Christopher Ward C8 Regulator PVD Mk2 Limited Edition

Introduction

CW has a long history of producing unconventional watches and this C8 Regulator is a perfect example. Sometimes they prove to be very popular (I’m thinking C9 Jumping Hour and C1 Bel Canto), other times things don’t really take off - as was the case with this aviation-inspired piece.

Thanks to a modified Unitas 6498, the face features three dials: the main one is minutes, the top one is hours and the bottom one is seconds.

The Mk1 was launched in August 2013 and cost £1,000 (£1,300 in today’s money). When you consider that the C60 Trident Pro cost just £400 at the time and CW wasn’t having the easiest of times establishing itself as a seller of four-figure watches, it’s not hard to to understand why sales of this model were slow. It limped on until its retirement in Jan 2016.

CW did a second run of these. Introduced in February 2017, the C8 Regulator LE is a limited edition version (100 pieces) of the Regulator, with the v.3 Logo and a smoked (sapphire crystal) display case back. Again, they didn’t sell out quickly (as most new releases seem to do now), and the last was sold in May 2018.

But as often happens, what was an unloved, ugly duckling a decade ago is now a very collectable piece which change hands very rarely these days. This one is a very rare one - being a prototype that was sold in December 2018.

That caseback is something else - you may find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time, just looking at the back!

Warranty

It comes with a three month Ward Hoard warranty.

Strap

It comes on a distressed Tiber brown leather strap that has a beautiful patina.

Condition

It’s just lovely. It’s in fantastic shape with no marks that I can see at all.

Offered as a full set including inner luxury wooden and outer CW boxes, user manual with Certificate of Authenticity, unused polishing cloth, original invoice and a copy of the standard covering letter of the time.

Keeping almost perfect time on the timegrapher.

In summary: a great example of an almost impossible to find watch.

Specifications

• Case size: 44mm

• Lug width: 22mm

• Height: 11.4mm

• Waterproof: 50m

• Movement: Unitas 6498 (modified)

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/dwc06a3ef1/pdfs/Aviation/c8regulator_manual.pdf