TESTCENTRE
A dive watch with zero gender bias
C60 Atoll 300 Dive Watch
COMPANY : CHRISTOPHER WARD PRICE : £ 915 ( BRACELET ) £ 750 ( STRAP ) WEB : WWW . CHRISTOPHERWARD . COM
While I like my dive watches big and chunky , there ’ s a lot to be said for something which has a more subtle , sophisticated look for everyday use . It must also , of course meet the harsh demands of undersea exploration .
Christopher Ward is an English-brand watch manufacturer , launched in 2005 from , believe it or not , a converted chicken shed on a Berkshire farm . From that humble beginning , the company expanded , entered into a partnership with Swiss watchmakers Synergies Horlogères and now offers an impressive variety of diving and non-diving timepieces .
Inspired by seascapes of the Indian Ocean , Christopher Ward ’ s latest diving watch is the C60 Atoll 300 . Available in shark white and a stunning reef blue variation , the Swiss-made Atoll is 40mm in diameter and a slimline 11mm in height .
Depth-rated to 30 ATM ( 300 metres ), the brushed and polished silver stainless steel case has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and sandblasted uni-directional bezel comprising raised numerals and indexes . The lacquered dial is graduated from light at its centre to dark with a matching date wheel at the six o-clock position .
The 26-jewel Sellita SW200 self-winding automatic has a 38-hour power reserve and an anti-shock system . This can be examined via an almost-hypnotic transparent case back . Hands and indexes are filled with highly luminous material for illumination at night or in lowlight diving conditions .
The supplied quick-release rubber strap ( in blue ) also complements the watch face to create a really eye-catching aesthetic . While my 22-year-old diving daughter is usually very ‘ meh ’ when she ’ s shown the many diving watches that arrive at the Test Centre , her reaction to the Atoll couldn ’ t be more different .
Snatching it immediately from my hand she had it attached to her person faster than you can say ‘ Chris Ward ’. Not only did its unique look grab her attention , but its dimensions were such that it didn ’ t look or feel out of place on her petite wrist .
On my own it looked equally as good and was much admired on the dive boat as well as off it . While the strap was long enough to meet the demands of my drysuit cuff , an extension or alternative would be necessary if worn higher on the arm , with dry cuffs for instance . The 120-click bezel moved easily around the crystal to mark my intended dive time ; although it ’ s pretty much a redundant task these days thanks to computers , it ’ s still something I like to do as a back-up regardless . Underwater , the hands were very easy to read and the graduated blue face enhanced the white indexes both in the shallows and much deeper when their illumination became very effective . I have to admit that I couldn ’ t help but remove it from my wrist to flip it around and stare at those wondrous inner workings again . �
SCUBA SAYS
Cristopher Ward ’ s C30 Atoll 300 is a beautifully-crafted 30ATM-rated diving watch that looks the part both in and out of the water . Thanks to its slimline dimensions it also offers equal appeal whatever your gender or build .
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