New name for CW

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
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gwells
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Re: New name for CW

Post by gwells »

st-rider wrote:
Tyke wrote: Heritage is born in the minds of customers after many years of quality products and service, it is not born at the whim of a company or its PR / advertising guru's .
Heritage is also created by stability. The ability to see something years old is still recognisable today. That engenders trust.
this.

while it's difficult to create heritage where it doesn't exist (the "faux" accusation), it's also possible to nurture it as well as to inhibit it. changing the name itself would do even more damage than the rebrand on that account. but that said, three looks in just over a decade does not nurture heritage.
the "g" is for Greg...
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Re: New name for CW

Post by st-rider »

Just did a Google for the meaning of heritage. Found this interesting as relevant to current discussion. ...
Google wrote:denoting a traditional brand or product regarded as emblematic of fine craftsmanship.
"heritage brands have found a growing cachet among younger customers"
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Re: New name for CW

Post by nordwulf »

I looked around on the website but can't find any information about Mr. Ward. It would be nice if they provide some more info on the founders.

When someone ask you what kind of watch you're wearing, do you say it is Christopher Ward watch? That's a mouthful. Or just "It's a Ward" like you say Omega or Rolex?
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Re: New name for CW

Post by Alaska Big Bear »

nordwulf wrote:I looked around on the website but can't find any information about Mr. Ward. It would be nice if they provide some more info on the founders.

When someone ask you what kind of watch you're wearing, do you say it is Christopher Ward watch? That's a mouthful. Or just "It's a Ward" like you say Omega or Rolex?
I'm a functional guy. So I say straight up...I say "it's a Christopher Ward watch...the best damn watch for your money on the planet"!!!! But then again for individuals in my respective lane. Most guys don't have a clue what Rolex or Omega is. Most individuals wear Invcita, Casio or Timex (modern tool watches). To them a CW C60 300 or 600 would be luxury. The world of Rolex and Omega is an aperture as wide as the universe. But 99% can't afford that or remotely even know what those really look. We are proud watch type people. Most people aren't. So I would proudly say..."my Christopher Ward C60 600 kicks a$$"!

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Re: New name for CW

Post by sproughton »

nordwulf wrote: When someone ask you what kind of watch you're wearing, do you say it is Christopher Ward watch? That's a mouthful. Or just "It's a Ward" like you say Omega or Rolex?
If someone asks the brand of any watch I'm wearing, I'll tell them the full name. Saying "it's a Ward" is more like saying it's an "ega" or a "lex", why wouldn't you use the full name?
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Re: New name for CW

Post by smegwina »

The whole topic of name and heritage is an interesting one.

A companies heritage is very much on the name, as well as anything else.

A good example of this is when Royal Mail changed their name to Consignia in probably the most unsuccessful re-brand in history.

Nothing else changed, just the name and logo and yet the furore was astonishing. The change did not last long!

Heritage is a personal thing and should not be underestimated regardless of how it is gained.

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Re: New name for CW

Post by Lego »

smegwina wrote:The whole topic of name and heritage is an interesting one.

A companies heritage is very much on the name, as well as anything else.

A good example of this is when Royal Mail changed their name to Consignia in probably the most unsuccessful re-brand in history.

Nothing else changed, just the name and logo and yet the furore was astonishing. The change did not last long!

Heritage is a personal thing and should not be underestimated regardless of how it is gained.

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They could change to Ward but to all of us they'll still always be Christopher Ward.


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Re: New name for CW

Post by Thegreyman »

Agree with much of what is being said here.

The difference between the value of a business and the tangible physical assets it owns is the goodwill (value of the brand). For many successful businesses the value of the brand is probably significantly greater than their actual physical assets.

What got me interested in the CW brand is the quality and value of the watches I have seen, the CW "story", (independent British watchmaker, personal touch of customer service, not a faceless corporation, having Chris Ward as the figurehead of the business etc etc). I probably first became aware of the watches in watch features they ran in Top Gear magazine when I used to subscribe to that. So to me all of the foregoing was building the brand. I'm still open minded about the future and it should be good to hear where the company is going in the online chat this coming week.

I have to say though that looking at the couple of new watches on the CW website, I don't really like the change of logo, it is a bit bland, clumsy, and the watch looks bare with no logo in the centre, either just below the 12 or above the 6. Maybe it's "different" to have the logo to the left hand side of the watch but I'm not that convinced. It may look better on other designs, but I'll be surprised. Maybe the forum members should be trying to persuade the company not to change the logo although I guess it's probably too late for that.
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Re: New name for CW

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Thegreyman wrote: Maybe the forum members should be trying to persuade the company not to change the logo although I guess it's probably too late for that.
Given the assurances made that the company does look at the forum, I think some of us have been trying. I am sure there are some who would argue that we have been extremely trying. :D
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Re: New name for CW

Post by Alall »

If one is "ashamed" of the name then why bother buying the watch. Sometimes, after reading such threads it makes me wonder why so many seem to have some sort of "entitlement" from CW. I understand CW was very involved with customers/social media etc but that is just a way of doing business & marketing. U like the product then good... Buy it, if not then move on. There is no loyalty in the retail industry. If there was then most will not be here. Having seen threads on logo, name, hands, etc etc.. it gets to a point where I question... Do you own the company?, Are you a shareholder or did you loan to the company? If not then why all this entitlement and demand? If it bothers this much... Why not start ur own watch company and take the decisions you expect CW to make!

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Re: New name for CW

Post by Mark78 »

First things first, I hate the re-brand and wish it hadn't happened but equally think if they were going to do it, a name change should have been considered. Many, probably most, iconic watch brands have single distinctive monikers; Rolex, Omega, Nomos, Oris, Breitling, Tissot, Hublot, Bremont, Longines, Hamilton, Tudor, Swatch, Zenith, Rado, Seiko, Citizen.

I've always felt 'Christopher Ward' as a brand name to be unwieldy and with the merger with SH, maybe now was right to develop a new unique name to reflect this new partnership. This feels like an opportunity lost.
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Re: New name for CW

Post by sproughton »

^Patek Phillipe, A.Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet, Tag Heuer, Jaeger LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin

It's as if some use one word and some don't...
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Re: New name for CW

Post by Mark78 »

That's a fair point and I recognised this in my post by saying many, if not most use a single name. I would say that most of those brands that you've listed, Tag apart, are fairly niche however, compared to the brands with single names.
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Re: New name for CW

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Mark78 wrote:That's a fair point and I recognised this in my post by saying many, if not most use a single name. I would say that most of those brands that you've listed, Tag apart, are fairly niche however, compared to the brands with single names.
One might then take a logical step from your comment that single named brands are main stream and two named brands are niche and up-market? :?

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Re: New name for CW

Post by nordwulf »

As an Atheist and pretty much against religion in general, I don't want to have the name of Christ on my watch. Chr.Ward was fine. Christopher (follower of Christ) may turn away more people from other religions.

Or perhaps that's just me being weird like that.

On the forums and social media, I don't think many will spell out the correct new brand name as it mostly abbreviated to CW or C Ward. Short and easy to remember names as mentioned earlier are so much easier.