Latest Review
Christopher Ward likes to surprise their following with interesting releases from time to time. Whether it’s a new watch or a new movement, they tend to turn heads, further building the cult status of the innovative and affordable brand. Today, they have announced a large update to one of their, if not the, more popular of their lines; the C60 Tridents. These updates aren’t just new colors, but rather an evolution of the existing line with new engineering, materials and movements, adding some great options from the very affordable to the aspirational.
The first new addition is the C60 Trident 300, an entry level quartz variation. Coming in 42 and 38mm sizes, the C60 Trident 300 maintains much of the look of the former version, the same indexes and aluminum bezel for example, as well as the 300m water resistance, though the case is new and has been re-engineered. This seems to be very similar to the original watch with the automatic swapped out for a Ronda 515 quartz. Priced at £299/$415, the Trident 300 sits in an interesting price point. There are less expensive dive watches out there, as we all know, but for a Swiss-made option, the options are slim.
From here, things get much more interesting with the new C60 Trident Pro and Trident GMT. First off, these models, which will continue to be the core of the collection, have re-engineered cases, now with 600m water resistance, doubling their capabilities (for those who dive). With only a top view being available at the time of writing this, it’s hard to say if the design has changed at all, but it looks to have the same shape. Next, the aluminum bezel has been swapped out for ceramic. Ceramic is becoming much more common on modern divers, but it’s still a more expensive option, one with better scratch resistance. That aside, what seems most impressive are their colors, with a gorgeous sapphire blue, forest green and deep burgundy being initially available (black too, but that’s pretty standard).
The dials have undergone a facelift as well, taking cues from the C65, which was a sort of dress/dive hybrid. I’m curious to see how the C. Ward die-hards react to this change, as it very much alters the feel of the watch, making it cleaner and more modern, but perhaps a bit more generic. That said, i personally like it. The date feels better at 3 than at 4.5 where it once was, and the batons take it out of SuperMarine/Sub territory a bit.
Both the Trident Pro and GMT will be available in 42 and 38mm sizes. This is particularly exciting as there is a dearth of smaller divers out there, and these are both great options. In particular, the GMT will standout as a unique offering, with affordable mechanical GMTs getting scarcer by the day (Miyota, please make a GMT, thanks). The Pro and GMT start at £599/$825 and £799/$1100 respectively. This is an increase from the previous incarnations, but, unfortunately, an expected one as prices go up all around. That said, in the scheme of things, they are still well priced.
No collection is complete with out a crowning jewel, and the C60 Trident COSC – LE, called “the 300” is a fitting and exciting piece. They’ve done a COSC Trident Pro before, but this time it’s using their in-house SH21 5-Day automatic movement. So… that’s a 5-day automatic chronometer grade dive watch with 600m WR… and that’s pretty damn unique. Everyone was very excited when they announced the SH21 movement, but not everyone loved the watch they put it in (I liked it, the review is coming soon, I promise). Well, this proves that it wasn’t a one trick pony, and that they plan on using that movement in other pieces. It makes a ton of sense in a dive watch, so I’m glad to see it here (and I’ll wait with bated breath for the 5-day pilot). The edition of 300 appears to only be available in a new white dial/black bezel option, which is a handsome combination. This one will come in a £1500/$2,065, which is an expected and excellent price for an in-house diver. I imagine these will go quickly to collectors.
Lastly, they’ve increased the amount of strap options, including rubber, metal bracelet, leather and nylon NATO, for a total of 133 possible options across the various watches, sizes, etc… All in all, a healthy update for the Trident line that will likely keep it a popular series for the brand.
