English watch brand Christopher Ward has added a new version to its bronze collection: The C60 Trident Bronze Ombré COSC Limited Edition is limited to 300 pieces and features an artisan-finished brass dial that has been painted and then manually brushed. This rough finish fades into a black varnish around the dial’s exterior, linking with the colour and texture of the sandblasted ceramic bezel insert around it.
The 43 mm case is made from a bronze alloy: “When we launched our first bronze cased watch last year, it was a version of our best-selling C60 Trident,” said Christopher Ward’s co-founder Mike France. “And though we hoped and believed it would do quite well, it was really an experiment. We were totally unprepared for just how quickly it took off, the use of bronze for watch cases is a trend that shows no signs of stopping any time soon – or even of slowing down.”
Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, has predominantly been used in marine and seafaring applications, as well as in statues, weapons and coins. Bronze, once exposed to atmospheric moisture, develops a matte, corrosion-resistant patina making it well-suited to these historic uses. Today, the patina of bronze is loved by watch collectors for its individual visual effects, as the patination process gives each timepiece its own unique appearance. The C60 Trident Bronze Ombré COSC Limited Edition will be available in two versions, one being ‘raw’, with the bronze unmarked and untouched (pictured here), ready to develop its own unique patina on the owner’s wrist, and the other will be pre-patinated, so the wearer won’t have to wait weeks or months to experience the full extent of bronze’s unique oxidising properties. “Bronze watches are a perfect example of the low key, keeping-it-real aesthetic so many of us embrace these days,” Mike France says. “The way they develop a patina with age is endlessly fascinating. It gives them an individual edge.”
The Trident is powered by a chronometer-certified, Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve. The “Ombré” is water-resistant to 600m, with the brand’s signature trident motif present upon the second hand’s counterbalance and stamped into its stainless steel backplate.
The new C60 Trident Bronze Ombré COSC Limited Edition is priced at £995, three different strap options are available. More pictures:
