Christopher Ward C70 VW4 Chronometer Chronograph Limited Edition

In 2013 Christopher Ward launched the 1957 piece C70 VW4 COSCs to celebrate the 1957 victory at Aintree of the Vanwall VW4 racing car. Driven by Tony Brooks and Stirling Moss, it was the first time a World Championship Grand Prix race had been won in Britain by a British car, driven by British drivers.

The '20' at 12 o'clock pays homage to the race number on Brooks and Moss' car at the time.

It’s a June 2014 watch, so it’s one of the earlier ones. Earlier models came with ‘fitted end’ leather straps with the butterfly deployant clasp, later watches tended to come with ‘universal’ rounded shoulders with a standard tang buckles - the advantage of these later straps is that the watch can be laid down flat when you take it off, which you can’t do with the fitted straps. The advantage with the earlier straps is they look better and the clasps are better (IMHO).

It’s powered by the remarkably accurate and COSC certified ETA 251.233 calibre.

Condition

If you’re familiar with C70s, you’ll know their exposed aluminium bezel has a reputation for getting fairly easily marked - with daily worn examples looking like they’ve spent more time in a cement mixer than on a wrist!

This example has been worn and the bezel proudly displays the evidence! It’s certainly one of those watches that looks better in the flesh than in the photos. In the flesh, most of the bezel marks blend into the crystal, so you barely notice they’re there unless you get in close. But in the photos, the bright white LED lights of my photography cube reflect any exposed silver aluminium, making the marks look far worse than they actually are (I’m not saying that to sound like a dodgy used car salesman by the way, I’m saying that because it’s the truth!).

Elsewhere on the polished sections of the case you’ll find light marks from use - a bit of Cape Cod time would get the left side of the case looking like new.

It’s fitted with the correct, original Tiber leather strap with its fitted ends and butterfly deployant clasp. The shoulders on the ‘fitted’ straps are prone to splitting and that’s just starting to happen on one of the four corners. I’ve seen them a LOT worse and with careful use, I see no reason why this scrap wouldn’t last for many more years with rotated collection use.

Supplied as an almost ‘full set’ including original case, owner’s manual (with certificate of authenticity) and unused polishing cloth. The only thing missing is the COSC certificate.

It’s recently been to CW to have a new battery fitted, so should be good for another 3-4 years, depending on how much you use the chronograph functions.

In summary, it’s a good used example of this very collectable and in this case very wearable, LE model.

Specifications

• Case size: 42mm

• Lug width: 22mm

• Height: 10.7mm

• Waterproof: 100m

• Movement: ETA 251.233 COSC quartz

User Manual

A PDF version on the owner’s handbook is available on the CW website: https://www.christopherward.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-cw-library/default/dwda20ce4b/pdfs/Motorsport/c70vw4_manual.pdf

Final Notes

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