Christopher Ward C60 Trident Bronze Ombre: bronze is the new black

A purveyor of wealth. An age-defining metal. Bronze is a truly beautiful alloy, and Christopher Ward has used it accordingly in its latest limited-edition piece, the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré.

The C60 Trident Bronze Ombré is based on the brand's popular C60 Trident Pro 600, but that bronze finish adds  bucket-loads of charisma and pizazz.

The enduring allure of bronze is that it will age uniquely, based solely on the wearer’s habits. Going to strap this on a few times week while surfing, keep it aside for special occasions or have it on daily duty? For each of those wearing patterns, the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré will end up looking quite different.

Over the years of delightful ownership of the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré, you’re going to see a very unique patina form over the case and the bezel, which will match your lifestyle and the environments in which you wear your C60 Trident Bronze Ombré.

The 43mm wide case is constructed from a bronze alloy, as is the unidirectional darkened bezel. The long sweep of the lugs, along with the enlarged crown and half-crown guards pay tribute to diver’s watches of yesteryear.

It’s a traditional design, but the architecture of the case speaks odes with regards to comfort, wearability and functionality in what can easily be a 'dress diver'.

If you weren’t impressed enough with the case and its potential to age gracefully, then you will be with the dial.

There is a gorgeously soft finish through the dial, offset wonderfully well with the lume-filled hands and lollipop seconds hand, tipped with Christopher Ward’s iconic trident. The hour indices are also lume-filled, for legibility in any lighting environment. The date window features a black background, ensuring that the flow of the piece’s aesthetic isn’t disrupted.

While the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré is powered by the COSC certified Sellita SW200 automatic movement,  you’re not going to see the mechanism in action due to the closed caseback (which features a very cool inscribed pattern) – but just for the record, this is a workhorse of a movement. It has a 38-hour power reserve, along with a central hacking seconds mechanism, an anti-shock system and the highly welcoming date window at 3 o’clock.

Band choices range from leather, distressed leather, a canvas-webbed strap or a rubber strap. The leather or canvas straps can be raw or carry a bit of patina.

Christopher Ward has added 'patinated straps' into the mix with the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré, which is a very welcoming touch. Patinated means that the straps have been exposed to some form of chemical process, creating a look that would otherwise have taken many years of elemental exposure to achieve.

All in all, the C60 Trident Bronze Ombré embodies the tenets of what I feel constitutes a good watch. It obviously has great aesthetic appeal as well as a sound mechanism, yet isn't too serious. It’s a fun watch that ticks all the right boxes of sitting right in the Goldilocks’ zone of being just enough. The Christopher Ward C60 Trident Bronze Ombré is available in a limited-run of only 300-pieces at $1,485.

Dimitri Tsilioris

Dimitri Tsilioris is a Sydney-based watch writer enthralled by the intricate world of tiny mechanisms, who suspects he’ll never find the ‘perfect’ watch but will never give upon searching for it.