I've wondered the same thing about Christopher Ward and their relative lack of coverage, at least in the watch media I see. I had a similar impression to Jason (and TBH, that's almost exactly how I think of Bremont, too) but on a whim I picked up a Trident earlier in the year. I've been surprisingly won over by it and have been wearing it a ton.
I agree. The Trident GMT and C63 GMT I have are fantastic watches for the money. I'd encourage James and Jason to get a C60 and C63 to look at. I think they'd find these watches are solid picks for the Grey Nato audience. They are good bang-for-the-buck, well built, easily serviceable, and provide a variety of watches that are perfectly suited to diving, driving, travel, etc.
I know James and Jason are big fans of Bremont and the English brothers, but Bremont sprung from nowhere just before Christopher Ward appeared in the early-mid 2000's. There is little difference between what Jason was saying about the "bought from a catalog look" between CW and Bremont. "They sort of grew so quickly out of nothing to this perfectly packaged watch brand." It is an identical statement to Bremont, just the press trips and friendships developed over the years might color the perception of Bremont vs. Christopher Ward. The intimacy makes it hard to be objective. I'd encourage them to get one in hand. They're playing at a different price point, but one that encourages not treating the watch like a precious object.
To clarify James' remark about the Chr. Ward logo on the mid-2010's watches, the company never deviated from the name and branding of Christopher Ward, it was just the logo in that period.
There are a lot of great watches out there and by no means am I a fanboy, but I've always wondered why Christopher Ward seems to get a bit of dismissiveness from the boys when they really produce a lot of watches aimed squarely at the average Grey Nato listener.
Glad you've pointed out the similarities between Bremont and Christopher Ward.
Jason and James have wondered out loud before why Bremont hasn't caught on as they would expect, and I think that they need only apply their answer to that same question about Christopher Ward.
I'll be more explicit with this analogy than Jason was in the episode: Christopher Ward is like Applebee's. And Bremont is like Olive Garden.
A similar logic should be applied to the discussion on resurrected brands like Alsta, Aquastar, Timor, Vertex, and Yema. Those are akin to Buca di Beppo, TGI Friday's, Carino's, etc.
Synthetic nostalgia is an active ingredient in all of their recipes.
In a way it's like MSG. Some people say it's unhealthy, some say it's fine, but to most people it's just makes food taste good -- and to those people, that's what matters.
This is the best analogy yet! Well put!! And just like the restaurants, I /like/ these brands. While their backstories might be a little manufactured in some regards, all of these brands are giving us what we want at a variety of options and prices. We might walk in the door of their website for the "history" and decor, but we stay for the quality watches.
I think their struggle to settle on logo/branding did set them back a little in terms of community love. They also just don't seem to chase down coverage from youtubers like most micros do. They almost seem to run in different circles to the general watch nerd community
Same here. The Trident 40mm is very nearly the absolute perfect dive watch IMO- everything from bracelet and clasp to case shape to dial layout to handset to movement choice to bezel insert and action- just really almost perfect.
I do not personally own any CW, but a buddy of mine got one and let me play with it for a while. I agree it seems to be a fairly solid build, and good value for the money. I have come close to pulling the trigger on a few of them since then, but just never found exactly the right one.
They definitely feel like they are a good TGN watch, along with Bremont and Oris.
I'm jumping on the band wagon with CW. While I don't own one, in pictures and by spec they seem solid. The CW Dartmouth, for instance, seems like all that the Oris 65 could have been, but with a COSC movement, 150 meter depth rating and at a price that is at least comparable. *The one thing that has held me back from purchasing is the lack of reviews from independent sources.
They tend to have a running ~$150 discount code related to the latest issue of their Loupe magazine. I believe the current code is 150loupe22 (if you're in the US - different codes for different currencies).
I've been tempted by the Dartmouth too, though I really need another blue diver watch like a hole in the head.
I’ve been very impressed with my Trident 38mm GMT which I acquired a few years back during one of Christopher Ward’s big sales. As I said in my question, it compares favorably to other more expensive watches. I’m glad you like your Trident as well.
Yeah I agree - to me they're very close to Oris quality, and significantly better than similarly priced Seiko. I think they're starting to find their feet with design more and more too.
Thanks for answering my question regarding Christopher Ward. I hope this British brand might start getting a bit more attention to their watches despite the off the shelf restaurant design model(which I confess feels apt and made me smile). They seem like good, solid watches and mine has been superb. Thank you both for my absolute favorite podcast!
I don't post much here (always forget to lol) but I wanted to drop a note saying how much I have been enjoying the podcast lately. I think Jason has given it a real freshness with his renewed "civilian" interest in watches and I love the laid back ease of the conversations. James, you're also doing a great job with Hodinkee radio and I've been enjoying that more than ever. Thanks fellas.
I've modded the heck outta my Omega 2254. I have the applied indices non America's Cup dial (2230.50), and the date wheel, , seconds hand, crystal and bezel from the Planet Ocean 2201.50. I've also added a ceramic dive (10-60) bezel to my Seamaster GMT 2538.20. Both of them have the adjustable clasps added to their respective bracelets, too.
CD, you are 100%. It's your watch, do what makes you happy. I've swapped the orange bezel of my Omega PO for the black version. It's out of the drawer and back on my wrist.
Question -Does anyone know of a reliable service to send my Seiko Shogun to have it's 6r15 movement regulated? I love the watch, but it runs plus or minus 30 seconds on any given day. Seiko will service it for $260 and only to spec (+15 --25/day).
Ah ok, I haven't done that yet. I just greased up the gasket with silicone grease and tightened it with a case ball. Have taken it on several dives since, no issues.
I am from the UK but spend 4-6 months in the US for work each year. 5 years ago I was doing a show in Atlanta Monday to Thursday and had friday-sunday off. Before the start of the first week I visited the Georgia Aquarium with a friend - it was built by a billionaire so it is favourably anormous - I think it has the second largest tank in the world. The tank contains whale sharks and manta rays among other things. I had never seen those in the flesh before and was amazed by them, then I learned that it was possible to snorkel or DIVE the tank, hello? I promptly looked into how I could learn to dive.
It turned out that my days off were set perfectly to do the practical part, if I could do the theory online beforehand, so after the show Monday - Thursday I read the pratctical and did all the exams. Then I went to a pool to learn the emergency procedures and did my qualifying dives in a quarry a bit further out.
When I signed up for the course it of course asks if you if you have this or that - regarding asthma it said it needed a letter or something from my physician. Mate I am from the UK we do not even have those. So I said I did not have asthma to not have this road block. But that was also a judgement call based on how I feel about my asthma, I am not a COMPLETE idiot.
My asthma is considered severe by the UK government - taking covid as an example I was vaccinated with all the 75 year olds because that's the level of vulnerability they put me with. The main issue with my asthma is that around October time each year it is very very hard to control and sometimes I get a cough - I am a commentator by trade so that can be a pain in the arse but yeah it gets hard to control with normal drugs (they won't give me the interesting stuff they keep in a fridge the bastards). Most of the time I would say my asthma is mild and does not cause me much of an issue.
Bearing in mind I learned in a quarry, my first dive in the sea was at Catalina Island, and at some point I was 70ft deep swimming directly against a current (I soon corrected that) - this made for an uncomfortable time as it felt akin to sucking air through a straw (just a bit, mind), however I at no point felt like I was in any kind of trouble. And to be honest it was not even asthma related I reckon. But I thought it was worth mentioning as my only memory of anything heading to or beyond discomfort.
I was in Iceland last week for a broadcast and had a dive at Silfra booked - dry suit diving between tectonic plates. One of my bucket list dives. I had come straight from Berlin where I had some other work and while in Germany I picked up a cold and got a nasty cough (not covid). Combined with the harsh wind and air in Iceland I was having a pretty bad time especially when outside or talking. So I cancelled the dive. Even if I would have been ok I want to do it and enjoy it but one needs to be sensible.
I am heading towards 50 dives now and have made it to rescue diver level thanks to some great instructors I have near Heathrow in London - with some sensible judgement I have not had any asthma related issues in the water. That does not mean that you would not, however. I would say that you have to think about what your asthma is like and make a judgement call.
When you learn to dive, your first steps outside of a pool will be in restricted depth or on diving platforms where you can see how things feel so I would encourage you to at least take the qualification and see how you feel doing it.
A little off-topic, but I guess still a question, so here goes. :)
The SPB153's 70hr power reserve has ruined me ... Now I am hesitant to wear my watches with 38-42 hour reserves, especially with full time work from home these days.
Not exactly, but I have something analogous with my Hamilton Khaki and it's 80hr PR. I swap watches a lot (also working from home) and it's always a little bit of a pleasant surprise to see that I don't have to wind and set the Hamilton.
I've wondered the same thing about Christopher Ward and their relative lack of coverage, at least in the watch media I see. I had a similar impression to Jason (and TBH, that's almost exactly how I think of Bremont, too) but on a whim I picked up a Trident earlier in the year. I've been surprisingly won over by it and have been wearing it a ton.
I agree. The Trident GMT and C63 GMT I have are fantastic watches for the money. I'd encourage James and Jason to get a C60 and C63 to look at. I think they'd find these watches are solid picks for the Grey Nato audience. They are good bang-for-the-buck, well built, easily serviceable, and provide a variety of watches that are perfectly suited to diving, driving, travel, etc.
I know James and Jason are big fans of Bremont and the English brothers, but Bremont sprung from nowhere just before Christopher Ward appeared in the early-mid 2000's. There is little difference between what Jason was saying about the "bought from a catalog look" between CW and Bremont. "They sort of grew so quickly out of nothing to this perfectly packaged watch brand." It is an identical statement to Bremont, just the press trips and friendships developed over the years might color the perception of Bremont vs. Christopher Ward. The intimacy makes it hard to be objective. I'd encourage them to get one in hand. They're playing at a different price point, but one that encourages not treating the watch like a precious object.
To clarify James' remark about the Chr. Ward logo on the mid-2010's watches, the company never deviated from the name and branding of Christopher Ward, it was just the logo in that period.
There are a lot of great watches out there and by no means am I a fanboy, but I've always wondered why Christopher Ward seems to get a bit of dismissiveness from the boys when they really produce a lot of watches aimed squarely at the average Grey Nato listener.
Glad you've pointed out the similarities between Bremont and Christopher Ward.
Jason and James have wondered out loud before why Bremont hasn't caught on as they would expect, and I think that they need only apply their answer to that same question about Christopher Ward.
I'll be more explicit with this analogy than Jason was in the episode: Christopher Ward is like Applebee's. And Bremont is like Olive Garden.
A similar logic should be applied to the discussion on resurrected brands like Alsta, Aquastar, Timor, Vertex, and Yema. Those are akin to Buca di Beppo, TGI Friday's, Carino's, etc.
Synthetic nostalgia is an active ingredient in all of their recipes.
In a way it's like MSG. Some people say it's unhealthy, some say it's fine, but to most people it's just makes food taste good -- and to those people, that's what matters.
This is the best analogy yet! Well put!! And just like the restaurants, I /like/ these brands. While their backstories might be a little manufactured in some regards, all of these brands are giving us what we want at a variety of options and prices. We might walk in the door of their website for the "history" and decor, but we stay for the quality watches.
The C63 Sealander GMT is so good. I believe that of late (past 12 months), Christopher Ward have really hit their stride as a company.
Couldn't agree more when it comes to C63 Sealander GMT. For some reason I couldn't pass that one.
I think their struggle to settle on logo/branding did set them back a little in terms of community love. They also just don't seem to chase down coverage from youtubers like most micros do. They almost seem to run in different circles to the general watch nerd community
Same here. The Trident 40mm is very nearly the absolute perfect dive watch IMO- everything from bracelet and clasp to case shape to dial layout to handset to movement choice to bezel insert and action- just really almost perfect.
I do not personally own any CW, but a buddy of mine got one and let me play with it for a while. I agree it seems to be a fairly solid build, and good value for the money. I have come close to pulling the trigger on a few of them since then, but just never found exactly the right one.
They definitely feel like they are a good TGN watch, along with Bremont and Oris.
I'm jumping on the band wagon with CW. While I don't own one, in pictures and by spec they seem solid. The CW Dartmouth, for instance, seems like all that the Oris 65 could have been, but with a COSC movement, 150 meter depth rating and at a price that is at least comparable. *The one thing that has held me back from purchasing is the lack of reviews from independent sources.
They tend to have a running ~$150 discount code related to the latest issue of their Loupe magazine. I believe the current code is 150loupe22 (if you're in the US - different codes for different currencies).
I've been tempted by the Dartmouth too, though I really need another blue diver watch like a hole in the head.
I’ve been very impressed with my Trident 38mm GMT which I acquired a few years back during one of Christopher Ward’s big sales. As I said in my question, it compares favorably to other more expensive watches. I’m glad you like your Trident as well.
Yeah I agree - to me they're very close to Oris quality, and significantly better than similarly priced Seiko. I think they're starting to find their feet with design more and more too.
Thanks for answering my question regarding Christopher Ward. I hope this British brand might start getting a bit more attention to their watches despite the off the shelf restaurant design model(which I confess feels apt and made me smile). They seem like good, solid watches and mine has been superb. Thank you both for my absolute favorite podcast!
I don't post much here (always forget to lol) but I wanted to drop a note saying how much I have been enjoying the podcast lately. I think Jason has given it a real freshness with his renewed "civilian" interest in watches and I love the laid back ease of the conversations. James, you're also doing a great job with Hodinkee radio and I've been enjoying that more than ever. Thanks fellas.
I've modded the heck outta my Omega 2254. I have the applied indices non America's Cup dial (2230.50), and the date wheel, , seconds hand, crystal and bezel from the Planet Ocean 2201.50. I've also added a ceramic dive (10-60) bezel to my Seamaster GMT 2538.20. Both of them have the adjustable clasps added to their respective bracelets, too.
It's your watch. Make it work for you.
CD, you are 100%. It's your watch, do what makes you happy. I've swapped the orange bezel of my Omega PO for the black version. It's out of the drawer and back on my wrist.
Hi guys. Thanks for including and answering my question. Wrapped to be part of TGN universe 🙂 Cheers
Question -Does anyone know of a reliable service to send my Seiko Shogun to have it's 6r15 movement regulated? I love the watch, but it runs plus or minus 30 seconds on any given day. Seiko will service it for $260 and only to spec (+15 --25/day).
It's very easy to do with a bit of patience or a timegrapher. I've done several watches including one 6R myself, both with and without the graph.
Thanks! -Though, it needs to be pressure tested too.
Ah ok, I haven't done that yet. I just greased up the gasket with silicone grease and tightened it with a case ball. Have taken it on several dives since, no issues.
Not related to anything in the episode, but this topic seems to surface occasionally in the Q&A episodes.
The Best Accessories and Apparel at Overland Expo West 2021:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/trucks/a37806167/overland-expo-west-2021-accessories-apparel/
The Best Rigs We Saw at Overland Expo West 2021:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/motorcycles/a37790066/best-rigs-overland-expo-2021/
Some feedback for the diver with asthma.
I am from the UK but spend 4-6 months in the US for work each year. 5 years ago I was doing a show in Atlanta Monday to Thursday and had friday-sunday off. Before the start of the first week I visited the Georgia Aquarium with a friend - it was built by a billionaire so it is favourably anormous - I think it has the second largest tank in the world. The tank contains whale sharks and manta rays among other things. I had never seen those in the flesh before and was amazed by them, then I learned that it was possible to snorkel or DIVE the tank, hello? I promptly looked into how I could learn to dive.
It turned out that my days off were set perfectly to do the practical part, if I could do the theory online beforehand, so after the show Monday - Thursday I read the pratctical and did all the exams. Then I went to a pool to learn the emergency procedures and did my qualifying dives in a quarry a bit further out.
When I signed up for the course it of course asks if you if you have this or that - regarding asthma it said it needed a letter or something from my physician. Mate I am from the UK we do not even have those. So I said I did not have asthma to not have this road block. But that was also a judgement call based on how I feel about my asthma, I am not a COMPLETE idiot.
My asthma is considered severe by the UK government - taking covid as an example I was vaccinated with all the 75 year olds because that's the level of vulnerability they put me with. The main issue with my asthma is that around October time each year it is very very hard to control and sometimes I get a cough - I am a commentator by trade so that can be a pain in the arse but yeah it gets hard to control with normal drugs (they won't give me the interesting stuff they keep in a fridge the bastards). Most of the time I would say my asthma is mild and does not cause me much of an issue.
Bearing in mind I learned in a quarry, my first dive in the sea was at Catalina Island, and at some point I was 70ft deep swimming directly against a current (I soon corrected that) - this made for an uncomfortable time as it felt akin to sucking air through a straw (just a bit, mind), however I at no point felt like I was in any kind of trouble. And to be honest it was not even asthma related I reckon. But I thought it was worth mentioning as my only memory of anything heading to or beyond discomfort.
I was in Iceland last week for a broadcast and had a dive at Silfra booked - dry suit diving between tectonic plates. One of my bucket list dives. I had come straight from Berlin where I had some other work and while in Germany I picked up a cold and got a nasty cough (not covid). Combined with the harsh wind and air in Iceland I was having a pretty bad time especially when outside or talking. So I cancelled the dive. Even if I would have been ok I want to do it and enjoy it but one needs to be sensible.
I am heading towards 50 dives now and have made it to rescue diver level thanks to some great instructors I have near Heathrow in London - with some sensible judgement I have not had any asthma related issues in the water. That does not mean that you would not, however. I would say that you have to think about what your asthma is like and make a judgement call.
When you learn to dive, your first steps outside of a pool will be in restricted depth or on diving platforms where you can see how things feel so I would encourage you to at least take the qualification and see how you feel doing it.
Good luck!
A little off-topic, but I guess still a question, so here goes. :)
The SPB153's 70hr power reserve has ruined me ... Now I am hesitant to wear my watches with 38-42 hour reserves, especially with full time work from home these days.
Anyone else feeling this?
Not exactly, but I have something analogous with my Hamilton Khaki and it's 80hr PR. I swap watches a lot (also working from home) and it's always a little bit of a pleasant surprise to see that I don't have to wind and set the Hamilton.
Thank you for answering my question regarding watch size and how it wears - definitely going to look into your suggestions.