Christopher Ward C70 British GP 1926 Chronometer

Introduction

The C70GP Brooklands is a 500-piece Limited Edition watch which was part of the original six C70 Grand Prix models launched in 2009. The C70 was a brave move by CW, creating a series of very eye-catching motorsport-style models. It turned out to be a hit, paving the way for some 22 different C70 models over the years!

The C70 GP series celebrated the inaugural Grand Prix race at each of six different countries:

• France in 1906 with the C70FR Grand Epreuve

• Italy in 1921 with the C70IT Rosso Corsa

• USA in 1923 with the C70US Cunningham Stripe (a bit of artistic licence used on that one, what with the Cunningham Stripes not actually being used until the early ‘50s!)

• Belgium in 1925 with the C70BR Ascari

• Great Britain in 1926 with the C70GB Brooklands

• And finally Germany in 1931 with the C70DE Silver Arrow

The one for sale here is the C70GB Brooklands, celebrating the first British Grand Prix which was organised by Henry Segrave at the Brooklands (now Mercedes Benz World) in Surrey. It was held on the 7th August 1927 and was won by Frenchman Robert Senechal in his Delage 155B.

Warranty

As a older watch, the five year CW warranty has expired, so it comes with a three month Ward Hoard warranty.

Strap

It’s fitted with a black CW Vintage Oak leather strap in great condition. .

Will exchange for a bracelet for an additional cost of £120.

Condition

The C70’s exposed alloy bezel and thinly applied paint make it notoriously delicate, so finding the older ones in good condition is becoming increasingly challenging (CW has long since exhausted its supply of replacement bezels/cases).

The watch in this listing is in really nice condition - it’s not perfect, there are a few marks and dings on the bezel, clearly visible in the photos, but it is much better than most that I’ve seen.

It comes complete with the original Owner’s Handbook with Certificate of Authenticity, plus original CW box (which is also in good condition with the correct cushion), COSC certificate and polishing cloth.

In summary, it’s a lovely example of a very hard to find watch.

Specifications

• Case size: 42mm

• Lug width: 22mm

• Height: 10.7mm

• Waterproof: 50m

• Movement: ETA 251.272 quartz

User Manual
A PDF version of the owner’s manual is available on the CW website: https://www.christopherward.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-cw-library/default/dwa255857f/pdfs/Motorsport/c70_manual.pdf

Final Notes

• Note the first photograph is a library shot, the rest all show the actual watch and package.