Earlier this year Christopher Ward revamped the C63 Sealander collection with a series of updates that pushed the watch in a more refined direction, distancing it from its tool watch origins to become a go anywhere, do anything timepiece suitable for all occasions whether formal or adventurous. Now they’re pushing that refinement and elegance even further with the introduction of the new Sealander Yalos series, which elevates the collection with new stamped dials, redesigned hands and markers, upgraded case material and COSC chronometer movements.
Let’s jump straight to the dial, where the biggest visual updates can be found. The Sealander Yalos comes in four variants, each with a stamped dial that features a distinct texture and colour. There is Ice Blue with a fractured, glacial pattern that reminds me of meteorite. Salt Pink with a crystalline sunray motif. Sand White (more of a khaki brown or champagne) with a similar fractured appearance to the Ice Blue but with wider, broader strokes. Lastly, Sea Green with kelp-like seaweed tendrils.
Each dial is produced via a 20-step process that involves stamping the dial three times before applying colour treatments and finally a layer of lacquer to give a consistent finish. As you may have gathered from the names of each variant, they are inspired by coastal regions.
In addition to the new dial textures, the hands and hour markers have been updated compared to the standard C63 Sealander as well. In short, all the lume has been removed. The central hands are now solid, and the hour markers are uniform batons. The effect is to give the watch a more elegant, dress watch aesthetic compared to the standard model. It reminds me of the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 collection that also balances quasi-sporty cases with textured dials and solid hands.
In addition to the new dials, the Sealander Yalos has an updated case as well. The circular bezel has been removed, giving the piece a more continuous flow from lug-to-lug and exposing more of the box sapphire crystal. It has the same diameter as the larger of the C63 Sealander models at 39mm but the thickness is just 9.9mm (down from 10.9mm), again reinforcing its newfound refinement. On top of that, it is made from 904L stainless steel instead of 316L, an alloy with improved corrosion resistance and which can be polished to a brighter, mirror-like sheen. Because of this material change, the Consort 5-link bracelet has also been reworked.
Inside, the Sealander Yalos houses the Sellita SW300-1 COSC Chronometer movement with 56-hour power reserve. That’s actually a reduction in power reserve compared to the 65-hours of the Sellita SW200-2 in the standard collection, but that’s an acceptable trade in return for the improved accuracy and reliability of a chronometer movement. The movement, which is visible through the exhibition caseback, also explains the reduced thickness of the case because the calibre is itself slimmer than the SW200-2.
Ultimately, I quite like this collection. It feels like the Sealander equivalent to the Dune Shoreline, a watch that has a close place in my heart for obvious reasons. The Christopher Ward Sealander Yalos is priced at £1,290 on Vesuvio leather strap (a new strap series also being introduced with this model, with a velvet-like finish in a range of colours) or £1,495 on steel bracelet. It’s available to order from today.
Price and Specs:
£1,495 (approx. $2,095) stainless steel bracelet
More details at Christopher Ward.
