Christopher Ward Pays Tribute to British Racing History with New Limited Editions


British-designed, Swiss-made watch brand Christopher Ward is launching a pair of new limited-edition timepieces, both inspired by milestones in Great Britain’s auto racing history. The C9 D-Type pays homage to the Jaguar D-Type that won three Le Mans championships from 1955 to 1957, while the C9DB4 ‘1VEV’ is a ticking tribute to the Aston Martin D84 GT Zagato raced in 1961 at Goodwood.

The Christopher Ward c9 DB4 ‘1VEV’ incorporates design cues from the classic racecar driven by Ray Salvadori, only 19 of which were ever produced. Fittingly, the watch is also limited to just 19 pieces, each highlighted by a piece of aluminum from a body panel of the original ‘1 VEV’ car, laser-cut into the shape of an Aston Martin steering wheel, embedded into the caseback.

Christopher Ward C9 DB4 1'VEV' - front
Christopher Ward C9 DB4 1'VEV' - back

The watch has a 43-mm, marine-grade stainless steel case with a brushed crown and a nonreflective sapphire crystal. Its matte black dial features contrasting white speedometer-style numerals and a fuel-gauge-inspired power-reserve display at 6 o’clock. It is equipped with the automatic ETA Valgranges A07.161 caliber, with a 46-hour power reserve and a rotor enhanced with côtes de Genève and painted in Aston Martin green. Each watch has the ‘1 VEV’ license plate number and engine number, along with the model’s serial number (xx/19), engraved in the caseback, and comes on a Pecari camel leather strap. The price is £3,995, or approximately $5,220.

Christopher Ward C9 DB4 1'VEV' - reclining

Limited to a slightly more accessible 55 pieces, the Christopher Ward C9 D-Type takes its inspiration from the Jaguar that Mike Hawthorne drove to victory in 1955, only 18 of which were ever made for racing. Like the ‘1 VEV,’ this watch incorporates a physical piece of automotive history in its exhibition caseback — a piece of metal taken from a production D-Type’s flat hot 3.4L piston, laser-cut into a shape evoking the model’s distinctive spinner and wheels.

Christopher Ward C9 D-Type - front
Christopher Ward C9 D-Type - back

Outfitted with the automatic ETA Valgranges A07.161 movement and housed in a 43-mm polished steel case, the watch has a black dial designed to echo the look of the famous D-Type dashboard speedometer, with a fuel-tank-inspired power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock. A touch of green appears on this model’s winding rotor as well, matching the color associated with the 1955 winning car. The C9 D-Type watch comes on a stitched peccary black leather strap and is priced at £2,995 (around $3,915).

Christopher Ward C9 D-Type - reclining
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