I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time with several Christopher Ward models over the years, including the Sealander C63 GMT, C60 Trident Reef, C1 Jump Hour MK V and, most recently, the Pool Diver(review coming up a later). I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Mr Jones Watches on the rather playful Ricochet. So, I already have a soft spot for both brands and the different things they bring to the world of watchmaking.
When Christopher Ward announced its latest collaboration with Mr Jones Watches, I knew I wanted to share it with my readers. And this time, they’ve come up with something particularly interesting.
Meet the C1 Bel Canto Lucia.
At first glance, it looks like a colourful little world of flowers, leaves, insects and a rather charming bird sitting at its centre. But look a little closer and you’ll discover that this is much more than a decorative dial. The bird is actually part of the watch’s mechanical story, and its movements are connected to the famous chiming mechanism that made the Bel Canto such a special watch in the first place.
A bird that was never supposed to be a bird
The story behind Lucia is perhaps my favourite part of this collaboration.
When Christopher Ward introduced the original Bel Canto, people quickly noticed something interesting about its exposed chiming mechanism. The arrangement of the components looked surprisingly similar to a little bird. It wasn’t necessarily planned that way. In fact, according to Christopher Ward Product Director Jörg Bader, it was simply the result of the symmetry required by the movement.
Sometimes the best ideas happen by accident.
For Lucia, Mr Jones Watches took that resemblance and turned it into the main character of the watch. The inspiration comes from Lucia di Lammermoor, the famous opera by Gaetano Donizetti. In one of its most memorable scenes, Lucia sings about a bird that only she can see.
Here, that imaginary bird finally has a home.
Surrounded by colourful flowers, foliage and tiny insects, the songbird sits in the middle of a miniature garden, with a setting sun completing the scene. It feels almost like looking through a small window into another world.
And this is exactly where Mr Jones Watches shines. The London-based brand has always had a different approach to watch design. Its watches are not simply about showing the time. They tell stories, create conversations and remind us that watchmaking doesn’t always have to take itself too seriously.
When art becomes part of the mechanism
What makes Lucia particularly interesting is that the artwork isn’t simply printed onto a flat dial and placed over the movement. The bird itself has an actual job to do.
Its beak acts as the chime on/off indicator. Pressing the pusher at four o’clock activates a small rotating insect mounted on the column wheel, causing the beak to open or close. The bird’s tail, meanwhile, serves as the hammer that strikes the signature D note every hour.
I think this is a wonderful way to approach a collaboration. Instead of simply putting two brand names together and creating a different dial, the two companies have found a way to make their respective strengths work together.
The scene itself is made from six individual components. These are sent to Mr Jones Watches’ London workshop, where the colours are applied using traditional pad-printing techniques. No fewer than 19 individual colours are used, each requiring its own printing plate and application.
The components are then carefully aligned and laminated together before returning to Christopher Ward’s Atelier in Biel for final assembly.
It is a surprisingly complex process for something that looks so playful. But perhaps that contrast is what makes Lucia so appealing. There is serious watchmaking behind all that colour.
The familiar Bel Canto, with a little more power
Underneath the artwork, Lucia retains the mechanical heart of the Bel Canto: Christopher Ward’s FS01 chiming movement.
The watch sounds a single chime at the top of every hour, thanks to its sonnerie au passage mechanism. This time, however, the movement is paired with Sellita’s newer SW200-2 Power+ base calibre.
The result is an improved power reserve of 65 hours, while keeping the familiar 4Hz frequency and a timing tolerance of -5/+12 seconds per day.
The movement sits inside the familiar 41mm Grade 5 titanium Light-catcher case. It measures 48mm from lug to lug and 14.31mm in height, with a weight of just 54 grams. A new box sapphire crystal gives an uninterrupted view of the colourful scene, while the caseback carries a dedicated Christopher Ward × Mr Jones Watches engraving.
Water resistance is rated at 30 metres, so this is clearly not a watch designed for adventures in the water. Its natural habitat is probably somewhere much more comfortable, where you can sit back and enjoy the little details.
Price and availability
The Lucia joins the Christopher Ward Atelier Collection as an open-series model, rather than a limited edition.
Prices start at £3,995 / $5,550 / €5,195 on a choice of Mastrotto leather straps. The Bader bracelet version is priced at £4,245 / $5,895 / €5,520, while the Consort bracelet option comes in at £4,320 / $5,995 / €5,615.
Unlike the first collaboration between the two brands, the C1 Celestial Moonphase, which sold out its 300-piece production run in less than 48 hours, Lucia will be available as an ongoing model.
And honestly, I think that is good news. A little piece of imagination like this deserves to be discovered by more people.
Would I rock it?
Now, if you read my blog regularly, you probably know that I have a soft spot for unusual watches and colourful dials. I enjoy pieces that have a little personality, something that makes them different from the usual crowd.
And Lucia certainly has that.
I particularly like how the two brands approached this project. Mr Jones Watches brought its imagination and artistic character, while Christopher Ward made sure that the artwork became part of the actual mechanical experience. Neither side feels like an afterthought.
Of course, this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. At this price level, there are plenty of watches with a more traditional appearance. But I don’t think Lucia is trying to compete with them. It is something different, and that is precisely the point.
There is also something quite lovely about the original idea behind it. A mechanical arrangement that accidentally resembled a bird eventually became a little character with its own story, personality and purpose. It is a reminder that sometimes the most interesting things happen when we look at something familiar from a different angle.
And that is probably what I appreciate most about watches like this. They don’t always need to be serious, conservative or predictable. Sometimes it is perfectly fine to have a little fun.
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Specifications:
- Case: Grade 5 Titanium
- Dimensions: 41mm diameter with 48mm lug to lug width and 14.31mm thickness
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Movement: FS01 with 65 hours power reserve(Sellita SW200-2 Power + base)
- Straps: Mastrotto leather strap, Bader bracelet, Consort bracelet
- Lug width: 22mm
Availability & Pricing:
- Mastrotto leather strap: £3,995 / $5,550 / €5,195
- Bader bracelet: £4,245 / $5,895 / €5,520
- Consort bracelet: £4,320 / $5,995 / €5,615
More information at:
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