Christopher Ward C5 Malvern mini-review

I ordered one of the c5 malvern automatics w/the champagne colored galvanic dial that CW had on sale last month. While I always wanted the bi-level cream colored dial, they weren't on sale, so I went with the closest thing. That was in July! Unfortunately, the sale was so popular that they oversold that model. But Christopher Ward said they ordered another batch to be shipped from Switzerland, so I waited. Well it was waiting for me when I arrived home from work last night. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and saw a cream-colored bi-level dial staring back at me, the one I originally wanted that wasn't on sale! Lucky me!

I then realized the logo was the new logo from the new line of CW's, and the case was 39mm in diameter (like the new ones) instead of 38mm. So I received some hybrid of the old and new C5 Malverns. Weird, but i'll take it...

The 39mm case is 10mm thick and polished with an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal that provides a nice violet tint in bright lights. The case back is also polished, screwed in with 7 screws (2 by the crown) and an uncoated anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal. It has minimal text, just "SWISS MADE" and the 4 digit serial number. Through the back crystal you see the Sellita SW-200 movement (more or less a 2824 clone) my first Sellita eta 2824 movement. After 12 hours, it's running 2 seconds fast, so that should equal +4 seconds over 24 hours. It has a decorated & signed rotor but the rest of the movement is pretty plain, save for two blued screws. This is my biggest disappointment, why bother bluing TWO screws but leave the rest the way they are? It looks unbalanced.

The dial is cream in color with two levels. The inner level is galvanized and has the new "CHRWARD LONDON" logo and "Automatic" in a classy black font. The outer level is raised with polished stick hour markers and black printed minute markers. The hands are also polished and stick-shaped and the date window is a polished circle and has ample room to read the entire date.

The screw-down crown is round with a domed top, signed "CW" and has gripping on the sides. It's substantial enough to be wound with ease. The clasp is a polished deployant clasp with the "CW" logo. The strap is a tobacco brown with an alligator grain and quick release pins. David from strapevolution.com is making me a custom strap from 1960's french ammo pouch leather. David is a joy to work with and I look forward to strapping it on!

The packaging is superb and it came with a hang-tag, washable CW microfiber cloth, instruction book, and a hand addressed and signed letter from Christopher Ward himself.

Overall, a great value for $255.

Damn, AJ...I'm yet again in a pool 'o drool over one of your watches...

Thanks mort! I should have sent you the watch to write one of your exquisite reviews on it.

I think you got a very nice watch at a very nice price. $255! I look forward to your custom strap, as "faux reptile" straps are my personal buggaboo.

DO feel free to send the watch my way...it might be a while - as much as six or seven months - but I'll write a review that'll bring tears to your eyes...

All kidding aside, that's an unreal price for an auto CW...was this the 'secret sale' that DB told me I'd missed...?

Excellent write-up and pix, BTW...

This is the ammo leather he's using:


i'm going with a matte finish to keep the natural feel of the leather and minimal stitching with natural thread to match the dial.

Mortuus wrote:DO feel free to send the watch my way...it might be a while - as much as six or seven months - but I'll write a review that'll bring tears to your eyes...

All kidding aside, that's an unreal price for an auto CW...was this the 'secret sale' that DB told me I'd missed...?

Excellent write-up and pix, BTW...

Yup, this was the sale. You can sign up for the mailing list at christopherward-usa.com and get a heads-up on any future sales. You can also request a nice glossy catalog be sent to your home, makes good bathroom reading material.

Damn nice watch. Loving CW more and more each time I see them. Sharp.

Since this was from a new batch of watches, I assumed they slapped a sellita movement in there. Well I looked through the loupe and found the eta logo and "2824" printed by the escapement. Add this to not originally seeing the AR coating on the caseback's crystal and I guess I should actually know what I have before writing a review, huh?

I dunno, AJ...but then, I don't have a loupe, so I'm probably the wrong guy to ask...still, finding out it's an ETA 2824 ain't such a bad thing, is it?

Mortuus wrote:I dunno, AJ...but then, I don't have a loupe, so I'm probably the wrong guy to ask...still, finding out it's an ETA 2824 ain't such a bad thing, is it?

I've never owned a sellita movement and was looking forward to putting it through the ringer. But there is some easiness felt knowing it has the movement of all workhorse movements.