Re: C65 Aquitaine Collection - Released

A1soknownas · Post by **A1soknownas** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:45 pm

I can guarantee that I will not be using the word Swish for a CW ever in the future!

Happy top say logo or twin flags but not this marketing S nonsense.

Here is an interview with MF about the watch. He also mentions the logo stuff and the use of the flags along with the wordmark for 5 years so that a legal challenge is less likely when they begin to use it front and centre.

nowttolose · Post by **nowttolose** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:46 pm

A big NO from me. Don’t like a domed crystal on a proper dive watch, nor the bezel. Don’t like the mix of indices shapes and don’t like the date location. Amazing that there is no black watch from the off.

I also don’t like the FF which this watch is a homage too.

Quite like the new logo, though.

sjbroadhead · Post by **sjbroadhead** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:47 pm

Very underwhelmed. Blue dial and bezel on steel bracelet is the pick for me but I have a Blue Pelagos.

Logo alone makes it look too plain for me.

Disappointed although bank balance still intact

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

JAFO · Post by **JAFO** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:52 pm

rkovars wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:25 pm
ajax87 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:23 pm
Yup, exactly. A kind-of-thorough internet search reveals exactly ZERO watch companies that use only a logo without the brand name on the dial. I happen to have one in my collection, an RZE (microbrand) that only has the stylized R. But generally I find it to look bare and unfinished on both the RZE and this CW. I paid less than $400 for the RZE though so I felt it was more acceptable than at CWs current price point.

If CW really wants to play with the big boys as you say like Rolex, Omega, VC etc… then put the brand name under the logo. Even aside from that aspect, it just looks more balanced and fleshed out.
Zelos too but since they are the same guy that isn't too surprising. An interesting aside, Zelos has been steadily creeping prices up too. A lot of models hovering just under $1k now.

Everything increases. Studio underdog are releasing mark 2 goofy chronographs next week. Their first ones were £340 I think, on KS, maybe less. The new ones have a better strap, but they are £500. I thought of trying to get one, but I thought again. I am just not sure I want to pay that for a Chinese movement, and a watch that's smaller than I really like.

I do have a lot of watches now, personally, and I am trying very hard not to buy more this year at least, but I am very taken by the bronze.

jtc · Post by **jtc** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:55 pm

It reminds me a lot of this Tag Heuer, I don't know why as it's entirely different!

Decent enough release from CW. Good to see the twinflags motif (I refuse to use the term swish) front and centre.

Good luck to them! The bracelet is definitely the most interesting part of this release though.

Thegreyman · Post by **Thegreyman** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:00 pm

Jkpa wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:43 pm Here is a thought, and by no means do I mean to take anything away from the design team and I certainly don’t suggest I could have done anything better myself, but would it be prudent for CW to include some CWE “superfans”, forum members, known “friends of the brand” – most would be on this site, I’m sure – and include them in the final design stages? I’m not suggesting I should be part of it – I have no clue about design and wouldn’t claim to have a clue – but I, the CW fans, and “multiple CW buyers” have a pretty good idea about what’s great and what could be improved. At least I think so. I think CW should consider pulling in a few experienced CW brand fans from this forum and let them look at what is “final” before hitting the “go button” on production. Maybe a pipe dream, maybe I’m ridiculous for even thinking of such a thing. Too many cooks, and all that.

I am and I was very happy with CHR Ward, christopher ward at 3, 9, 12, or the other versions but having “no name at all”, is not a good idea, in my view. The more I look at it, the more glaring the omission is. If it had the christopher ward at 12 like a few recent models and everything else was the same, I think I’d love it. No name and just the logo now takes away from the watches, and it takes away from the brand, if I’m honest.

I hope this doesn’t come across as some rant, because it isn’t, and I wouldn’t own 8 CWs if I didn’t love the brand, but I feel this could have been better. Let them hate the christopher ward name and logo. That was the identity and it has been taken away and the models lost a lot with it. Just IMHO.

There was this

general-discussion/npd-t4-project-t57527.html?hilit=T4

Thegreyman · Post by **Thegreyman** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:02 pm

nbg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:41 pm
My exception to the dials with a few lines of text?

Ah that would be the brand that produces many of it’s watches with absolutely nothing added to the dial and in the hand the brand would be instantly recognisable to many.

Neil

Would that be M & C?

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:07 pm

^^^ Indeed it would be Patrick.

Would be interested to hear specifically why many seem to think that it’s a mistake to remove the name from the dial.

Is it because you want people to know you are wearing a Christopher Ward watch, or other reasons?

I am guessing that those in the “must have brand name on the dial” corner, would have a serious problem with one of these…

Neil

Thegreyman · Post by **Thegreyman** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:13 pm

nbg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:07 pm ^^^ Indeed it would be Patrick.

Would be interested to hear specifically why many seem to think that it’s a mistake to remove the name from the dial.

Is it because you want people to know you are wearing a Christopher Ward watch, or other reasons?

I am guessing that those in the “must have brand name on the dial” corner, would have a serious problem with one of these…
8DD3C02C-DA7B-4DEA-94E3-F2B2C334BEE4.jpeg
Neil

My natural instinct would be that a watch needs at least hour indices, however that watch and some of the other Mosers I've seen do look gorgeous

BobMunro · Post by **BobMunro** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:24 pm

Thegreyman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:13 pm
nbg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:07 pm ^^^ Indeed it would be Patrick.

Would be interested to hear specifically why many seem to think that it’s a mistake to remove the name from the dial.

Is it because you want people to know you are wearing a Christopher Ward watch, or other reasons?

I am guessing that those in the “must have brand name on the dial” corner, would have a serious problem with one of these…
8DD3C02C-DA7B-4DEA-94E3-F2B2C334BEE4.jpeg
Neil
My natural instinct would be that a watch needs at least hour indices, however that watch and some of the other Mosers I've seen do look gorgeous

I'm not sure I agree, Patrick. The brain is so used to the relative positions of the hands on a 12 clock face that the only thing needed to ensure an immediate recognition of the time is the hour hand being smaller than the minute hand!

I do have a major problem with Mosers though - the price. Apart from that they are incredibly desirable (even at that price!).

A1soknownas · Post by **A1soknownas** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:24 pm

nbg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:07 pm ^^^ Indeed it would be Patrick.

Would be interested to hear specifically why many seem to think that it’s a mistake to remove the name from the dial.

Is it because you want people to know you are wearing a Christopher Ward watch, or other reasons?

I am guessing that those in the “must have brand name on the dial” corner, would have a serious problem with one of these…
8DD3C02C-DA7B-4DEA-94E3-F2B2C334BEE4.jpeg
Neil

It looks a little odd and cheapish with the logo alone to me. Maybe I'm not used to it, maybe it's too big. The text at 12 and a small logo would fit the norm for a watch with all other recognisable characteristics of that type such as indices, date three hands etc and bezel.

The Moser watch works but all of the watch is different, no problem with no logo or text as the beauty of that watch is the dial and finish. Even Tribus did that with the MDS. Where H.Moser do have indices and other standard watch elements I think Moser use a logo on occasion too so it the use of logo in the overall designs rather than just a simple logo/no logo preference.

jkbarnes · Post by **jkbarnes** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:31 pm

Here’s my $.02, for what it’s worth…

Initial response after the preview: “Wow! I love it! It ticks all the boxes for me, the diver I’ve always wanted CW to produce!”

Now that I’ve had more time to explore the pics and the various videos out there, and really mull it over, here’s where I stand:

What I Like

The proportions between the dial and bezel - I was never a fan of the thinner bezel on the initial C65s. I thought it looked anemic with the dial then looking too big. This is spot on for my tastes and leaves me open to the 41mm diameter

The proportions of the case - I think the wider lug spacing looks really good with the shorter lugs. A 20mm lug spacing would look odd with the diameter of the case with the shorter lugs.

The dial - I prefer blobs over batons on a diver, and I really like the size of these blobs. And I like the tapered batons at 3 and 9. And I like the slightly tapered date window at 6.

The tapered bracelet with the fixed quick release pins

The box crystal - what can I say, I’m a fan of this.

What I’m Undecided On

The sapphire bezel - for years I thought this was what I wanted. I’m a fan of the Fifty Fathoms, so much so I seriously considered getting a modded Seiko Fifty-Five Fathoms. But now that I’m seeing exactly what I thought I wanted, I’m unsure if I like it as much as I thought I did.

The colors - no black? WTH? I’m sure it’s probably coming, though. And the green - I just can’t decide if I like the shade or not. Could someone order it in green, take a whole selection of real world pics in various lighting scenarios, then upload them so I can decide if I like it or not?

The absence of the name. I like the twin flags at 12. I never had an issue with the word mark at 9 or having a man’s name on the dial of my watch. Without the name, is the dial too plain Jane? Some have said it looks generic or a bit fashion watchy. I get where you’re coming from.

I applaud the new line overall. I think it’s a great addition to the brand. As to whether or not it’s for me, the jury is still out.

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:47 pm

So who’s got one incoming? As Andrew said, someone just order the dang thing and take some pictures!

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:48 pm

^^^ Good list Andrew.

I agree totally with all of your “what I like” observations.

On your “undecided”:

- I think I like the sapphire bezel, I certainly like the shape of it. Do I like it because I am a big fan of the FF, or because I think it is something different to the ceramic and aluminium bezel watches that I own? Not sure!

- Not bothered about the lack of black dial option at this stage. But again because I have black covered. I had previously looked seriously at both the white dial, blue bezel Bremont and 62MAS cased Seiko (Seiko is perhaps more silver than white). Couldn’t bring myself to buying either. Currently thinking about the white or green dial versions.

- I prefer the TF at 12 to the word mark at 9. However TF and brand name at 12 would really be my ideal.

Neil

Kansas City Milkman · Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:02 pm

Well done CW for another launch and another new ‘platform’ and technical development in the sapphire bezel.

My initial view is that this won’t make a dent in my watch fund - I’ll carry on saving. I’m a big fan of the existing C65 and the new iteration would have to be special to better it. The Aquitaine doesn’t quite do it for me, perhaps it’s the 1950s design cues.

Perhaps the future colours/variants will hit the mark more.

That said, I hope it sells well

Edit: I’m really not worried either way about the name on the face. The twin flags is great with or without the name

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