Christopher Ward Trident Mk3 600 Watch Review

I was one of the fortunate reviewers to get a first-hand look at the brand new Mk3 Trident, released earlier this year. The model that was sent to me was the Elite 1000; and whilst it’s a belter of a watch, it’s over £1000 and a limited edition of only 300 pieces.

The Trident Mk3 600, however, is much cheaper and therefore more accessible by many, and in turn, is a more suitable watch for review.

When you compare the Mk3 with all Tridents that preceded it, there’s very little that remains: in effect, the Trident counter-weight on the seconds hand and the stylised deep-stamped caseback are the only things. Where are the onion and sword hands and the wavey dial that became synonymous with the Trident? Everything is completely reworked, and the design has been modernised to match the new branding.

They’ve practically started with a blank slate in terms of construction; everything is notably better quality. Let’s check it out to see if it’s worth £795.

The specs

• Dimensions: 40mm diameter x 12.95mm height x 47.46mm lug to lug
• Weight: 159g
• Water resistance rating: 60ATM / 600m
• Movement: Sellita SW200-1
• Accuracy: +7.3 sec/day
• Lug width: 20mm
• Warranty: 5 years
• Price: £795
• Available from: https://www.christopherward.co.uk/c60-trident-pro-600-mk3-7

The video review

The case

The Trident Mk3 is available in 3 different case sizes. For me and my slightly over 7” wrist, the 40mm is spot on. It’s so comfortable, perfectly proportioned, and looks at home on the wrist. Not overbearing, but subtle, classy; just right.

It utilises Christopher Ward’s new “light catcher” case, which can only be described as a work of art and as curvaceous as a racing car; think Aston Martin DB9. Every angle produces eye-catching lines and a variety of reflections thanks to the contours and alternating finishes.

Christopher Ward has claimed that the bezel mechanism on the new Trident v3 is one of the best you can get. It’s quite a bold claim and one that I can’t verify as I’ve not used the bezel on every watch in existence. What I can say that it is indeed very good, with no backwards play, great accuracy, and a loud click. Perhaps it could be a bit smoother, but that’s down to personal preference. There is, however, a minute amount of wiggle when pressing down on top of the bezel at 12 and 6.

The bezel insert is constructed of deep, reflective zirconia ceramic, working very well with the glossy dial. The markings are engraved accurately within and filled with lume; the design of the triangle at 12 rather than a pip looks great.

With a water resistance of 60ATM / 600m, this is a serious dive watch; offering double the rating of a Rolex Submariner and matching the Omega Planet Ocean, it’s clear that Christopher Ward is focusing on making this watch as good value for money as possible.

The crown is protected by subtle and elegant crown guards, offering a measure of protection. The screw-in crown itself is a great size and shape: it doesn’t look out of place in the overall aesthetic of the watch, and it’s easy to use. The grip is very thick offering great purchase whilst using it; the thread whilst screwing/unscrewing it is also reassuringly tight and sturdy. The twin flags motif is deeply embossed on top of a frosted backdrop, showing excellent accuracy and close attention to detail.

The caseback is an impressive deep-stamped feast for the eyes and fingers, providing plenty of depth and texture. The central region is a trident surrounded by the company and model name; which are all polished set against the frosted finish as per the crown. Surrounding this are some lightly engraved details, and around the outside edge are deeply engraved channels mimicking a diving regulator.

Sitting on top of the case is a slightly raised sapphire crystal with a chamfered edge. The anti-reflective coating is effective, providing a clear view of the glossy dial.

The dial

The Christopher Ward Trident Mk3 features a glossy, lacquered dial to replace the classic wavey texture. I feel this works better with the latest branding; it makes it much more modern in appearance and also the glossiness has a more luxurious air to it. Similar to the Planet Ocean Liquid Metal, the thick yet accurate white printwork sits on top of the reflective surface, providing excellent legibility.

Lume has always been a bit of a disappointment on Christopher Ward watches; thankfully they’ve considered this issue, and have upgraded the lume to X1 GL C1 Super-Luminova, which has also been liberally applied. I can confirm – the lume is incredibly bright; charging extremely fast, glowing brightly, and lasting a long time.

The hands are the next thing that is completely remodelled; all that remains is the trident counterweight on the seconds hand. No longer is there the classic sword minute hand and onion hour hand, but rather a very direct arrow hour hand and pointed baton minute hand. They’re filled with lume, as well as having a pleasant array of finishes: a central bushed channel, flanked by polished edges either side.

The hour markers are similar in design to the primary hands; with a lumed central channel, brushed edges and a polished incline at the base.

The date window is cut out of the dial, with a white painted border surrounding it. The date wheel is also black to match.

The bracelet

There are two killer features on the new bracelet: firstly, quick-release tabs; and secondly, a quick, easy and well-concealed micro-adjustment system.

The end links contain the quick-release tabs – just a quick squeeze allows you to take the bracelet off with ease; now strap changes are a matter of minutes rather than painfully trying to remove the bracelet. Plus, no tool markings from the inevitable slipping. I think because of this, the end links aren’t as tight as usual; there has to be a tiny amount of play for the quick release bracelet to be easy to use.

The links have received a favourable redesign too; with a wider centre link which provides a more modern look. They’re completely brushed to hold off any scratches for as long as possible.

The buckle is simple but chunky, with a button either side to realise. It’s also fully brushed, so it’s less likely to pick up scratches (although mine has got a few already). There’s an indent either side to continue the line break of the outer links, and the twin flags motif is deeply engraved near the top.

The micro-adjustment system is great: I’ve found myself using it several times during the heat of the summer when my wrist expands and contracts in size. Just a quick slide of the button and you can readjust the positioning of the bottom link to give you a good few millimetres adjustment. I’ve found it works perfectly to get the right fit.

The movement

The movement powering the Christopher Ward Trident Mk3 600 is the Sellita SW200-1. Hidden away behind the closed caseback, it’s a clone of the effervescent ETA 2824-2, but with an extra jewel. Now that ETA is starting to stop providing the 2824-2 and other movements to manufacturers who aren’t within the Swatch group, Sellita is one of the best alternatives to go for.

It has all the same specs: 28.8k bph (8 ticks a second), ~40-hour power reserve, hacking second hand, auto and hand winding capabilities. This one is coming at a reasonable +7.3 sec/day.

Final comments

When you consider the fact that everything is rebuilt to a much higher quality, the extra £100 from the Trident v2 doesn’t seem that much.

The attention to detail is sensational. I have heard about some QC issues and also timings; however there’s nothing wrong with mine so hopefully, they’ll get ironed out as time goes on. After all, the model has only been out for a matter of months; and I understand that Christopher Ward simply didn’t expect the sheer success and popularity of the Mk3 that it has received – so they’re playing catch up to demand.

The Christopher Ward Trident Mk3 looks fantastic; feels excellent quality in the hands, and is truly a premium dive watch. I adore it and can’t think of a more luxurious watch for the price.