C1 Worldglow - Christopher Ward

A lume without equal – on a watch that brings the world to your wrist. Powered by the ingenious JJ03 automatic movement, the C1 Worldglow lets you tell the time in any one of 24 time zones. And when lights are low, the lume comes to life, emitting a neon-like glow that’s impossible to ignore. Powerful. Magical. Unforgettable. Welcome to your new favourite watch.

A worldtimer for lume-lovers

Tool watch. Dress watch. Advanced timing instrument. The C1 Worldglow is everything the internationally-minded traveller could want – and so much more.

It begins with the pure sapphire dial.

Carrying a vivid representation of the globe divided into 24 segments, it lets you monitor any time zone – instantly.

The key is the rotating ‘GMT’ disc, printed with the numerals of the 24-hour clock. Once it’s correctly paired to a location on the ‘cities’ bezel, you’ll be able to tell the time anywhere: from New York to Rome, Rio to Bangkok. The red ‘city selector’ wedge can also be used to direct your eye to the place that’s most important to you.

But that’s only part of the story – the dial’s construction is a thing of wonder, boasting, perhaps, the highest levels of finishing and intricacy yet seen on a Christopher Ward watch. Made from four separate layers, it carries a representation of the world – part-filled with Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 BL C1 – that emits a neon-like glow in the dark. The hands and GMT numerals are also coated in lume so you can not only tell the time in low light, but use the watch’s worldtimer function, too.

As a regular timekeeping device, it’s no slouch, either. The JJ03 automatic movement, a modification of the hugely respected Sellita SW330 GMT calibre, is the key to ‘worldtimer’ functionality – and you can see it in action thanks to the transparent ‘exhibition’ caseback.

At 43.5mm, the Light-catcher™ case is generous in size but wears slimmer than you could hope for thanks to its exquisitely contoured shape. Something it achieves despite carrying a modified – and thus taller – movement.

Calibre JJ03 Automatic

The third of Christopher Ward's JJ Calibres – a series dedicated to unique in-house modifications of pre-existing movements – JJ03 is based on the Sellita SW330, the industry's go-to automatic GMT calibre.

Whereas the previous iteration of JJ03 found in the original C9 Worldtimer re-geared the 2893 to feature airport destinations as a second time zone, the new JJ03 offers a simpler approach.

Reverting to 12-hour timing, it powers a moving 24-hour disc which is read in conjunction with the international cities around it. Turning the crown clockwise will engage this 24-hour disc – but turn the crown anti-clockwise and you'll have control of the red ‘city selector’.