One of The Most Compelling Affordable Watches Ever Just Got a Sequel

Don’t worry, it’s still an excellent value.

closeup of a christopher ward bel canto watch dial

Published October 31, 2024

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It’s hard to think of a recent watch that’s made a bigger splash on the affordable market than the Christopher Ward Bel Canto.

Dropping like a bomb at the end of 2022, the watch introduced an entirely new complication to the affordable watch category. Chiming complications like grande sonneries and minute repeaters are among the most prestigious — and expensive — in all of haute horology.

It’s not uncommon for these types of watches to retail for six figures, which is what made the Bel Canto so impressive. While certainly less complicated than a grand sonnerie or minute repeater, CW’s watch featured an in-house module that automatically chimes every hour, on the hour — a complication known as a sonnerie au passage.

a christopher ward bel canto watch on a mans wrist — The original award-winning Bel Canto from 2022 set a new benchmark for what affordable watches could be.

The watch was also highly attractive and wearable as an everyday piece, and best of all, it only cost around $4,000 — making it the most affordable mechanical chiming watch on the market by several magnitudes. In 2023, the Bel Canto won a GPHG award — the “Oscars for watches” — and became a phenomenon among enthusiasts.

Now, CW is doubling down on the Bel Canto by launching a second generation of the watch in the Bel Canto Classic. And, somehow, it’s even better than before.

a christopher ward bel canto watch in a blue room — The Bel Canto makes some beautiful changes with the new Bel Canto Classic.

The New Classic

Christopher Ward’s new take on its most impressive watch is called the C1 Bel Canto Classic, as it takes a more classic approach to design than the futuristic original.

The most prominent changes occur on the dial. Replacing the original’s sunburst platine is one featuring a traditional guilloché pattern. But there’s nothing traditional about how the guilloché was created. Rather than being engraved by hand using a rose engine, the engravings are done with a state-of-the-art Femto laser in a process that takes about two hours per dial.

a closeup of a a christopher ward bel canto watch dial — Each laser-guillochéd dial takes about two hours to complete.

Next, the floating dial has been updated for not only a more timeless appearance but also enhanced legibility. The applied and lumed indices have been swapped out in favor of printed black Roman numerals on a circular-brushed silver dial complete with an outer minute track.

The crystal has also been updated, as it’s now a box-style sapphire to allow more space for the three-dimensional dial. The crystal offers heightened retro looks as well as a more dramatic appearance.

a christopher ward bel canto watch clasp on a leather strap — One of the low-key best features of the addition of the new Bel Canto is the Bader deployant clasp.

The final major change is found in the watch’s leather strap, which now comes equipped with a new Bader deployant clasp. This is my personal favorite style of deployant, as it allows you to tuck the excess end of the strap underneath against your wrist and boasts a clean appearance with no keepers.

The Bel Canto’s claim to fame — the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with Christopher Ward’s FS01 chiming module — remains unchanged. It’s exactly the same as before, right down to the hand-beveled bridges and chiming works and the four o’clock on/off pusher. The 41mm Grade 5 titanium case also remains the same.

Pricing and Availability

There is good news and bad news regarding the Bel Canto Classic’s pricing and availability.

First, the bad news. Due to the increased cost and expertise required for the guilloché dial, the Bel Canto Classic is a fair bit more expensive than the original. It retails for $4,225 on leather or $4,540 on a matching Grade 5 titanium bracelet. That’s an increase of $430 and $330 over the OG, respectively.

The good news is twofold. First off, the Bel Canto Classic is not replacing the original Bel Canto. It’s simply an expansion of the line, meaning you can still purchase the original if you prefer it (or if you want to save a few hundred bucks).

a person selects a watch from a lineup of a christopher ward bel canto watches in a valet tray — Four colors of the watch are available, from more muted gold and silver to louder green and blue.

Secondly, CW announced that it has acquired a 20-percent stake in Swiss manufacturing partner Paoluzzo, which performs the CNC machining for the chiming module’s parts. With this new investment, the brand is able to eliminate the year-long lead times that have been a hallmark of the Bel Canto since its launch, meaning you’ll be able to get your watch months sooner.

The Bel Canto Classic is available to order now, with the first deliveries expected in December, and is available in four colors: Oro (gold), Azzurro (blue), Argento (silver) and Verde (green). I’m a sucker for the gold one — it gives me a Breguet vibe of which I am quite fond — but all options are quite stunning and remain a tremendous value.