Christopher Ward C7 Apex Limited Edition

Celebrating the 5th anniversary of their in-house movement, Calibre SH21, British luxury watch brand Christopher Ward launches the C7 Apex Limited Edition watch.

The C7 Apex Limited Edition has been created to mark the five-year anniversary since Christopher Ward first held the first working prototype of their in-house movement, Calibre SH21.

The launch marks the first of four new Apex models, each of which will celebrate a different aspect of Christopher Ward watchmaking – motoring, diver’s, dress and aviation watches – and will be launched to coincide with a specific moment in the development of SH21.

The new motorsport release is a 50-piece limited edition that has been designed with the intention of showcasing more of Calibre SH21 than ever before, via a bold semi-open dial.

The first commercially viable movement by a British brand in 50 years, Calibre SH21has received acclaim for its 5-day power reserve and chronometer-certified status, with its appearance also tailored on occasion to match the watch it has appeared in.

In the Apex, SH21’s power reserve complication takes centre stage on the dial, while its futuristic aesthetic reflects the power and potential of the Anglo-Swiss partnership that now sits at the heart of Christopher Ward.

Whilst a motorsport watch, the C7 Apex Limited Edition is undoubtedly the futuristic concept car of CW’s automotive Rapide collection – not just in appearance, but also its approach to design.

CW’s design and technical teams worked together to plan the Apex’s movement and dial in unison; one of the most eye-catching instances being the red skeletonised bridge design used for the dial’s power reserve also appearing across each of SH21’s twin barrels.

Ruthenium, a rare element found in the platinum group of the periodic table, is also present on the dial and other sections of SH21’s bridge; parts of the its plate have been cut away to reveal glimpses of the movement underneath, most prominently in its centre, where Calibre SH21’s hour wheel is wholly visible for the first time. By paring away its front and back, SH21 has been given a transformation befitting of its five-year anniversary.

The C7 Apex Limited Edition is also housed within the Rapide collection’s four-piece case design. Constructed from sandblasted and matte finished steel, with a grey DLC (diamond-like carbon) coated steel band around its centre, its powerful structure draws influence from the advanced science and innovation throughout motorsport.

Both the C7 Apex Limited Edition’s hands and a recessed outer ring have been filled with white Super-LumiNova®; in the case of the latter, intersecting five-minute markers ensure ease of reading in low-light conditions, their polished surfaces bearing a strong similarity to a car’s alloy wheels.

From its brake calliper-inspired bridge, where the Apex’s power reserve hand is mounted, through to an adjacent raised speedometer-influenced indicator finished in a combination of red, black and steel; the Apex’s dial is a fusion of texture, depth, shadow and colour.

The Christopher Ward C7 Apex Limited Edition watch retails at £2,995.

Technical details

Model: Christopher Ward C7 Apex Limited Edition

Movement
Calibre SH21
33 jewel hand-wound chronometer with power reserve complication
120-hour power reserve
Frequency: 28,800 per hour
Timing tolerance: -4/+6 seconds per day

Functions
Hour, minute, central seconds, date

Case
Grey diamond-like-carbon (DLC)-coated & sandblasted marine-grade stainless steel four-piece case
Diameter: 42mm
Height: 13.15mm
Lug to lug: 48.2mm
Push-down crown with twin flag engraving
Anti-reflective domed sapphire crystal
Exhibition backplate with unique engraved serial number
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 metres)

Dial
Semi-open dial with circular brushed Ruthenium ring, engraved Ruthenium plate and red anodised aluminium bridge
Dial colours: Grey/Ruthenium/Red
Bevelled matte black outer ring with grey minute markers, intersected with polished and bevelled rhodium five-minute markers
Lower ring area filled with T-C1 Super-LumiNova® (blue emission)
Matte black power reserve indicator ring with red numerals and circular brushed ruthenium outer ring
Altimeter-inspired date wheel
Multi-faceted hour and minute hands filled with Super-LumiNova®
Lume: Super-LumiNova® SLN-T-C1

Strap
Width: 22mm
Strap colour: Black/red

Edition
Limited edition of 50 pieces, Swiss made