Today, Christopher Ward announces the launch of The Twelve X (Ti), its latest model powered by the company’s in-house movement - Calibre SH21. The Twelve X (Ti) is the latest iteration of the CW’s successful integrated bracelet series launched in 2023, and joins a line up of high-end pieces such as the C60 Apex, C60 Concept, and C1 Bel Canto.
As well as The Twelve X (Ti) being the first Twelve model to be powered by SH21, it is also the first to feature both Grade 5 and Grade 2 titanium in its case, and the premiere of CW’s new
microadjustable bracelet. This Twelve X is also the first iteration of The Twelve to be fully skeletonised, stripping away the traditional dial to reveal the mechanical movement’s workings from the front of the watch.
“We’ve removed more material than ever before, exposing parts of the movement that have previously been hidden,”
says Designer, Will Brackfield. “And the results are spectacular. We’ve simplified shapes, added more contrast between finishes and colours, and generally punched up the look.” SH21 features a twin-barrel design, giving a 120-hour power
reserve. In this new, skeletonised form, wearers are able to view these barrels winding and unwinding through the front of the watch. Each exposed part has to be finished to higher standards than ever; many are deliberately made just a fraction of a millimetre too tall, so they can be polished down using custom-made diamond cutters. “Naturally, this demands the
highest quality CNC machines, as any vibration will leave fine wrinkles on the surface,” Head of Product, Jörg Bader says. “But get it right, and the results will almost match the most
perfect hand polishing.”
The Twelve X (Ti) is an open series watch, designed to be built in numbers, and showcasing CW’s belief that machine finishing is entirely appropriate for high-end watches. Now that the best machines can do the same thing as the human hand, or very nearly, it becomes a tool to help deliver one of CW’s key missions: making high-end watch-making accessible to all.
The Twelve X’s polished, brushed, and sandblasted case is made of two different types of titanium – the Grade 2 of the regular Twelve (Ti), and the ultra-high quality Grade 5 of the Bel Canto. The bulk of the case is Grade 2, with the denser, higher-grade material used
for the bezel and case back, offering a more scratch resistant and higher standard. The Twelve X also features box crystals at front and rear, shaving over two millimetres of perceived case height. The integrated bracelet debuts a redesigned clasp, one with the
sort of quick-adjustment mechanism that was, until recently, unknown on an integrated bracelet.
Co-founder and CEO, Mike France, said: “2024 marks two very special anniversaries for us at Christopher Ward: the business’20th birthday and the 10th year of Calibre
SH21 production.”
“The Twelve X, the watch we have created to celebrate these milestones, is rather special as it demonstrates the core value principle of CW: that a piece should never be sold for more than three times the cost of its manufacture. In the £1,000 price range, we offer the design, finishing, materials and general quality of a watch typically seen at two or three times the price. But in this £3,000-4,000 ballpark, the contrast is even more stark.” “Ultimately, the Twelve X is not just about the anniversaries, or bringing SH21 to more people, or hammering home the Christopher Ward value proposition; it’s also about evangelising
the joys of high-end finishing, however it’s achieved.”
For more information on this watch, visit Christopher Ward