CHRISTOPHER WARD C1 Bel Canto Owner's Review: True Haute Horology or Just a Gimmick?

In this video, Zach Weiss takes us through his ownership journey with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto after 1 full year of ownership. Does it still live up to the hype? Is he still as in love with the piece as he was when he first saw the press release?
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Experience Enthusiasm

[@IVAtheLT]

CW owner for a decade. When I got the email for the Bel Canto that morning, was busy with work. When I went back hours later...I was SHOCKED to see it sold out. I guess I wasn't alone, cause even the brand was surprised. Needless to say, being familiar with their no risk return policy, I immediately ordered the green when I got the email a few days later. No regrets, fantastic watch that is permanently in the collection 💯

[@wornandwound]

Awesome to hear!

[@andymangold]

Great review. Love more thoughtful, long term reviews like this. I especially like your description of the chiming complication and it’s usefulness to you.

[@zachweiss8563]

thank you! Very glad you enjoyed the review.

[@HydrogenAlpha]

I actually have 2 of these... but for a good reason. By the time I found out about it, the 2 limited production runs were sold out, so I put my name down for a black one and waited a year. And I loved it immediately. And then a while back I just happened to be browsing online and someone was selling one of the 10 limited edition 9324 Bel Cantos. So I knew I wouldn't get another chance and I couldn't get it out of my mind and one thing led to another and now I own 2 Bel Cantos. And a twelve... aaaand a Super Compressor. The Bel Canto really is a beauty in person, and a very good fit on a 6 1/12 inch wrist.

[@wornandwound]

Nice!!

[@zachweiss8563]

I mean, how could you not get the 9324 if you had the opportunity! That's awesome, congrats.

[@orderflowarchives]

Is it something you find useful as an everyday driver or is it just nice to look at?

[@HydrogenAlpha]

@@orderflowarchives Mostly sits in the watch box - but I get a kick out of looking at it every day when I go to pick out what I'm going to put on. Nice to wear on a special occasion 🙂

[@USMC_1991]

I was wearing my salmon (rose) dial BC at the grocery store, and the lady next to me in the queue commented on what a beautiful watch it is. She asked what it was, and I told her it's a Christopher Ward. She enthusiastically browsed to the CW website right there as we waited in line.

[@wornandwound]

Awesome to hear!

[@israelcruz4946]

Nice

[@pigsydney]

When I first learned of the Bel Canto,I thought it is was magical.

[@justingalore123]

Got one of the original 300 too. Such an awesome piece. I had a mad 1 and much prefer this - the ethos, look, complication

[@wornandwound]

👏👏👏

[@ogramail]

I am still in honeymoon love with my CW BelCanto Azzuro and totallt agree with all your points. However, I wear it with a grey alligator strap which I find even more classy. Definitively a piece of horological art and a permanent milestone in my collection.

[@nattykatty]

Excellent and well thought out video and review. Agree completely that my favorite part was your insight regarding how the chiming complication plays into your day! Have never wanted a bel canto but this may have changed that!

[@wornandwound]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

I love the beauty that a mechanical chime adds, it has a certain charm and refinement to it, although i wish it would chime 3 times with a short pause in between the chimes, it would let you enjoy the sound better, giving you time to sit back, pause and just listen, plus it would be functionally better giving you less chance of missing the chime upon the hour, i do love the fact that instead of staring at your phone or being distracted by your mechanical watch you can focus on your work and be pleasantly reminded a hour has passed by a beautiful tone.

[@wornandwound]

Good points!

[@rodsalvador3608]

Great video essay! I love that CW made this complication accessible for the normal working person.

[@wornandwound]

Totally agree!

[@AndrewKandel-zh7mo]

Gem of a review.

[@wornandwound]

Thanks!

[@zachweiss8563]

Thank you!

[@davidkrempasky7086]

Great review

[@jerrywarren2007]

Nice discussion. I have a Rosa on a strap. I absolutely agree that it is a watch you keep enjoying. The only weak point of the watch itself is the winding experience from the Stellita. The company is run by amateurs, couldn't make product per schedule, communication was terrible. At least they kept the quality high and the finished product is up to a high standard.

[@wornandwound]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Mike-qo8nm]

So sad they no longer make the dark blue model. Such a stunning piece

[@emmanuelgoldste1n]

this is a good review. I am not too interested in the Bel Canto but learned a lot and like the concept&feeling about the Bel Canto showed

[@wornandwound]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fieldwalker]

Thanks Zach. I’ve inquired as well if they can ever do a BC with a seconds hand, or some other running indicator. Nope nope nope was the answer. So I’ll keep waiting…. BTW, does it still get a lot of attention from collectors? I feel like they’ve become a bit ubiquitous lately

[@wornandwound]

In our collector groups the Bel Canto is always a solid pick!

[@zachweiss8563]

While they are more common now, it still does get a lot of appreciation, especially because it was one of the first 300. I was actually on the subway recently and a watch enthusiast stopped to me compliment me on it, saying he had never seen one in the metal before.

[@morgan97475]

Missed the blue but got the green. Wearing now in fact. My only issues: when winding it, it makes a sort of grinding sound. Also, when adjusting the hands, the gears seem like they don't catch causing the crown to "slip" a bit. Do you notice anything like that with yours?

[@trevorhirst5096]

I received my wyrd version a few weeks back. I immediately put it in a red delugs cts rubber. The sick leather is kinda junk. Honeymoon phase is real. It’s comfy and great size even on 6.75”. Very happy with it

[@wornandwound]

Right on!

[@frank327]

Lovely thoughtful review. The aesthetics of this watch are not for me personally, but you make a really great case for the complication, and the little chime seems quite charming now you have explained its function

[@wornandwound]

Thanks for watching!

[@lukerabin5079]

It’s got to be a sign that it’s just no longer necessary to pay “Holy Trinity” money to get unique watches. And I see you’re in Chicago, my other home town!

[@fullymechanical9055]

I prefer it on the bracelet but there is only 30m WR for obvious reasons. I do wonder about service costs when the time comes.

[@edyu21]

I ordered but after seeing and handling at a watch fair I cancelled the order as I feel the watch is "crude." It's not svelte in anyway and a little awkward to wear when you have other time only watches that are just easier and smaller to wear for someone who has a smaller wrist. The bel canto classic just came out and I'd be tempted again but thanks to your video it reminded me how unwieldy the watch was.

[@m.e.p.r]

I think it’s a beautiful watch, well designed and manufactured, all be it a completely useless complication. I understand what the watch represents and I applaud the innovation, however, upon reflection I think it’s slightly over-hyped. I should say though, I’m glad that this watch exists…if nothing else, I find this watch really interesting, it really stands out in a relatively stagnant marketplace.

[@wornandwound]

Thanks for watching!

[@BradyPuryear]

Side note: LOVE the blue blazer in the shot of you walking at 3:17 who’s the maker?

[@zachweiss8563]

Thanks! It's from Spier & Mackay

[@Ben-iq1pm]

@zach what’s you take on AcT II?

[@zachweiss8563]

I think it's a nice spin on the format, and the quality of the laser guilloché is very impressive, but the introduction of classical elements into the modern case feels less cohesive.

[@Ben-iq1pm]

@ perhaps, as always it is in the eyes of the holder, seeing the shots, I will enjoy glancing at the waves. One could make a case to leave the lumed indices as they are. Perhaps that would have appeased the negativity from other commentators. Nevertheless, I want to look at those 🌊 and ordered one.

[@RJ-cq8dd]

It's a fun novelty but not €4500 fun. If i want an hourly sound i will just turn it on on one of my Casio's (although i never felt i needed it).

[@Thiccolo]

I got the green one, this is going to sound odd, I wish it was quartz. Design more than anything catches my eye, so the design and the functionality together make me want to wear it everyday. The fact that it's mechanical, I have repair and maintenance fees to look forward to.

[@zachweiss8563]

We'll cross the repair bridge when we there 😅

[@Chrissepisje]

Nice move covering the sharpie thumb after the edit. 😅 That said, nice review. I enjoyed the boundless enthusiasm and lyrical speech for a watch I will never find remotely beautiful. It's interesting to understand other people's taste and thoughts, especially when they're far removed from yours.

[@wornandwound]

Appreciate you watching even though it's not your cup of tea!

[@zachweiss8563]

It was ink from a printer cartridge 😂

[@Chrissepisje]

@@wornandwound Zach's reviews are always my cup of tea. They are honest and often funny. We can't all love the same watch, doesn't make it less relatable though. So thanks for putting this up!

[@stephenglennan9963]

I had to send back my BC. It did not chime on the top of the hour. CW techs saiid that the watch was working correctly. When I received the watch again, same story. I asked CW to replace the watch...insead they sent me my money. Sad.