Same old, Same old from CW?

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Lavaine »

FloridaPhil wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:51 pm So other brands rehash their model lineup and that excuses CW doing the same thing? Wow, true believers indeed.
Can you name a single brand that produces products that aren't profitable, and remains in business? If aviator, motorsport and dress watches were profitable, I'm sure CW would be producing them in droves.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Lavaine wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 5:59 am Variety is great. I would love to see another CW Aviator range, but CW are a business (much like Rolex), and they are going to produce what sells. Nobody is paying them to produce money-losing watch lines, regardless of what people may say they want. They are making what sells. It's really that simple.
There’s a lot of sense in this. Whilst I love so-called dress watches I don’t wear them nearly as much these days. And I am as guilty as anyone of admiring and then not buying. A case in point being the C9 SH21 Small Seconds. It’s one that I regret not buying because it’s a beautiful watch.

I think the cases they are using now are in a different league from some of the earlier ones. And although I’m not generally a fan of the diver style, I do think that the Sealander collection is terrific.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Richard D »

Lavaine wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 5:59 amregardless of what people may say they want. They are making what sells. It's really that simple.
I couldn’t agree more.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by albionphoto »

ProfGlenn wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 11:38 pm It’s true that the breadth of watches on offer has reduced – but this is a good move in my view – otherwise the company ends up with a load of watches they have to put on at half price in a January frenzy -this is very bad for brand equity. Instead, they really are working out what people want and introducing more variety into those models. This means less for us in the sales and it will drive the brand equity up, and this is a good thing. Personally I really do think the C60 mkiii case is one of the best cases, of ANY watch, out there. And because they are focussing on dive/sport, this does not mean there is no innovation – far from it. The sapphire, quick release bracelets, super compressor, black and gold case, the split C7 coloured cases, the retractable crown…some real innovation. The C60 MKIII is a winner. The C65 is a winner. The C63 is a winner. They deserve real credit and they will do well from all of these. They have got the case designs spot on with these watches. If I had one criticism, I’d like to see a little bit more colour. I am sure it will come. We can also see evidence of CW’s brainstorming in the prototypes some of us have seen and been fortunate enough to pick up….. different takes on the bronze, gold cases, opaque sapphires, different coloured bezels. As for those harking back to the old days…..I doubt Tudor will ever make another submariner…..some watches are cult watches and this is a healthy thing for a brand. The C70s, the C11s, the C7s……there is a healthy market for these watches – some of them fetching premiums – this is healthy too. I find CW daring. They will try new things – and for those that criticise Tudor’s different takes on the Black Bay, well a bronze bracelet and a solid silver case are pretty innovative, I’d say! Personally, as a Tudor fan, I do not understand what they are doing with some of their dress watches!

Anyway, I think CW are doing the right thing if they want to make money. If the January and summer sales are no more, that would be a good thing. The c60 Tide bezel is sensational! My one criticism would me: please can we have more colour. If Rolex dare do it with their OP range (and the yellow and turqiouse ones are fetching over twice RRP on the grey market) then so should others!
Well said, Glenn.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Interesting article on the BBC website today about the downturn in sales of formal clothing at M&S.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58374306

Obviously there will always be occasions to dress up. However, it is clear that the world is gradually deformalising, a process hastened by the pandemic.

Think of someone like the Duke of Cambridge giving interviews and making speeches in an open neck shirt. Pretty much unthinkable in previous generations. I rather suspect that he recently wore a certain blue dive watch to his grandfather’s funeral. He wears it pretty much everywhere.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by nowttolose »

As a new buyer of CW watches (my first was a super compressor in the Jan sale), nothing attracted me to the range of CW watches until the last year or two.

Prior to that I saw CW watches as a bit of an over fussy design and solid in their price point. I didn’t see them had having a significant edge over similar price competition.

However, the range of new watches in the last 2 years have completely changed that. The design and quality has come on leaps and bounds, meaning CW are not just solid at their price point but in the same league as watches 2-3 times (sometimes more if I look at mediocre Tudor watches) the price point.

CW is in business to sell watches not to appease a small group of WISs on the internet.

And they are succeeding in spades if I’m anything to go by. Having consolidated my collection towards CW I’m now about to buy my 4th this year from funds of selling other items plus my usual watch budget.

My 20 year old son who is taking his first foray into watches saw my Trident Pro and was blown away, so I bought him one. That’s what matters to CW. New blood and new buyers.

CW is doing all of the correct things to sell watches IMO, which after all is their raison detre.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Richard D »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:01 am Interesting article on the BBC website today about the downturn in sales of formal clothing at M&S.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58374306

Obviously there will always be occasions to dress up. However, it is clear that the world is gradually deformalising, a process hastened by the pandemic.

Think of someone like the Duke of Cambridge giving interviews and making speeches in an open neck shirt. Pretty much unthinkable in previous generations. I rather suspect that he recently wore a certain blue dive watch to his grandfather’s funeral. He wears it pretty much everywhere.
I believe it’s called ‘hybrid wear’ and a desk diver fits that description perfectly. As for the Duke of Cambridge Omega it was a gift from his mother.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by JAFO »

It's easy to see why some microbrands release everything as a limited edition. As long as the quality is there they sell out, and if the watches don't all sell, hey don't lose so much. The next version they can build on a successful release with some changes, and that's another sell out

The C60, C65, and now C63 are effectively tried and tested popular designs.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Richard D wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:11 am I believe it’s called ‘hybrid wear’ and a desk diver fits that description perfectly. As for the Duke of Cambridge Omega it was a gift from his mother.
^^^ Prince William’s Omega is very well documented. Good on him, I say! :thumbup:
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

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Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:16 am
Richard D wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:11 am I believe it’s called ‘hybrid wear’ and a desk diver fits that description perfectly. As for the Duke of Cambridge Omega it was a gift from his mother.
^^^ Prince William’s Omega is very well documented. Good on him, I say! :thumbup:
Absolutely.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

JAFO wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:16 am
The C60, C65, and now C63 are effectively tried and tested popular designs.
True, and I know I go banging on about the need for model longevity. I would love to see the C63 Sealander Automatic as CW’s “entry level*” watch for a few years to come, just as the C5 was back at the start.

I think the Sealander range is a real winner!

* Sorry, not a term I’m particularly fond of – sounds awfully patronising.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by rkovars »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:22 am
JAFO wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:16 am
The C60, C65, and now C63 are effectively tried and tested popular designs.
True, and I know I go banging on about the need for model longevity. I would love to see the C63 Sealander Automatic as CW’s “entry level*” watch for a few years to come, just as the C5 was back at the start.

I think the Sealander range is a real winner!

* Sorry, not a term I’m particularly fond of – sounds awfully patronising.
With a lot of models creeping above the $1K mark, I think this is really important for the longevity of the brand. A sharp modern offering under $1k that can play with the offerings up the line.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Geefiasco »

I agree to an extent. I wanted a nice dress watch for my collection but there are none to be found sub £1K that are nice a simple designs.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Caller »

I struggle sometimes to follow the reasoning on here. CW are not an innovative brand. There is nothing on their recent offerings that can't already be found elsewhere. That applies to most brands these days. What they do well is interpretation and there is nothing wrong with that, but some posters here need to move outside of the CW orbit.

For me, CW are currently like Heinz, with it's 57 varieties of the C60, C65 et al. The Sealander Elite is good, I view the other two as almost copy watches. I liked the blue compressor so much I bought it, 6 years after my last CW.

Something is happening in the brand, right now, as they are pumping out all these variations on a theme for a reason and I have no idea why that is - a stop-gap of some sort as considered above? Certainly, by and large, with the exception of the ubiquitous C60/C65, they seem to have given up on promoting a wider brand identity, like most other brands - maybe they are still being 'disruptive'?

Whatever, as long as every now and again, they produce something that I like so much, that I must have it and the price is right, then that's fine by me.
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Re: Same old, Same old from CW?

Post by Lavaine »

Geefiasco wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 5:11 pm I agree to an extent. I wanted a nice dress watch for my collection but there are none to be found sub £1K that are nice a simple designs.
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