If you had asked me 10 years ago which watch brand was the epitome of value for money? I would’ve answered Seiko without hesitation. But nowadays, Christopher Ward is the king of value. Look I get it, how can a microbrand hold the crown when they sell online without brick-and-mortar stores? That therein lies their magic, Christopher Ward is a master of keeping running costs low. By skimping on celebrity endorsements, and intensive marketing campaigns, they’re able to allocate a majority of their budget into R&D and production. The result of this is a brand that is cognizant of the quality of watches they deliver to their customers.
Christopher Ward knows they don’t have the brand heritage and history. They use that to their advantage by promising their customers three principles:
- Direct-to-customer via eCommerce
- 3x markup maximum
- No celebrity endorsement
With that, they set out almost 20 years ago to create the cheapest most expensive watches in the world. And if I’m being completely honest? They’ve done exactly that, becoming one of the best affordable luxury brands in the world. Allow me to justify my claims, here are five reasons why Christopher Ward is worth it.
1. Original Designs
Most microbrands are guilty of copying well-known designs to save on R&D costs and spend it on the built quality. That’s how most microbrands get their competitive advantage, but not Christopher Ward. As a brand, Christopher Ward is extremely open about taking inspiration from classics, but it’s always with their twist. Take the C63 Sealander for example, it pays homage to the Rolex Explorer 36, but it looks nothing like it. From their proprietary lightcatcher case to their bader bracelet, you can see the originality in their design and efforts.
I can understand if you’re not convinced about their originality. Let me direct you to the Bel Canto, a USD $7,000 watch from Christopher Ward. Every year, all the major watch brands and press are invited to the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG). If you’re unaware, it’s the Oscars of watches – think major awards. In 2023, Christopher Ward was not only invited, but their C1 Bel Canto won the ‘Petite Aiguille’ category. Other award winners included Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin, the list goes on.
If that doesn’t convince you Christopher Ward means serious business, then I don’t know what will.
2. All Round Quality (0 Sacrifices)
95% of affordable luxury watches come with some form of sacrifice. The most common drawbacks are cheap bracelets and quartz movements; brands need to cut costs somewhere, right? It’s certainly not in marketing or endorsements; most brands cut corners in their watches, plain and simple. But with Christopher Ward, you can expect genuine all-round quality, not lacking in any department.
The dials are always finished to an extremely high quality, with unique designs and identities. Do we even have to mention the lightcatcher case and how comfortable they sit on the wrist and play with the light? What about their use of the Sellita SW-200, some of which are chronometers? Oh, and don’t get me started on their bader bracelets with on-the-fly micro-adjustments.

Perhaps even more admirable than their fit and finishing is how consistent the quality is. I’ve had my fair share of Christopher Wards, and every single one of them has felt and performed amazingly. I’m going to keep repeating this like a broken alarm, but the quality is truly undeniable. Besides the overly long clasps, I cannot find a serious fault with any Christopher Wards I’ve owned.
3. Same Design, Multiple Case Sizes
Nothing turns me on more than a watch with multiple sizes. Seriously, a brand that releases the same watch in different sizing is a major green flag in today’s market. There aren’t many out there who do it; the bigger brands come to mind. Hamilton has the khaki in different sizes, and Tissot has the PRX in 40 and 35. But, you have to remember they’re the Swatch Group, who, if you didn’t know, are the biggest watch company in the world. It’s easy for a big manufacturer to produce the same design in different cases but less so for a “microbrand”. But you know what’s the best part? The case sizes feel completely different even though they share the same dial.

Take the popular C63 Sealander, for example, which I’ve had the pleasure of owning both the 39mm and the 36mm. With the smaller case, the C63 feels dressier, more refined, and overall just classier. On the other hand, the 39mm Sealander has more of a wrist presence and is way sportier but equally comfortable. Don’t forget they’re practically the same watch, but they have two totally different feelings when on the wrist.
4. Christopher Ward Listens and Improves
One of the biggest indicators of whether a brand will be successful in the watch industry is how well it listens to its customers. This is especially true for microbrands who want to survive in an extremely competitive industry, let alone thrive. Christopher Ward is no doubt the most successful microbrand in the past decade. And their secret? Christopher Ward listens to customer feedback and implements previous complaints into their designs. That kind of growth and awareness of their flaws makes Christopher Ward great and will continue to push them toward greater success.

Christopher Ward is a brand that is constantly developing and upgrading their watches. Whether it’s built quality or design, they always look for ways to improve. As a watch enthusiast, nothing makes me happier than a brand who are willing to listen. From trimming the overall thickness of the C60 trident to removing the annoying double screws on their bracelets, you can count on their watches getting better.
5. Five Year Warranties
As a reference, most microbrands have one to two-year warranties max. Seiko only recently increased their warranty across their timepieces to three years. The cohort of affordable luxury brands like Oris, Longines, Mido, Hamilton, and Tissot all have two-year warranties. Then, you’ve got this “microbrand” from London with the guts to offer worldwide five-year warranties. Some call it guts; well, I call it confidence. Having personally owned more than five of their models, I’ve not had to take advantage of their warranty process – not even once.

Oh, and for those hesitant about buying a Christopher Ward because you can’t try them on? Part of their 60-day and 60-month policy is that you get to return the watch within 2 months of the original purchase date. That’s another thing I admire about Christopher Ward: they make it easy for you to purchase their watches. They understand that a pure eCommerce model has its limitations in an industry where fit is so important, and they’ve adapted accordingly.
Is Christopher Ward Worth it?
I don’t know how else to say absolutely; Christopher Wards are worth every penny. I get it if you’re not a fan of a microbrand charging more than a grand on their watches – I used to be the same. But at some point, I stepped on the pretentious ladder and saw Christopher Wards as what they were. And that’s quality watches for an extremely reasonable price. At USD $980, their entry-level model, the C63 Sealander, is all the watch you’ll ever need. The overall quality, starting with their light catcher case, the robust bader bracelet, SW-200 movement, 150m water resistance with screw-down crown, and a sapphire display caseback. How can anyone in the market possibly beat that? You don’t; it’s the value king.
Having been in the industry for the past 20 years, I doubt you could even call Christopher Ward a microbrand anymore. With its successes in the GPHG and its frequently sold-out watches, Christopher Ward has shown resilience and maturity to be considered a full-fledged brand. In terms of direct comparison, I believe Oris to be their closest competition, but they’re well over double the price.