Review by Lauren C., @Watchmakers.Daughter
They say you do your best work when you’re working for a cause you believe in, and I think that applies to Christopher Ward’s effort with the C60 Blue Limited Edition. A variant of their C60 diver that combines many of their recent design innovations, this watch was released in support of Blue Marine Foundation’s 10th anniversary.
A brief introduction to Blue Marine (or BLUE): they are a British advocacy group working to end unsustainable fishing practices and restore the ocean to long term health. Their mission “is to see at least 30% of the world’s ocean under effective protection by 2030 and the other 70% managed in a responsible way.” The plan is to accomplish this through a combination of international treaties, research and implementation of sustainable fishing practices, and improving the human society’s connection with the ocean—definitely, a lofty and worthy cause to support. Christopher Ward’s goal with this watch is to raise £200,000 towards BLUE’s efforts.
Since the C60 Blue brings together elements of both the C60 Sapphire (reviewed here) and the C60 Trident Pro, I’ll focus mainly on the aspects of the watch that are unique. The C60 Blue has the case design of the C60 line, and my first thought upon putting it on was that it wears a lot heavier than it looks. The compact 40mm, 47mm lug to lug case fits a lot of visual presence into a dense package.
The ceramic bezel has similar markings to that of the Trident Pro but adds a turquoise track from 0 to 15 that is unique to the C60 Blue. The teeth on the 120 click bezel give a good amount of grip when turning it but rubbed noticeably against my thumb as I was setting or winding the watch. The hands and dial layout draw directly from the C60 design language. The movement is the always reliable Sellita SW200-1 that performed well within the specified +/- 20spd while during my time with the watch.
With the C60 Sapphire, Christopher Ward introduced a translucent blue sapphire dial, and the C60 Blue takes that a step further by using the BLUE logo to create solid waves that flow across the dial. This accomplishes two things: it adds visual interest to the dial and largely camouflages the date wheel. The result is a dial that changes with every viewing angle but remains extremely readable. The white dial text stands out very well without cluttering the dial. There is turquoise text at 6 o’clock, giving the depth rating (an impressive 600m), but more often than not, it blends into the dial. Most of the time, I forgot it was there. The Super-Luminova Grade C1 lume on the dial, hands, and bezel is powerful, in Christopher Ward’s usual fashion, and stayed readable from dusk to dawn after about 2 hours under a desk light.
In keeping with the theme of ocean preservation and restoration, the C60 Blue eschews the typical rubber or Perlon, and used #Tide Ocean Material, made 100% from recovered ocean plastic, a powerful choice for a watch dedicated to the cause of ocean preservation. The material is very sturdy and seems like it will hold up well over time. It flexed nicely around my wrist, and it doesn’t appear to have much stretch to it. It’s a straight 20mm width, and I ended up using the second shortest hole for my 6.5” wrist.
With three different colors on this strap, it’s an excellent match for a variety of watches, which is why it’s awesome that Christopher Ward is also selling the strap as a stand-alone accessory for $70. Unfortunately, the review copy I received started fraying around the holes and at the end almost immediately, but we’ve been reassured by Christopher Ward that the production straps were manufactured on better machinery and do not have this problem.
Finally, Christopher Ward highlights the fact that the packaging consists of 95% biodegradable materials. While I did not tear apart the box and measure everything exactly, the wood and cardboard construction of everything does definitely lend credence to that claim. The form factor and construction of the box reminds me most of a box for a bottle of nice scotch or whisky – definitely a box to repurpose rather than recycle.
At $1,025 on the #tide strap, the C60 Blue is a fantastic addition to the Christopher Ward stable of divers. Include the C60 bracelet as an accessory to your order, and you will have a striking, well made, highly capable dive watch that is supporting a worthy cause. ⬩
