New CW Sealander Chronograph

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NoMinuteGone
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by NoMinuteGone »

Interesting... if they say it's "Inspired by the British Military’s quartz watches of the 1980s", I'm guessing what they mean is that it's a sort-of homage to the RAF "Gen 1" Seiko chrono? :) Although IMHO it more closely resembles the Gen 2, but that didn't appear until the 90s...

Anyway, I'm personally a fan of Arabics so it's good to see a new CW with (applied!) Arabics for a change!
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by JAFO »

Anyway, as a quartz watch, it's not one that I am interested in.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by WileyECoyote »

One of the strengths of what Christopher Ward is offering is diversity in product & price accessibility. At one end, their catalog offers the Bel Canto, Twelve & Moonphase watches. At the other end of the spectrum, there is the Dune, Aquitaine & C60 300 dive watch ranges. And while I would still like to see a mechanical chronograph introduced, I think it is fine that they filled a hole in their catalog with an above average quartz chronograph at a very accessible price. The reverse panda dial, no date complication, uncluttered design, slim easy to wear profile & highly accurate quartz movement checked a lot of boxes for me. I ordered one this morning with the black canvas strap since I already have the Consort & Bader bracelets for my Sealander GMT & Forum LE. That further reduced the purchase price for a watch that will fit in nicely with what I already have in my collection. The final nudge to put my order in now was seeing the estimated delivery date move from late April to early May! There was no point in waiting to buy a watch that I knew I wanted to buy.

Delmar
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by maclink »

I ordered one as well. My first chronograph. This one got me because I think it looks great, has great dimensions with the CW attention to finish and a good price.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by ProfGlenn »

I think it looks lovely and would like one. However I do think it is pricey at £135 less than the equivalent auto - having said that I'd prefer an ETA COSC quartz to an SW200 any day of the week! I wasn't familiar with this quartz movement and was expecting the superb 251.264. The movement used here has been described by some as a throw away movement....so i looked it up and it does seem to be the COSC version of the Moonswatch movement, and that one is unserviceable. I can't believe the movement here is unserviceable?? But if you google prices it is pretty cheap compared to the 251.264 and other similar COSC movements. Can anyone shed any light??

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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Mikkei4 »

I'm not intending to purchase yet but I wish CW would give more strap options or just a watch head purchase option. I wouldn't need a bracelet as I have a Sealander Bader already but wouldn't want the fabric strap either.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by maclink »

Mikkei4 wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 4:22 pm I'm not intending to purchase yet but I wish CW would give more strap options or just a watch head purchase option. I wouldn't need a bracelet as I have a Sealander Bader already but wouldn't want the fabric strap either.
Like you, I wanted neither, so went with the less expensive option, ie, the strap. I have a way above average aversion, it seems, to excess free strap that sticks out into view when looking at the time on my wrist. I like a strap nicely tucked in. So I prefer shorter strap options or an Omega style deployant to tuck in excess strap.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Rezn8r »

ProfGlenn wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 3:39 pm I think it looks lovely and would like one. However I do think it is pricey at £135 less than the equivalent auto - having said that I'd prefer an ETA COSC quartz to an SW200 any day of the week! I wasn't familiar with this quartz movement and was expecting the superb 251.264. The movement used here has been described by some as a throw away movement....so i looked it up and it does seem to be the COSC version of the Moonswatch movement, and that one is unserviceable. I can't believe the movement here is unserviceable?? But if you google prices it is pretty cheap compared to the 251.264 and other similar COSC movements. Can anyone shed any light??

Thanks
Glenn
I think that all sounds pretty accurate; the 251.264 has previously been used by Breitling, Longines, Certina, and even CW (the C7 Rapide COSC LE), however Certina and now CW have moved to the G10-212, both the in the Precidrive variation, and yes, a non-Precidrive version is quite likely also what's in the Moonswatch Snoopy.

Like with the Powermatic 80 automatic movement variations, I think the cost factor of movement replacement versus repair means it's simpler and more cost effective to simply drop in a replacement in the event of a failure, and sending a quartz watch off for 'repair' probably often means that anyway now. There's a video with someone from Sellita somewhere who, when asked about 'keeping up' with ETA's Powermatic 80, says that while they make loads of upgraded, updated movements for other houses, most of which they can't talk about (it wouldn't do to spoil the 'in-house' thing too explicitly, I suppose), the 220-1 was still serviceable by most any competent watch repair shop in the world, and that they valued that and felt that their clients and end-users did, too. I think ETA is mostly going in the opposite direction.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Rezn8r »

P.s. One of my favourite watch forum answers was when someone asked if their G-Shock was repairable, and some other wag responded, "Oh yes, quite repairable, just go to amazon.com, enter the model number, and then 'Add to Basket'"...
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by JAFO »

maclink wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 5:53 pm
Mikkei4 wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 4:22 pm I'm not intending to purchase yet but I wish CW would give more strap options or just a watch head purchase option. I wouldn't need a bracelet as I have a Sealander Bader already but wouldn't want the fabric strap either.
Like you, I wanted neither, so went with the less expensive option, ie, the strap. I have a way above average aversion, it seems, to excess free strap that sticks out into view when looking at the time on my wrist. I like a strap nicely tucked in. So I prefer shorter strap options or an Omega style deployant to tuck in excess strap.
I don't know if the CW Cordovan strap fits this watch. CW only have a single variant now (ie, one width only) unfortunately but it works like the omega straps, no keepers, and the excess strap under the clasp. Not cheap, but a great alternative.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

^^^ The watch is 20 mm lug width. The only Cordovan now available is 20 mm in black…with Bader clasp.

https://www.christopherward.com/watch- ... BB-ST.html
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Davy Crockett »

From the 1st pictures, I was interested and hoped for a watch I'd like.... Last few releases haven't sparked my purchase itch!
This one I like........ chronograph, colour, raised numerals and logo and price BUT 39mm!!! :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:
I would've been adding to bag at 42mm but sorry CW, another one I'll pass by
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by shevanel »

This definitely has the looks and specs of a one watch collection. Perhaps for someone, who's not that into watches but wants a more quality one. This would have been perfect for my pre- watch hobby days, when I only had one watch.
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by ProfGlenn »

Rezn8r wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2024 12:35 am
ProfGlenn wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 3:39 pm I think it looks lovely and would like one. However I do think it is pricey at £135 less than the equivalent auto - having said that I'd prefer an ETA COSC quartz to an SW200 any day of the week! I wasn't familiar with this quartz movement and was expecting the superb 251.264. The movement used here has been described by some as a throw away movement....so i looked it up and it does seem to be the COSC version of the Moonswatch movement, and that one is unserviceable. I can't believe the movement here is unserviceable?? But if you google prices it is pretty cheap compared to the 251.264 and other similar COSC movements. Can anyone shed any light??

Thanks
Glenn
I think that all sounds pretty accurate; the 251.264 has previously been used by Breitling, Longines, Certina, and even CW (the C7 Rapide COSC LE), however Certina and now CW have moved to the G10-212, both the in the Precidrive variation, and yes, a non-Precidrive version is quite likely also what's in the Moonswatch Snoopy.

Like with the Powermatic 80 automatic movement variations, I think the cost factor of movement replacement versus repair means it's simpler and more cost effective to simply drop in a replacement in the event of a failure, and sending a quartz watch off for 'repair' probably often means that anyway now. There's a video with someone from Sellita somewhere who, when asked about 'keeping up' with ETA's Powermatic 80, says that while they make loads of upgraded, updated movements for other houses, most of which they can't talk about (it wouldn't do to spoil the 'in-house' thing too explicitly, I suppose), the 220-1 was still serviceable by most any competent watch repair shop in the world, and that they valued that and felt that their clients and end-users did, too. I think ETA is mostly going in the opposite direction.
Thanks a lot for your reply. I have the C70 Ascari and the C65 AM GT and the C30- they are all sensational watches. But I am nervous about the notion of a luxury watch brand such as CW using disposable movements......

Thanks
Glenn
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Re: New CW Sealander Chronograph

Post by Leon O »

missF wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 3:57 pm If it's a quartz chronograph I imagine there will be some grumbles about CW 'going back on their word' about quartz. I don't think it should bother CW too much. There were grumbles from some when they stopped producing quartz watches as it was seen as turning their backs on their value proposition, and leaving some of their customers behind. There there will be grumbles if they 'go back to quartz' - not for producing a quality low cost chronograph, but for some other irk it'll cause them. Changing the plan?? How dare you change the plan!

:computer: Dear CW; signed Disgruntled....
At first pass, as the owner of a C65 AM GT I am disgruntled. :thumbdown: I have kept the AM GT thinking it would be the last quartz CW that I could purchase. I feel let down.

I do, however, think the Valour is an attractive release.

I'll have to sit on this news for a few days to determine how I actually feel about my AM GT and the company.
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