Hands-On: the Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300

A good friend of mine leans heavily toward the category of pilot watches. He’s not a pilot, but he likes the way pilot watches look, how legible they are, and the rich history that propelled them to occupy an important role in Swiss brands’ catalogs. I lean heavily towards the genre of dive watches, and although I’m not a professional diver, I do occasionally explore the world below the surface. I have been drawn to dive watches because of their inherent robustness and versatility, as well because I have a particular affinity for any large body of water. This means, in other words, that I mostly wear dive watches and that I’m always on the lookout for the next one to add to my collection. 

At the risk of bragging a little, I’ve gotten my hands on many Christopher Ward models in the past three years. But for some strange reason, I’ve never looked at a Trident in the metal. This is odd because it is the collection that the British brand is perhaps the most known for. And this might be due to the fact that, over the past few years, Christopher Ward has revamped the Trident collection multiple times, updating the designs, improving upon the case profile and dimensions, and continuously bettering the finish. Or, in Christopher Ward terms, giving us better bangs for our bucks. So today is a special day as I got to spend some time with the 38mm C60 Trident Pro 300. 

An Enthusiast Driven Design 

We watch enthusiasts are not only enthusiasts about horology but we sometimes become obsessed with it. At the risk of speaking in too general terms, we like to take watches apart and analyze how they could be made better. Although it is probably impossible to please everyone, Christopher Ward has heeded the feedback of its most fervent supporters to redesign the Trident Pro collection. The brand included changes in design and specifications that were the most requested by the watch community. The result is an updated collection showcasing some unique details that should please many collectors who have a thing for underwater exploration—or versatile watches in general. 

As its name indicates, the Trident Pro is a diver made for professional divers, at least those who are looking for dive watches that can be as reliable as a Submariner or Seamaster can be. And, I should add, watches that are easy to use and to read, and which are comfortable to wear in and out of the water. Given the fact that we no longer need dive watches (dive computers are better at keeping us safe), we might as well get something that works for us. That is perhaps the intention the brand had when seeking the feedback from its fans. The new C60 Trident Pro 300 is, perhaps, a better diver thanks to this process which, as far as I know, brands rarely go through.  

All the Dive Watch You Need for (About) $1,250 

As it is customary with Christopher Ward, the Trident is offered in different sizes and with different dial colors. This way, virtually any watch enthusiast can find what they are looking for. The Pro 300 comes with cases of 38mm, 40mm, and 42mm in diameter, and with blue, black, and white dials. Nothing fancy here, nothing out-of-the-ordinary in terms of dimensions and dial colors. Being a professional line of divers, Christopher Ward kept the dial colors simple to focus on legibility and functionality. And boy are these divers legible, whichever size or dial color you choose. But before we get deeper (pun intended) into the design of this model, let’s talk specs. 

Having its watches made in Switzerland, Christopher Ward only puts Swiss made movements inside them. Like many CW models, the C60 Trident Pro 300 is equipped with a Sellita SW200-1 caliber which beats at 28,800 BPH (4Hz) and comes with 38 hours of power reserve. The SW2001- is by all means a reliable and solid movement that comes with the added benefit of being easy to service. (This is actually important for those who do dive with their watches and travel often.) The Sellita can be admired thanks to a sapphire see-through case-back. Sapphire is also the material the front crystal is made of, and surprisingly, Christopher Ward managed to squeeze in 300 meters of water resistance. 

The latter fact is even more impressive to me given the watch’s dimensions. I got my hands on the 38mm blue dial version that has a lug-to-lug distance of 45mm, a thickness of 11mm, and a lug width of 20mm. The three-link bracelet tapers down to 16mm at the clasp which aids in making the Trident Pro 300 comfortable to wear. The clasp also comes with a tool-less micro-adjust system and a double-pusher mechanism. It is therefore easy to adjust the bracelet throughout the day, something that is becoming more relevant now that we are entering the summer season. 

The Benefits of Crowdsourcing

The Trident Pro line was already great before it got doctored up by the brand’s fans. Christopher Ward nailed its design language for sports watches a few years back when it paired rectangular applied hour markers with an arrow handset. This combination is legible and timeless, a bit like the Submariner Mercedes hands + inverted triangle at 12:00 combo is timeless. However, seeing the same design language being used on many models from the brand means that I could only own one Christopher Ward tool/sport watch—I wouldn’t be keen on the visual redundancy. (I wouldn’t own a Submariner and GMT Master II for the same reason.)  

The multifaceted markers and hands, showing an alternation of brushed and polished surfaces, are legible and elegant, and the seconds hand which showcases an arrow-shaped orange tip adds a little bit of funk to an otherwise harmonious design. The benefits of the crowdsourced redesign process begin to appear when looking outside the dial. First, in the mostly flat piece of sapphire crystal which aids in keeping the Trident Pro 300 thin. Second, in the addition of a fixed metal ring between the crystal and bezel insert. This makes it possible to precisely track elapsed time without impacting the legibility of the bezel. 

The bezel also received a lot of feedback and suggestions from the brands’ fans. To make it durable, Christopher Ward opted for ceramic for the insert to keep it looking new for a long time, and filled all of the engraved Arabic numerals marking the five-minute increments with X1 lume. The brand also improved upon its almost legendary bezel action by making the “clicks” more precise (and I would add, more satisfying.) Christopher Ward uses ball-bearings instead of click-springs which makes for a better and smoother bezel action. Lastly, the grip on the bezel was improved so that it is easier to turn it underwater and while wearing gloves. 

Final Thoughts 

If I’m correct, the previous generation of Trident Pros were larger and came with 600 meters of water resistance. Having more water resistance meant having a larger and thicker case, something that not everyone was keen on. This is why Christopher Ward revamped the Trident Pro line to make it smaller, thinner, and therefore more versatile. (Although it is offered in 40 and 42mm diameters, the refined Lightcatcher case keeps the overall wrist presence reasonable.) And preserving a dial design that is simple and balanced means the Trident Pro 300 can be used in many situations, while the improved bezel design and construction makes the watch more user friendly and functional. 

Although I doubt that many professional divers do wear mechanical watches nowadays, what I believe Christopher Ward managed to accomplish is this: to offer those who like independent watchmaking and solid horology an alternative to higher priced Swiss and Japanese options. Because we shouldn’t have to spend too much to get a professional-grade dive watch, the new C60 Trident Pro 300 is, to some extent, affordable given its specifications and the overall quality the brand is known to offer. As a reminder, this model retails for about $1,022 on a strap and $1,250 on the bracelet. (Given the current exchange rates.) 

You can learn more about the Christopher Ward Trident collection here.