I originally posted this review a month or so back in the wrong section of the forum and have finally got arounf to moving it, so if you haven't read it before, enjoy.
Having not done one of these before I actually struggled to figure out what to say about it. As I explained in the original post on this review this is actually a second hand C5, it came without box or papers and as such I cannot comment on this, although a quick look at the CW web site shows the packaging to be the same for each watch they sell. To buy this watch new with the basic leather deployment strap (non alligator) costs £175.00.
Right, now for the review, its just over 97 hrs since I set the time to the GMT site and the watch is showing 3 seconds slow, so as far as time keeping goes its a bloody good, so that is the most important bit out of the way.
The watch in question has a 38mm case with 18mm lugs, is described on the CW site as Chrome finish Stainless Steel ??? bit confused as it also says it is a Hand finished 316L stainless steel case, I think this may just mean that the case has a highly polished finish. The case is very well finished and highly polished and has a very nice exhibition back. The crown is a CW logo'd screw down affair and suits the case well. On top of this the watch is rated to 50m's. It has a Cambered sapphire crystal that really suits the case.
I found the watch wears more like a 40mm due to the large crystal and lack of bezel. With this is mind I find that the 18mm lugs / strap to small for the face and feel that 20mm lugs / strap would suit the watch better. While I am on the subject, the supplied strap is a very nice quality brown leather croc look deployment strap, the strap is very good quality but I do have serious problem with the deployment clasp. Even though the quality is excellent and engraved with the CW logo etc I have always hated deployment clasps, this is purely down to the fact that I am a skinny git (6 3/4 inch wrists) and they feel uncomfortable and are always to big for me. I would prefer the option of buying the watch with a normal buckle.
The face of the watch is a Precision etched 2 piece metal dial with a circular date window, it has applied hour markers and printed minute markers and logo, it has no lume. The printing is excellent and the face is very three dimensional and looks very very good.
The hands are thin silver baton style with no lume. The minute hand reaches to the bottom of the minute markers and the second hand reaches to midway down the minute markers so they both hit what they point to (very good). However , this next bit really winds me up, the Hour hand does not reach the bottom of the hour marker and looks to me to be about 4mm short spoiling an otherwise nicely balanced set of hands.
Now onto the movement, it is a Swiss, Eta 2824-2 25 jewel Incabloc anti-shock Swiss automatic movement with a hacking second hand that has the Christopher ward name engraved into the rotor and blued screws. Viewed through the exhibition back it is simply excellent.
I think that covers everything, the movement is Swiss, I do not know where the case or face are made but the quality is very very good, if this is assembled in China then the Swiss, Germans and Japanese better watch there backs because this is good quality and for the price that CW charge it is also outstanding value for money. I love the engraving on the rotor, the logo on the crown and the engraving on the deployment clasp, it makes the watch stand out from the crowd and really does give the watch that Quality Brand feel. Would I buy one from new?, yes. Will I buy another CW watch?, maybe but at the moment the only one I really want is the C5 Malvern Aviator ltd ed and CW are out of stock and I don't like having to wait for anything.
I currently own two other dress watches, one is an 1960's IWC (Superb) and the other is Eddies Richmond Spencer (£245 new) which in all honesty should have been sold at nearer the £400 mark as it is gorgeous and the finish on the movement is just stunning. Is the CW better than Eddies Richmond Spencer? No its not but I do think that for £175 you will be hard pushed to find another watch of this quality.
So, all in all a very nice very good value for money watch , is it a keeper? they all are aren't they.!! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
I hope you enjoyed the review as I actually enjoyed doing this.
Pics below.
