It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for another showdown while the room fills with the smell of freshly made coffee. This week’s battle is all about affordable sports watches with integrated bracelets. Jorg has selected the new manual-winding Christoper Ward Twelve 660, which debuted last week, and Mike will take him on with the Nivada Grenchen F77, first introduced in 2023. Both watches come in at a little over €1,500, and both have a lot going for them. Which one would you pick?
When Christopher Ward announced the manual-winding version of the Twelve, quite a few of us raised an eyebrow. It’s not common that we see a hand-winding watch in this category. The Twelve 660 is, though, helping it maintain an ultra-thin profile, and it sports super-clean looks for €1,805. Today, it goes up against Nivada’s F77, which saw an update earlier this year with the F77 Mark II. But instead of replacing the original version, it expands the collection that debuted in 2023. The F77 collection expanded last year with some spectacular stone-dial models and a titanium version. Prices for the F77 start at around €1,420 for a standard steel version and move up to €1,865 for a titanium one with a stone dial. In terms of prices and features, then, today’s watches are direct competitors. The big question is: do you prefer an automatic over a manual-winding version? Let’s find out!
Last week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
Before we do, let’s quickly look back at last week’s results. In the battle of the neo-vintage dive watches, the Omega Seamaster 2254.50 beat the Rolex Submariner 16610. The Seamaster ended with 56% of the votes, leaving the Submariner with 44%. Weeding through the comments showed a variety of opinions. From the statement that the Seamaster is outdated and comments about the much-debated Rolex Cyclops to the overall perception and cultural impact of both watches, you had a lot to say about it all. In the end, the numbers don’t lie, and the Seamaster took the win. Let’s find out which of our two picks will triumph today. Over to Mike and Jorg!
Jorg: Christopher Ward Twelve 660
It was a no-brainer for me when it came to picking a favorite out of today’s contenders. Nowadays, it is hard for a watch to stand out in a category with plentiful affordable options. And for all of you who have checked out Christopher Ward’s Twelve, you understand why it is one of the best. In terms of value for money, it is hard, if not impossible, to beat the English brand. As some of you will know, I own a Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT, one of my favorite watches in my collection. While a large part of that is due to its aesthetics, the quality feel of that watch — and any other watch from the brand, for that matter — is unbeatable at the price.
But even if price is not a factor, Christopher Ward watches are built impressively well. The cases are always well thought out, wonderfully detailed, and nicely finished. Additionally, the bracelets feel super solid, and the brand always chooses reliable and often chronometer-certified versions of the different calibers. It impresses me every time I see and wear a Christopher Ward watch. So straight off the bat, I would not hesitate to pick the brand in any contest of watches under €2,500 — as long as I like the aesthetics.
The Twelve is Christopher Ward at its best
I have made it no secret that I don’t always like Christopher Ward’s design choices. The struggles with the brand’s logo are well documented, and I’m also not always the biggest fan of the handsets with the often-oversized arrow-shaped hour hand and the trident counterweight on the seconds hand.
In the past, I would always rationally drum up these details when explaining why I liked the brand’s watches but did not love them. I can tell you that all changed when I first wore the C65 Dune GMT. If you love a watch as much despite your rational objections, there must be something special about it, and my love for that watch has grown by the day.
The Twelve series addressed my issues with the brand’s designs. With a different set of hands and a standout overall design, the series immediately caught the eye of watch fans worldwide, including yours truly. In a genre that suffers from overcrowding, that is quite the achievement.
And until last week, I would have directed any watch fan looking for an affordable modern sports watch with an integrated bracelet to a Tissot PRX under €1,000 or the Christopher Ward Twelve if you have a little more to spend. But you should have seen my excitement when I saw the images of the new Twelve 660. Here was a distinctly recognizable brother to the original Twelve, but it was toned down, slimmer, and more elegant.
A completely redesigned case for the Twelve 660
As Dave explained in the intro article, the design team didn’t do the obvious and simply down the original case to house the manual-winding Sellita SW210-1. No, the designers went the extra mile and designed a new case from the ground up. Its 38mm diameter and 43.3mm length align with the original case. However, the 6.6mm thickness makes for a super-slim version of the Twelve. But it’s not just about the svelte profile. The designers also made the bezel slightly wider to add character and got rid of the crown guards. Also, the finishing adds a clever but pivotal visual brilliance that will make the watch pop. A mix of linear brushing, polished bevels, and sandblasted accents gives the Twelve 660 a presence that is hard to ignore.
In the next step, the team also completely redesigned the dial. The magic trick, once more, was to tone it down. Replacing the heavily textured dials of the original Twelve are clear-lacquered ones with a soft, grainy texture. The applied indexes and hands are similar in style to the original hands and markers, but they appear simpler without losing their brilliance.
If anything, getting rid of the lume brings out the character of both even more. A simple minute track accompanies the hands and markers, the brand’s applied logo, and the “Swiss Made” text on the lower half of the dial. That’s it. There’s no unnecessary dressing-up. In a deliberate step, the seconds hand has gone, and I love that. It accentuates the stylistic purpose of this new dial perfectly.
Manual versus automatic winding — a matter of character
As a result of this design exercise, I prefer the new Twelve 660 over the original series, to be frank. And what about the manual-winding movement? I love practicality as much as anyone, so I love my self-winding watches as easy daily pick-ups. But I definitely do not mind a manual-winding caliber. If anything, it adds a level of interaction with the watch that I greatly enjoy. It’s a moment to let a watch sink in and remember why I have it in the first place. I witness that regularly with the VPC Type 37HW. I wear it a lot along with my Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT, and winding it is always a joy. It increases the fun of wearing a watch that I love.
It’s also why the practical issue that people will bring up is a non-issue for me. I will gladly wind the manual-winding Sellita SW210-1 that powers the new Twelve 660. The brand also made sure it’s not just a boring regular version of the caliber. The movement features skeletonized train bridges, rhodium plating, and added brushed and diamond-polished finishes.
It makes the caliber a joy to see through the display case back. Regarding performance, the movement operates at a 4Hz frequency, has a 45-hour power reserve, and keeps time within a tolerance of ±20 seconds per day. Overall, the Christopher Ward Twelve 660 is a completely new release. It has me excited for a potential hands-on review, and I simply never felt that excitement with the Nivada Grenchen F77, even when we had it in the office. But tell me why you like the F77 better, Mike.
Mike: Nivada Grenchen F77
Once again, Jorg has brought the heat with his entrant. The Christopher Ward Twelve 660 is a charming watch, and as a fan of thin manual-winding pieces, I also find it hard to beat! However, the Nivada Grenchen F77 would still like a word. One thing I like about the Nivada is that it can trace its roots back to 1977, when the original aptly named model debuted. Therefore, instead of being a fast follower like so many other modern integrated-bracelet watches, the Nivada has a story. But what’s a story good for if the watch isn’t great?
Thankfully, Nivada Grenchen did a commendable job with the F77, and, best of all, the brand has continued to release impressive variants. One of my favorites happens to be last year’s titanium version with a lapis lazuli dial. This was announced alongside meteorite and aventurine versions. Of course, there are patterned dials, glossy, and even ceramic variants.
A different direction for the F77
Unlike the Christopher Ward Twelve 660, the F77 uses a historically correct automatic movement within its 37mm by 45mm case. This contributes to a 12.65mm thickness, which is nearly double that of its competitor today. But I have sampled these watches and can say they’re supremely comfortable on the wrist. Plus, the F77 has more than three times the water resistance with its 100m rating.
A Soprod automatic
Nivada Grenchen opted for the Soprod P024 automatic under the F77’s solid screw-in case back. The movement is a relatively standard unit with a frequency of 28,800vph and 38 hours of power reserve. Frankly, while Christopher Ward did a nice job of finishing the Sellita, Nivada made the right choice by selecting a purposeful and nicely decorated case back.
A great daily watch with no regrets
It’s tough to sell the F77 on thickness or movement, so I’ll do my best to make the selling point simple. Whereas the Christopher Ward Twelve 660 is a flatter, more delicate piece, the Nivada is a no-nonsense daily watch. Also, it’s a robust runner with real historical ties. I love the new Christopher Ward, but I wonder how it would handle the occasional thwack into a door jamb or subway door. Plus, at least for now, the F77 has a wider selection of dials and case materials. Price-wise, the watches start at €1,420, which makes them quite approachable.
Time to choose
As always, you can only choose one of today’s watches in this theoretical battle. If thinness and manual winding are to your liking, Christopher Ward is the choice. When it comes to variety and general robustness, consider Nivada Grenchen. It’s tough to go wrong with either, but let us know what you chose and why.
Christopher Ward Twelve 660 vs. Nivada Grenchen F77