Last summer Christopher Ward debuted the new Trident Reef collection, a bright and fun series of dive watches ready for the sun. They also measured a broad 44mm in diameter. Following up from that release, Christopher Ward have introduced a series of their more established tool watch divers at the new size of 44mm too following the popularity of the Reef. They’re the 44mm Trident Pro 300 and 44mm C60 Trident GMT.
Unsurprisingly here, the focus is on the new case sizing. The first of the new references is the Trident Pro 300 in blue, black and white, which measure 44mm x 11.7mm in steel. There’s then the Trident Pro 300 Bronze, which has the same dimensions with the difference that it’s made from the titular bronze instead of steel, adding more of that retro aquatic charm with the patina it will develop.
Also at the new 44mm case size are the Trident GMT models, which are slightly thicker at 44mm x 12.15mm. That’s likely due to the addition of the extra GMT hand on the central hand stack, requiring a bit of extra space along with the alternative movement. Specifically, the GMTs house the Sellita SW330-2 while the three hand models house the SW200-1. Significantly, the bronze version is COSC chronometer certified while the steel is not.
There is a long tradition of big diving watches for multiple reasons. On one level, tool watches tend to have a bold style that suits bigger guys better than dainty dress watches and bigger guys need bigger watches. On a more practical point, bigger dimensions allow watches to have thicker walls, which improves pressure resistance allowing a watch to survive at deeper depths. At the same time, it allows for wider dials that are easier to read.
For pricing, the steel 44mm Trident Pro 300 is £915, the Bronze is £1,060/£1,070 depending on strap options and the GMTs are £1,150. Vintage proportions may have dominated the past few years, but big watches are making a comeback.
More details at Christopher Ward.
