When you're looking at the best watches, the options really do seem endless. Depending on your budget, you could make a case for just about any timepiece manufactured right now.
For me – and, indeed many other satisfied customers – the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36mm was one of the highlights last year. Taking the DNA of the original Christopher Ward The Twelve and shrinking it into a wrist friendly size was a masterstroke.
As good as it could possibly be? Well, almost. The bigger model still had a COSC-certified, titanium model on offer. Now, that one has been shrunk down, too – and we're going to have a look at it.
First things first, let's fire through some specs. This should be pretty easy, as it's almost identical to the original variation – save for a couple of key differences. On this variant the case and bracelet is made from titanium, changing over from the stainless steel on the regular model.
You'll find a 36mm case paired with a 40.8mm lug-to-lug width and an 8.95mm thickness. That's a seriously slim set of dimensions, and should make for a really luxurious wearing experience. We'll come back to that later.
On my review unit, a Nardus Green dial graduates from light to dark green. It's really good looking, with the texture that the range has become known for. The model is also available in a Cosmic Purple or a Lagoon Blue.
The screw down crown is adorned by crown guards on either side. That helps to ensure 100m of water resistance, which should be more than enough to stand up to the rigors of daily life.
Inside, a COSC certified version of the Sellita SW300-1 powers things. That's got a 56 hour power reserve and 4Hz beat rate. Oh, and it weighs just 34g, too – no, that is not a typo!
Most notable, though, is the tolerance, which sits at +4/-6 seconds per day. That's much better than the standard movements used by Christopher Ward and ensures a seriously accurate watch.
What is the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Titanium like to wear?
I like to try and leave a bit of mystery in these reviews. I like to tempt and tease and leave the big sweeping opinions for the end. But I'm not going to do that here. This watch is simply fantastic.
I went into this review with mixed opinions. I love The Twelve – in particular the 36mm variant. For me, it's the perfect size and a style of watch I love to pieces. However, I'm not a big fan of titanium watches – I find them far too light – and as someone who never really takes a magnifying glass to operating tolerance, I feared this one might be wasted on me.
But holy smokes is this good. Wearing this watch just brought up a host of different emotions for me, but I was seriously impressed on a near daily basis. This thing is seriously easy to wear – the miniscule thickness paired with the shapely lines make it just effortless.
I'd wager that the weight helps with that, too. Though I'm normally a bigger fan of weighty watches, this really didn't cause me too many problems.
Let's also talk about the bracelet. I know, this probably isn't news to those of you who've seen the regular variant on a bracelet, but my original 36 came on a rubber strap. For that reason, I'm going to gush about this for a moment.
It's simply staggering. Look, I've seen affordable integrated bracelets before. The Tissot PRX is the example which comes to mind, and while I really don't want to compare, you can instantly feel the difference. It's a real testament to how Christopher Ward punch above their weight.
All in all, this did exactly what you want from a new watch – kept me coming back for more. Every time I thought I'd worn it just enough to complete this review, I'd find a reason to put it back on the wrist. I just couldn't put it down, and that's an experience I haven't had in a really long time.
Is the Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 Titanium worth the money?
Of course, price is always going to be subjective. At £1,595 on the bracelet – £1,225 on the strap, but trust me, you want that bracelet – it's not a cheap watch. Arguably, the biggest competitor this model has is its own stablemate. The steel variant at £1,050 represents staggeringly good value for money.
Whether this is worth it or not is more about you. If you value lightness or extreme levels of accuracy, that c.£500 surcharge will feel like a drop in the ocean. It's also the only way you're going to get your hands on those lovely gradient dials, too.
If it were my choice? I'd probably opt for the steel. That's not a dig at this model, either. For me, the added weight of the steel is a positive, and the £500 saving is certainly pleasant, too.
But do you know what's even nicer than that? Having the option. Christopher Ward have listened to one of the most requested models from last year, and that's a lovely option to have.
