Christopher Ward C5 Malvern 595 Watch Review

Christopher Ward have released their thinnest mechanical yet, fittingly named the 595 – part of their C5 Malvern collection. Not only is it £595, but it’s also 5.95mm thick – which is something pretty incredible when you inspect and wear it.

It’s almost the thinnest watch I’ve ever reviewed, just shy of the Epos Originale 3408 at 5.9mm (although that does cost £400 more) which uses the same movement. Is half a millimetre difference enough?

It’s also worth noting that this is the first time I’ve seen their new presentation case, which is an excellent upgrade. It creates a wonderful unboxing experience, plus upping the luxurious feel of the entire package. Watch the video review for the full unboxing process.

The specs

• Dimensions: 39mm diameter x 5.95mm height x 45.8mm lug to lug
• Weight: 43g
• Water resistance rating: 3ATM / 30m
• Movement: ETA 7001
• Accuracy: +9.6 s/d
• Lug width: 20mm
• Warranty: 5 years
• Price: £595
• Available from: https://www.christopherward.co.uk/c5-malvern-595-4

The case

The case is fully polished, and is a flattened version of the new fluid style Malvern case. It has a lovely, liquid-like form.

Really, it’s all about the size. For me, the 39mm diameter is a real sweet-spot for a dress watch, and it works really well in ratio with the thin height. This 5.95mm height is where it comes into its own though, impressively slipping under any cuff and feeling incredibly comfortable on.

Sitting on top of the case is a flat sapphire crystal with an effective anti-reflective coating on the underside. It provides very good clarity which supports the crisp dial beautifully.

The push-pull crown has Christopher Ward’s twin flag motif embossed on the end. It’s smaller than I would have hoped (obviously to not look out of place on the dial), but you may have difficulty winding it unless you have regular fingers (sorry Dad, your fat bricklayer’s fingers just won’t cut it).

The caseback is also quite rounded and fluid, and features an exhibition window displaying the movement in all its glory. There is a smart Christopher Ward logo engraved in the inner rehaut, under the crystal – whilst other specs are engraved around the outer edge.

The dial

You have two choices: white or grey. This one is obviously the white: more specifically an opaline colour; referring to the milk / off-white appearance, which is a little softer and more elegant than a harsh, bright, pure white.

What’s interesting and that may not be apparent initially is that the dial is ever so slightly domed. This creates a sense of depth despite the minimal height, and is also quite vintage inspired.

There are no applied elements, keeping the dial as slimline as possible – which is probably the reason why there’s no seconds hand either. Everything is printed – the hour markers, left aligned logo at 9 and “Swiss Made” at the foot of dial. It’s all very accurate and fine as you’d expect.

The hands are black to keep the overall visual appearance crisp and clean. The minute hand is curved at the tip to follow the profile of the convex nature of dial. They are both flat and not pitched.

From a design standpoint, it’s all very clean and minimal – there’s really not too much to it; the black and white balance is striking and it’s all well balanced.

The strap

As always with Christopher Ward, the leather strap is excellent quality; beautifully soft and supple. I think this is the longest option as I’ve got it on the second hole (don’t forget you can order 3 different lengths which is very handy).

The 20mm width at the lugs is a sensible width; it has a good ratio to the case size and is proof of modern influence.

The polished tang buckle has the left aligned CW logo deeply engraved on the top, which is very neat and accurate.

The strap also comes fitted with quick release pins, as do all CW straps – making changing super easy.

The movement

The movement powering the 595 is the ETA 7001. At a mere 2.5mm tall, it’s the main reason why the 595 is so slim. When you compare it to the ETA 2824, which is 4.6mm, this is less than half the width. It has 17 jewels, and a beat rate of 21.6k bph (6 ticks per second), although you can’t tell that due to the lack of seconds hand. It also has a pretty standard 42 hour power reserve.

The bridges are finished with Côtes de Genève pearlage, and there’s a circular polished bevel finish. It’s a quaint movement, but its appearance is splendid.

Final comments

Christopher Ward have done a great job of adding another string to their bow through the C5 Malvern 595; a super-slender, elegant mechanical dress watch that no doubt will appeal to so many.

Whilst the design is strikingly simple, it’s a pleasure to behold due to the dome and opalin colour (however I’m sure it’s too stark for some). The case is a thing of beauty; delicately designed yet superbly crafted.

At £595, it’s competitively priced for what it is: a Swiss Made mechanical under 6mm – which is a real feat.