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Christopher Ward watches were ‘in the metal’ in our Melbourne studio last night, as well as the brand’s CEO Mike France

Christopher Ward watches were ‘in the metal’ in our Melbourne studio last night, as well as the brand’s CEO Mike France

Jamie Weiss

Late last year, we were proud to announce that mega-popular British independent brand Christopher Ward was entering the world of retail for the first time exclusively at the Time+Tide London Discovery Studio as a semi-permanent pop-up. At the same time though, we here in Australia were feeling the FOMO. We wanted to have Christopher Wards in our studio too! So when we heard that Christopher Ward CEO and co-founder Mike France was headed Down Under for the Australian Open, we wondered: could we peel him away from his holiday for one night and have him (and his brand’s watches) make a guest appearance in our Melbourne Discovery Studio? Thankfully, Mike said yes.

cw melbourne event fwd crowd

Last night, we transformed the Melbourne studio into a Christopher Ward showroom, filling our cabinets with coveted models from the brand including the coveted C60 Trident Lumière; the carbon fibre C63 Colchester, which proved to be a surprisingly big hit on the night; The Twelve in a number of different dial colours, sizes and strap options; and of course, the GPHG-acclaimed C1 Bel Canto. For many attendees, this was the first time they’d been able to try on a Christopher Ward without purchasing one – people were rapt to see these British watches ‘in the metal’. Additionally, in a bit of serendipitous timing, guests on the night were the first in the world to hear about the new Christopher Ward C65 Dune Aeolian collection. We love an exclusive.

cw melbourne event fwd watch in hand

Mike joined me for a chat about the state of the British watchmaking industry (of course, Mike is also a co-founder of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers) as well as sharing a bit about Christopher Ward’s history and future trajectory. CW celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first watch this year: the brand has come a long way from its origins in a converted chicken shed on a farm in Berkshire. On that, if you haven’t watched Mike’s chat with our founder Andrew on YouTube, go do so – it’s well worth it.

cw melbourne event fwd jamie mike

Mike and I discussed how, at a time when a lot of the big box brands are struggling with faltering sales – while at the same time ploughing through with repeated price increases – on the other hand, you have Christopher Ward, a brand whose mantra has long been that “whatever the watch costs us to make we simply multiply by three”, going from strength to strength. On a related note, Mike revealed that Australia is one of CW’s top 5 markets globally – indicative of the Australian watch-buying public’s keen eye for value and willingness to invest in independent watchmaking (which is also the reason why the Melbourne Discovery Studio exists).

cw melbourne event fwd bel canto

It’s fair to say the event was a roaring success. Thanks to all who joined us last night. For those who missed out, don’t fret: Mike’s shared that he’s fallen a bit in love with Melbourne – it’s his first time in the country – and that he’s keen to come back. Hopefully, this isn’t the last time we’ll have Christopher Ward watches in our Melbourne studio… Anyway, hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Jamie and the Time+Tide Team

Watch meme of the week: pretty in pink

 

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A post shared by Watch Memes (@watch.memes)

Another week, another Swatch collab. This week saw the release of the Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathoms Pink Ocean, which was supposedly inspired by Ceratodoris rosacea, a very pink sea slug. Pink’s actually one of my favourite colours – I wear a lot of pink, and like most watch enthusiasts, I’m a sucker for a salmon dial. But this is just a bit too much pink for me.

Wristshot of the week: green is good

 

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UK-based watch photographer and writer Tim Vaux rarely takes a bad snap of a watch, but this shot of this malachite dial Dennison is just exquisite. Those beautiful stone striations, that hit of glare… Delicious stuff.

Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Ice Blue

Norqain Freedom 60 Chronograph 40mm Ice Blue Dial bracelet

This limited edition chronograph, a variation of Norqain’s best-selling watch, has a unique two-layer dial with a sunray ice blue top-level, black lower sub-dials and a black outer ring with a white tachymeter scale. At 40mm in diameter, 14.9mm thick, with a lug-to-lug of 49.2mm, it’s eminently wearable, and that ice blue dial is so cool, it’s hot. Only 300 pieces of this model were produced – we’ve got a few left in stock but they won’t last long. If you’re looking for a summer-ready chrono with a bit of street cred, don’t hesitate.

Discover the Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Ice Blue in the Time+Tide Shop, either online or in-store at our Melbourne Discovery Studio. Price: A$7,100

Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week

James McVey and Andrew each share 3 watches they like to travel with

In this engaging conversation between Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen and celebrated musician James McVey (The Vamps), the focus is on three watches they each like to travel with – specifically selecting timepieces suitable for various travel scenarios. The discussion starts with the challenges of wearing luxury watches like Rolex in today’s world, where theft and safety are concerns in many travel destinations. They then go back and forth, sharing their wristwatch selections, their personal experiences travelling with the watches, and why these pieces are good watches to travel with. Watch above, or read more here.

Wristwatch Check is back in Melbourne for the second year running, with extra charitable intention

wristwatch check 2025 feature

We’ve just had this year’s edition of LVMH Watch Week and Watches and Wonders Geneva is on the horizon, but before then, we have Wristwatch Check in Melbourne, focusing on the micro and independent scene. Just like last year, the watches will be accompanied by some sweet cars, with the difference this year being that they’ll be courtesy of the Fox Classic Car Collection and Art Neun, with some of the best Melbourne-based cars present. There’s also going to be a special charity auction on the night to support mental health efforts via Beyond Blue – Borna has the deets here.

15 watch brands celebrating the Year of the Snake 2025

lunar new year 2025 watches feature

For 2025, the Lunar New Year falls on the 29th of January, and marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake taking over from the Dragon, with wood being the celebrated element. To mark the occasion, many of the world’s watch brands have come up with commemorative and cheeky sssspecial editions (sorry, couldn’t help myself). Here’s our guide to some of the best Year of the Snake watches.