Christopher Ward C40 SpeedHawk Automatic Chronograph

The C40 was Christopher Ward's first automatic chronograph and the first of many models to use the famous ETA 7750 Valjoux movement - others include the C700, C1000, C7 and a couple of C60s. The same calibre can be found inside many premium watch brands such as Breitling, TAG Heuer, Panerai, Omega, IWC etc.

Launched in 2009 at a pretty remarkable £500 on leather strap, the C40 is the big brother to the C4 Peregrine quartz - at 16mm tall and with its beefy bezel, it certainly makes a statement on your wrist. It was CW’s flagship motorsport watch until its retirement in 2012 (when the bracelet model cost £850).

Condition
The owner’s manual/Certificate of Authenticity are unfortunately missing, so I’m unsure of the exact age, but it’s safe to assume it’s around ten years old. It does come with the original case and four spare bracelet links - currently sized for approx. 7.5in wrist. It’s seen regular wrist time during its life, so there are various light marks on the case and bezel - the worst of which is the one between 20 and 25 minutes on the edge of the bezel. Plenty of desk diving marks can be seen on the bracelet, which could easily be brushed out if you have a pad. The highly polished sides to the case could also benefit from some Cape Cod time to bring them back to their former glory - as with all my watches, I’ve left it as a ‘warts and all’ so you can see it for what it is.

The watch has nothing to hide - it’s no minter, but I’ve seen far worse. It’s in great working order, with all watch functions working as they should.

Specifications

• Case size: 42mm

• Lug width: 22mm

• Height: 16mm

• Waterproof: 50m

• Movement: ETA 7750 Valjoux

User Manual

A PDF version is available on the CW website: https://www.christopherward.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-cw-library/default/dw224480ea/pdfs/Motorsport/c40_manual.pdf

Final Notes

• The first photo is a library shot. The rest all show the actual watch and package.