp wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:57 am
Kip wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:53 am To apply the Twin Flags is very tricky. The feet (pins) will be very tiny and difficult to pin to the dial.
Given that the TF logo is bigger than the majority of the lume plots on the Aquitaine, I can't imagine it'd be too troublesome.

Plus, they've already done it with the Motorsport range Kip.
My assumption would be that it would be made in one piece, chromed and then painted, this would then be polished leaving the ‘high parts’of the logo bright. In real terms I don’t think that it would be any bigger than a normal applied index.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by ajax87 »

StrappedUp wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:57 am
Kip wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:53 am To apply the Twin Flags is very tricky. The feet (pins) will be very tiny and difficult to pin to the dial.
Given that the TF logo is bigger than the majority of the lume plots on the Aquitaine, I can't imagine it'd be too troublesome.

Plus, they've already done it with the Motorsport range Kip.
Here’s a pic of how it was done on the C7 range:
(From the reference gallery)

AC5D5B5D-4F0A-4412-894B-E19DBC733097.png



I think what Kip is talking about and what I had in mind was having the 4 points of the right side flag “floating”, not infilled with an attempted color match on the dial. That would be more difficult, but what I think would look the best.

Even the way pictured above looks better than the painted logo though.
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Re: In hindsight...was the Christopher Ward rebrand of 2016 a historic mistake?

Post by JAFO »

^^^^
I posted a few pics I took today on a photo thread. I hadn't realised the right part of the logo was all raised, with matching colour blocks for the blank squares of the relevant dial, as it were.

So producing a swish for each colour dial isn't as simple as just producing thousands of s/s swish flags. They need to produce small batches to match the dial colours and textures.

There's a couple of C7's, and a C65 here.
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