Christopher Ward
Christopher Ward is a British watch company founded in 2004 and based in Maidenhead. It designs watches in England, makes them in Switzerland and sells them direct to consumers.
| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Christopher Ward, Mike France, Peter Ellis |
| Headquarters | Maidenhead, United Kingdom |
| Production | Biel, Switzerland |
| Website | christopherward.com |
What is Christopher Ward?
Christopher Ward is a British watchmaker founded in 2004 by Christopher Ward, Mike France and Peter Ellis. Headquartered in Maidenhead, Berkshire, it designs its watches in England and manufactures them in Switzerland. Mike France is chief executive.
History
In 2014 the company merged with its Swiss manufacturing partner, Synergies Horlogères SA, giving it its own production base in Biel. There it developed the in-house Calibre SH21 movement.
Products and positioning
Christopher Ward offers Swiss-made mechanical watches at accessible luxury prices. Key collections include:
- C60 Trident dive watches
- C1 Bel Canto, a chiming watch
- The Twelve, an integrated-bracelet sports watch launched in 2023
Distribution
The company is a pioneer of direct-to-consumer watch sales. It sells through its own website and telephone channels and through six showrooms in the United Kingdom and the United States, rather than through traditional retailers.
Why it matters
Christopher Ward demonstrated that a watch brand could scale online without a wholesale network, a model that many newer watch brands have since followed.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Christopher Ward?
Christopher Ward was founded in 2004 by Christopher Ward, Mike France and Peter Ellis.
Where are Christopher Ward watches made?
Christopher Ward watches are designed in England and manufactured in Switzerland, with production in Biel.