C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

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C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

The C63 Sealander range was launched on April 29th by Christopher Ward. The launch has been a great success for Christopher Ward with the first batch of watches selling out within a few days and some models on pre-order for October delivery. It consists of three watches; the C63 Sealander Automatic, GMT and Elite the Automatic and GMT are 39 mm in diameter and share design cues with the other watches whilst the C63 Elite is a more individual watch and one where Christopher Ward have added some of their engineering prowess to the design.

ImageC63 01 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

The C63 Sealander Elite is a 40mm diameter, COSC certified, titanium watch featuring a spoke design for the dial and a novel push in crown. It’s an ambitious watch which has to sit firmly at the apex of the good, better, best philosophy of the C63 range. Does it? And, what’s it like to wear a small, lightweight watch if you’re used to heavy weight chronograph and dive watches? Let’s find out.

ImageC63 02 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

Design
The C63 Elite has a 40mm case made from Grade 2 titanium. The case retains the varied surface finishing of the Light-Catcher™ case used in other Christopher Ward watches. The use of titanium means the case has a dark grey lustre which sets it apart from stainless steel watches. The use of titanium also makes the watch head very light and combined with the titanium bracelet this is a light weight and comfortable watch to wear. An unsized bracelet and watch weigh a total of 104 g (3.7 oz). It’s also a small watch with its 40mm diameter, 11.55 height and fixed inner bezel. Smallness is part of the C63 design brief but does it go too far or is this a new sweet spot in my collection?
The use of Grade 2 titanium isn’t new for Christopher Ward and is currently used in the larger C60 Elite 1000 watches. There are two grades of titanium generally used in modern watches. Grade 2 titanium is commercially pure titanium and is at least 99% titanium. Grade 5 titanium is sometimes used. This is an alloy of titanium (Ti), aluminium (Al) and vanadium (V) in the ration 90 (Ti):6 (al):4 (V). Grade 5 titanium is harder and stronger than Grade 2 titanium so why not use it for this watch? Grade 2 titanium can be machined and polished more easily than Grade 5 titanium. The Light-Catcher™ case has a lot of different surfaces and surface finishes. The use of Grade 2 titanium allows the case to be made at an affordable cost. Grade 2 titanium also has superior corrosion resistant properties in environments like seawater (handy for a watch…). The speed at which a film of titanium dioxide forms on the surface of Grade 2 titanium also allows small scratches to “heal/fade” helping the watch keep its lustrous shine.

ImageC63 11 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

The C63 Elite has a textured matte, black dial. The textured finish also means that in many lighting conditions the dial can appear to be a graphite grey colour. The indices and hands are the same as those found on the C60 Sapphire and other parts of the C60 range. They are polished and faceted and highly detailed when looked at closely. The seconds hand is simple but retains trident counter-weight. It is painted orange to match the 12 o’clock marker triangle and secondary indices on the spokes. The hands and indices are well lumed too.

ImageC63 15 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

The “Christopher Ward” word mark is at the 12 o’clock position on the inner dial with the word “Chronometer” printed in white and the depth rating printed in orange at the six o’clock position above the date wheel. The date wheel is black with white printing for the numbers. The numbers are properly centered in the date window and are sufficiently large to be read easily.

ImageC63 16 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

The bezel is fixed and contained within the case. is separated from the dial by a series of slots cut from the dial creating twelve spokes. Theses slots allow you to see through to the back of the clear case back. If you hold the watch up to a strong light you can see right through it. The slots are supposed to make the watch head lighter but probably make only a tiny difference. I suspect that being made of titanium helps more. This does add detail to the dial. The bezel, spokes and inner dial work well together and the clever but minimal use of orange details against the black surfaces makes this an attractive and subtle watch.

ImageC63 10 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

I like bracelets and the titanium, three link bracelet is very good. It tapers slightly from the lugs to the clasp and has half-links to give more sizing options. The bracelet is quick release and the titanium clasp has the push button micro-adjust system built into it allowing for easy adjustment when conditions change. This is a very comfortable watch to wear. I wore it at an outdoor event where the temperature change from 13⁰ Celsius (55⁰ F) in the morning to 28⁰ Celsius (82⁰ F) in the afternoon and it was comfortable all day.
The C63 Sealander Elite is powered by a COSC certified Selitta SW200 movement which is visible through the case back and which has a rotor decorated with the twin flags design. Christopher Ward supply the COSC certificate for the movement in your watch. During the time I’ve worn this watch it has lost less than a second a day which is great performance.

ImageC63 17 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

By now I would have talked about the crown very briefly and then moved on. So why am I making a big think of something missing from the review? Well, have you looked at pictures of the watch and noticed what’s missing? Yup, the crown. It’s gone… Not really but there is no crown sticking out from the case and no crown guards. The rest of the C63 range are conventional watches which don’t show the unusual or clever engineering shown in the C60 Sapphire or C65 Super Compressor. For Christopher Ward though it’s not enough that the top dog in a range of watches has a titanium case, titanium bracelet or light-weighted dial. It has to have more. I can imagine Mike France telling the design team “More. It’s got to have more. More, more, more…(cue insane laughter)” The crown is retractable into the case. It’s a push button crown. Under normal use the crown is flush to the case and is spring loaded. Pushing lightly on the crown makes it pop out of the case so the watch can be wound and adjusted. Then the crown can be pushed lightly back into place in the case. The spring loading is enough to stop the crown popping out when not needed and allows the watch to have a 150m water resistance.

ImageC63 18 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

There are not many watches with a push-button crown. The most recent being the Omega Aqua Terra Ultra Light which costs nearly 30 times more that the C63. It is not a perfect solution as the crown itself is a narrow disc which is hard to grip and turn when winding the watch. The crown is signed with the twin flags logo. The thin crown does mean that the logo is quite smooth and does not feel rough to the fingers when touched unlike other conventional Christopher Ward crowns.

Quibbles?
No watch is perfect. If there was a perfect watch, I wouldn’t be buying any more watches (well that’s what I tell myself) so what are my quibbles with this one?
Size: I said in the introduction that this is a small watch. The internet watch size police are probably screaming right now that 38mm is too large but most of my watches are larger, sometimes considerably larger, than this. For the most part I’ve worn it on the bracelet because the bracelet gives it much more presence on wrist. On a strap I find the essentially bezel-less design disappears on the wrist. With the bracelet it looks like something is there after all. The combination of size, dial colour and design mean it needs more presence that the bracelet gives it. Those with smaller wrists and bear in mind that my wrist is only 6.75” or a more conformist view may disagree but it needs the presence the bracelet gives it.
Bracelet and clasp: Christopher Ward bracelets are normally excellent value, high quality with quick release mechanisms and push button micro adjust clasps. The titanium bracelet is always going to cost more than a stainless steel one but that’s not the issue here. On my watch, one end of the bracelet is very slightly too large for easy fitting to the watch. This may only be a few microns too big for the lug width but it is too big and this makes removing or changing the bracelet very difficult. The clasp is lightweight and feels quite thin. It is also a scratch magnet. I know that this is a desk diver but the scratches and marks on the back of the clasp were obvious even after a few hours wear. Some of them will fade because of the nature of titanium but just be prepared for the clasp to lose its looks quickly.

ImageC63 12 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

The crown
: The push button/flush crown is one of the signature features of the watch. The push button mechanism is pretty good and the crown stays where it’s supposed to be. As a crown though, it is not very pleasant to use. It is very thin and hard to grasp when winding the watch and on my watch the crown is also quite stiff to use. It feels like you’re trying to wind a watch using a very small Dremel cutting disk. This won’t be an issue if this is your only watch and you wear it all the time. Each time I wear the watch I will have to wind it and I find myself wondering when the crown will shear off between my fingers.

Price:
The C63 Sealander Elite is the apex predator of the C63 range and it has a lot of unusual features, titanium, novel crown, etc. It also comes at a price that is a long way from the rest of the C63 range and at $1,695/£1,380 is achingly close to the price of the 40mm C60 Trident Pro 600 on a bracelet is $1,015/£845 or the titanium C60 Elite 1000 $1,895/£1,525. The price potentially makes this a hard sell. You really have to want the push button crown, small size and slotted dial to make a case for this watch.

Conclusions

I have worn this watch quite a lot since I bought it. I know that it’s comfortable on the wrist. I know that the crown stays flush with the case and is stiff and nasty to use when winding the watch. I like the design. The Light-Catcher™ case rendered in titanium is lovely. The spoke skeletonization, fixed bezel and minimal text give the dial a sophisticated look and the slim profile mean that this could be a go anywhere, do anything watch. From the beach, to the boardroom and the bistro? It’s possible, very possible.

ImageC63 19 by Mark Wheeler, on Flickr

In my perfect world this would be a 42mm watch. In the real world it is a 40 mm watch. I have relatively few 40mm watches and I’m always wary about buying them because of their small size. The C60 BLUE LE works quite well as a 40mm watch but the C63 Sealander Elite doesn’t. The fixed bezel, slots and small inner dial make this wear like a much smaller watch. It needs the bracelet to give it wrist presence and the watch disappears from the wrist when worn on a strap.
The crown is a novel feature which risks becoming a novelty feature. It is unpleasant to wear and I wonder how sturdy the winding mechanism will be. Finally, there is the quality issue with the bracelet being perfectly sized for the lug width. I wonder when the bracelet is going to get stuck on the case. Happily, I’m not a regular strap changer but if I were, I would be worried about that.
For those who like smaller watches this has a place at the top of the C63 range. The watch is high quality and has some novel engineering touches that we should expect from Christopher Ward. It is expensive but it is fair value. There is a lot of watch in a small case here.
The Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Elite is available for pre order in early July 2021 from the Christopher Ward website (www.christopherward.com) for $1,695/£1,380 on the titanium bracelet and $1,395/£1,150 on a variety of straps.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by jkbarnes »

I enjoyed that quite a bit, thanks for sharing. And the photos! This is a pretty fantastic watch on many levels, and your review just bears that out.

I think that the cut outs on the dial come off as gimmicky at first, but regardless of the actual weight saving, they do add a whole lot of visual interest to the dial - and that’s not gimmicky at all.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by strapline »

Just read this comprehensive review, I think a lot of effort went in to it's compiling so thanks. I have certainly learnt a lot about the two types of titanium commonly used in watch manufacture. When the Elite first launched I started a thread asking if people thought the retractable crown was innovation or gimmick? You didn't allude to either, but you did say that it was difficult to operate and you had concerns about how solid it felt. You also felt the watch was small, and that a titanium bracelet gave the watch some much needed presence. At 40mm diameter it would be a small watch for my own personal tastes; the lack of a regular crown and/or guards only serving to heighten this illusion in my opinion. On top of this you have what looks like quite a small dial; there is a substantial chapter ring, and the cutaway sections also serve to reduce the apparent dial area.

Thanks for taking the time to write this, I'm sure a lot of forum members will find it of great interest, certainly those with an eye to adding the Elite to their stable of watches.

Des :D
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

jkbarnes wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:11 pm I enjoyed that quite a bit, thanks for sharing. And the photos! This is a pretty fantastic watch on many levels, and your review just bears that out.

I think that the cut outs on the dial come off as gimmicky at first, but regardless of the actual weight saving, they do add a whole lot of visual interest to the dial - and that’s not gimmicky at all.
Thanks Andrew. Glad you liked it.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

strapline wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:21 pm Just read this comprehensive review, I think a lot of effort went in to it's compiling so thanks. I have certainly learnt a lot about the two types of titanium commonly used in watch manufacture. When the Elite first launched I started a thread asking if people thought the retractable crown was innovation or gimmick? You didn't allude to either, but you did say that it was difficult to operate and you had concerns about how solid it felt. You also felt the watch was small, and that a titanium bracelet gave the watch some much needed presence. At 40mm diameter it would be a small watch for my own personal tastes; the lack of a regular crown and/or guards only serving to heighten this illusion in my opinion. On top of this you have what looks like quite a small dial; there is a substantial chapter ring, and the cutaway sections also serve to reduce the apparent dial area.

Thanks for taking the time to write this, I'm sure a lot of forum members will find it of great interest, certainly those with an eye to adding the Elite to their stable of watches.

Des :D
Thanks Des. At 40mm it is a small watch by my standards too. I don't have a big wrist but I do like larger watches. I'm always cautious with 40mm watches and won't buy anything smaller. The C60 BLUE LE works well but the Elite is on the small side of 40mm. Not sure if it's a keeper no matter how clever the crown is. Having used the crown I'm not sure still not sure whether it is a gimmick or a feature. It certainly works in real life but a regular crown would work just as well and add some presence to the watch. Cheers.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by missF »

Hi, thanks for taking the time to produce this comprehensive review :thumbup:
You said at one point ‘I know that this is a desk diver’... I’m interested in whether this means you think that this doesn’t quite have the credentials to be a tough, all-terrain GODO watch?
Cheers!
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

missF wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:57 pm Hi, thanks for taking the time to produce this comprehensive review :thumbup:
You said at one point ‘I know that this is a desk diver’... I’m interested in whether this means you think that this doesn’t quite have the credentials to be a tough, all-terrain GODO watch?
Cheers!
Hi Lindsey
Well I'm not Mr. Active by any stretch of the imagination. I certainly think it could be a #GADA watch. I define this as a watch for everyone, everywhere, every time. But it's not an every person watch due to the cost. I only had the crown pop out once unexpectedly. That was when I put it in a bowl of water with some washing up liquid and another watch to remove many layers of sunscreen. It didn't seem to mind and still kept ticking. Mike France said he was inspired to have the pop out crown after a long days bicycling. It's not a true dive watch but it would work well for normal people in terms of being on wrist all day for a day by the pool.
Personally, if I'm doing something that really involves a lot of jolting about I'd wear a G-Shock. This watch would work for the beach/pool, boardroom and bistro. As a photographer I had no qualms wearing it all day under a wide range of conditions. If I was into real scuba diving I think I'd wear something else which had a higher water resistance rating. For real heavy duty activity such as mountain biking or moto cross I think the G-shock is going to be better for you and the watch. For everything else though it's fine.
I feel I should add a disclaimer... Wear at your own risk.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Thank you, Mark – I really enjoyed that. It gives a balanced overview that seems pretty honest and is very well put together, with especially good photos.

We saw the design photos back in December when the Admin Team had a zoom call with Mike, Adrian and Jörg. Mike was VERY excited about the crown back then. It is quite hard to keep your mouth shut for four or five months, especially when the teasers appear in Loupe and the speculation threads begin on the forum! Fascinating, though. 8)

As you have probably seen, I’m going through a period of quite fancying a number of things but trying to tell myself that I really don’t need any more watches. If, and only if, one comes out in blue I may well be interested but my heart isn’t completely set on it yet.

I think that given the COSC accuracy of the movement it would do very well as a single watch to take on a holiday or trip, because you wouldn’t be winding or adjusting it all the time. But I do have a couple of others lined up for that duty as well. We shall see.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

Hi Steve. Glad you liked the review. Different coloured dials are in the hands of the gods (Mike and Adrian) and, I'd guess, the sales numbers. Right now it seems they can sell as many of these as they can make so a blue dial might take a few months. This is a smart little watch and would look good on the wrist at a holiday restaurant. If you're only going to take one watch on holiday though I don't know if it would be this one.

Now I'm just waiting for news about the next release. I know the C60 Concept is scheduled for November but isn't the C1 supposed to come out before that. I know, I know, you won't tell me... :lol: :lol:
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by gannet »

Thanks for this review, an enjoyable read :D

Not sure I'll ever be in the market for one, but it has caught my eye - which many recent CW's don't.

If I was it would be on a strap though, but then I reckon the dial would be perfect for my tiddly 6" wrist!
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by ajax87 »

Spectacular review as always. Reaffirms my want/need for one of these!
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by nbg »

As always Mark, an excellent well written review! :thumbup:

I will overlook the only error of viewing a 40mm case with a non twisty bezel as small! :)

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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

gannet wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:33 pm Thanks for this review, an enjoyable read :D

Not sure I'll ever be in the market for one, but it has caught my eye - which many recent CW's don't.

If I was it would be on a strap though, but then I reckon the dial would be perfect for my tiddly 6" wrist!
Thank you.
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Re: C63 Sealander Elite review - A lightweight marvel or merely a lightweight?

Post by albionphoto »

ajax87 wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:38 pm Spectacular review as always. Reaffirms my want/need for one of these!
Thanks Alex. Glad you enjoyed it.
Mark
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