There’s something undeniably charming about bronze watches. They’re living objects in a way stainless steel or titanium never quite manage to be. Bronze develops a patina unique to your lifestyle — a fingerprint of adventures, weather, sweat, saltwater, and time. Pair that material with Christopher Ward’s knack for modern British design and Swiss precision, and you end up with the C65 Pro 300 Bronze Blue Ombré — a diver that manages to be both rugged and refined.
I’ve been spending time with the blue dial version of this watch, and honestly, it’s one of the most satisfying releases from Christopher Ward in recent years. This is a piece that doesn’t just rely on bronze’s novelty to sell itself — it’s well-engineered, thoughtfully designed, and frankly a joy to wear. The fact that it only costs €1400 makes it even more compelling, because you’re not just buying a bronze diver. You’re buying one of the thinnest 300-meter divers with an exhibition caseback on the market at this price. That’s not a small thing — most divers with this spec profile are chunky bricks, yet this one slides under a cuff.
The unboxing experience is consistent with my previous Christopher Ward reviews. The watch arrives in a compact leather-and-wood presentation box that also includes the warranty card, instruction manual, and a cleaning cloth. Personally, I prefer this packaging over the brand’s earlier oversized boxes — it feels more refined and practical. That said, I would have appreciated an even more functional solution, such as a travel pouch or a watch roll, which would take up less space and be genuinely useful beyond the initial unboxing. First impressions of the watch itself were very positive. What struck me immediately was just how thin it is. On the downside, I wasn’t particularly fond of the supplied leather strap. The heavy distressing and the shade of the leather simply don’t suit my personal taste, though that’s entirely subjective and many will likely enjoy the vintage aesthetic.
The case is where the C65 Pro 300 Bronze makes its first strong impression. At 42mm in diameter, 49.3mm lug-to-lug, and just 11.5mm thick, the proportions are spot-on for a modern diver. That slimness is worth highlighting: most 300m divers with automatic movements and display backs push 13mm, 14mm, sometimes even 15mm thick. Christopher Ward managed to engineer this one to stay elegant without sacrificing capability. It’s one of the first things I noticed on the wrist — this doesn’t wear like a chunky tool watch, but like a refined sports watch that just happens to be rated for 300m. The alloy here is CuSn6 bronze — a high-tin, corrosion-resistant formula that’s prized for its deep golden tone and the way it develops patina. Fresh out of the box it shines like new penny, but give it weeks or months on the wrist and it darkens, deepens, and sometimes blooms with green highlights depending on your environment. That transformation is part of the fun. The watch becomes yours alone.
The case uses Christopher Ward’s “Light Catcher” design, with brushed surfaces and sharply defined polished chamfers. Even as the bronze ages and the patina mutes the reflections, those sculpted edges still catch light beautifully. The lugs curve downward for a snug fit, and at 49.3mm lug-to-lug, it’s surprisingly wearable even for smaller wrists. On my 18cm wrist, it balances well and doesn’t overhang. The bezel is another standout element. It’s a 120-click unidirectional bronze bezel with a blue matte ceramic insert that matches the dial. Fully graduated and filled with lume, it’s both functional and handsome. The action is crisp with no backplay, exactly what you want on a serious dive watch. Bronze bezels can sometimes be too slippery or feel soft; not here — the machining is excellent.
At 4 o’clock, you’ll find a 6.4mm bronze screw-down crown. It’s signed with Christopher Ward’s twin-flag logo and nicely protected by the crown guards. The threading is smooth, and operation is easy thanks to the grip pattern. It’s the kind of crown you don’t need to fight with, which is not something every brand gets right. Protecting the dial is a flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. It stays clear and legible even in bright light. Around back is where the watch surprises: a screw-in stainless steel exhibition caseback that displays the COSC-certified movement. Having a display back on a 300m diver is rare enough, but having one on a watch this thin at this price is genuinely impressive. Overall, the case is not just bronze for the sake of trendiness — it’s a well-proportioned, beautifully finished design that combines vintage charm with modern engineering.
The dial is where the “Blue Ombré” earns its name. It starts as a rich royal blue in the center and gradually darkens to near-black at the edges, achieved by spinning the dial at high speed while applying paint. The result is hypnotic. It’s not a loud sunburst, not a flat matte — it’s a sophisticated gradient that feels alive as the light shifts. The applied indices and hands are rose-gold-toned, echoing the bronze of the case, and filled with Super-LumiNova X1 BL C1. The lume is excellent — bright, crisp, and long-lasting, with the bezel numerals glowing alongside the dial. At night, it lights up like a proper diver should, matching or even outshining competitors in the same price range.
The Christopher Ward twin-flag logo sits applied under 12 o’clock, polished and complex in construction. At 6 o’clock, a color-matched date window integrates seamlessly into the design. The date wheel is blue with white printing, so it blends in instead of breaking the dial symmetry. Small detail, but one that shows the brand’s attention to aesthetics. The handset deserves mention too. Multi-faceted, part brushed, part polished, and filled with lume, they’re legible yet refined. The seconds hand has Christopher Ward’s signature trident counterweight — a small nod to the Trident collection’s identity. If you care about dials, this one won’t disappoint. It’s layered, well-finished, and manages to feel luxurious at a price point where some brands still cut corners.
Inside beats the Sellita SW200-1 COSC. Now, the SW200 needs no introduction — it’s a Swiss workhorse, reliable, serviceable, and widespread. But Christopher Ward goes the extra step here: they use the chronometer-certified grade, regulated to -4/+6 seconds per day. That’s not marketing fluff; it means the movement has been tested and certified by COSC in Switzerland. Specs are straightforward: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), 26 jewels, and about 38 hours of power reserve. Would I prefer 40+ hours? Sure, but realistically, if you’re wearing it daily, it’s more than fine. The important part is accuracy, and this one delivers. Through the caseback, you can see the movement decorated with a Colimaçoné finish and an engraved rotor bearing the twin-flag logo. It’s not haute horlogerie, but it’s clean, attractive, and frankly much nicer than you might expect at €1400. And again, I keep circling back to the fact: a COSC-certified movement, on display, in a 300m diver this thin, at this price. That’s uncommon.
Christopher Ward offers two options: a distressed brown leather strap or a blue hybrid rubber strap. Mine came on the leather, and it has this “rustic chic” vibe of bronze. The leather feels supple but substantial, with quick-release spring bars and a matching bronze buckle. It tapers from 22mm to 20mm for comfort and balance. While the strap looks appealing on the brand’s website, in person it gives off a different impression. To my eye, it feels less refined, and the color in particular doesn’t quite work for me. I know some people will appreciate the distressed vintage aesthetic, but personally I find the tone a bit off, and it just doesn’t suit my taste.
The Christopher Ward C65 Pro 300 Bronze Blue Ombré is one of those watches that makes you smile every time you check the time. It’s thin, comfortable, well-proportioned, and oozes personality thanks to its evolving bronze case and mesmerizing blue gradient dial. The COSC-certified movement is reliable, the lume is strong, and the finishing punches well above the asking price. Yes, bronze isn’t for everyone. It will change, darken, and sometimes surprise you with its patina. If you’re someone who obsesses over scratches and wants a watch to stay pristine, this probably isn’t the one. But if you want a watch that grows with you, that tells a visual story of where you’ve been, then bronze is special. And at only €1400, with a COSC movement, exhibition caseback, and 300m of water resistance packed into a case that’s just 11.5mm thin — it’s hard to beat. In a world where divers often blur together, the C65 Pro 300 Bronze stands apart. It’s not just another Submariner homage or another chunky bronze lump. It’s a thoughtful blend of British design, Swiss engineering, and a whole lot of character. For me, that makes it one of the most compelling value propositions in the dive watch world today.
KaminskyBlog 