Christopher Ward Introduces the C63 True GMT

Christopher Ward’s releases basically fall into two categories for me. There are the watches that the brand clearly intends to have broad appeal across a wide segment of the watch market. This is really most of their watches. Think of the Sealander and Trident collections, and indeed most of the Twelves, and you have watches that are very well made and attractive but not exactly groundbreaking. Then there’s the Loco, the Bel Canto, and some of their more experimental pieces that play with aventurine and sapphire dial elements. These watches veer into the avant-garde and serve as showcases for what Christopher Ward is capable of at a higher (but still very fair) price point. I’ll admit, I’m partial to the latter, and less interested in the former. The Loco and Bel Canto in particular really demonstrate Christopher Ward’s ambition to be more than just a former maker of homage watches. These watches fully escape the brand’s roots. 

Their latest release, the C63 True GMT, sits somewhere in the middle. Built on the Sealander platform, the new True GMT is exactly what it says on the tin: a sporty multi-time zone watch with an independently jumping local hour hand. A “true” travel GMT, offering significantly more use while on the move between time zones than a “caller GMT,” still the standard for this type of watch under about $5,000. 

What makes this watch special is that it represents nearly as much movement innovation and development as the brand’s more exotic releases, but does it in a far more subtle and approachable way. The movement here, CW-002, is new, and based on the CW-001 (formerly the SH21), Christopher Ward’s first in-house movement, an automatic COSC certified caliber with five days of power reserve. The CW-002 has been in the works since 2023, and achieves its “true” GMT capabilities without an increase in the height of the movement. In total, 23 new components have been integrated into the CW-002, 16 of which are new designs, while the rest are modified from existing CW-001 parts.

Christopher Ward has made the decision to highlight the movement itself on the dial side via an aperture at 3:00 that provides a view of the GMT bridge, which has both brushed and hand polished elements. It’s a bit of a flex, but more subtle than the dial side balance of the Loco or the visible gong of the Bel Canto. It’s a constant reminder, though, of the genuine innovation that Christopher Ward is capable of. 

Dial options at launch include silver and black variants, the former with orange accents and the latter with blue. Both feature grained finishing across multiple dial levels for depth, and the layout is straightforward and intuitive but more contemporary than Christopher Ward’s most tried and true, mass market sports watches. In addition to the exposed GMT bridge at 3:00, we have a power reserve indicator at 9:00 and running seconds at 6:00, but in sunken subdials. The perimeter of the dial features a 24 hour scale, with applied and lume filled hour markers inside. 

The case is new, and measures 40.5mm in diameter. Christopher Ward says the total height of the watch with box-domed crystals on the front and back comes in at 14.15mm, but the steel midcase is just 9.75mm tall. Christopher Ward, in my experience, is as good as any brand at hiding case height on watches that measure quite thick on paper. Their recent British Watchmakers’ Day limited edition is a great example – they have a way of finishing their cases in such a way that much of the experience of height is minimized, and visually their watches are very coherent from just about any angle. 

The new C63 True GMT is available on both a Bader (Oyster-style) bracelet in stainless steel or a rubber strap that is color matched to the dial’s accent color. Normally I’m inclined to recommend purchasing the version on a bracelet, but I have to admit that when I first saw images of this watch on said bracelet, it didn’t do much for me. But on these integrated rubber straps, I think it’s a great modern sports watch vibe that feels in the spirit of Christpher Ward’s biggest swings. 

Retail pricing for the True GMT is set at $3,995 on a strap and $4,135 on a bracelet. Christopher Ward

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