The Bel Canto, in its relatively short history, has proven to be a surprisingly versatile watch in the way it can wear different colors and accents. That’s a little surprising when you consider the fixed nature of the exposed chiming mechanism and the way this elements dominates the look of the watch. But color and especially texture can take the Bel Canto completely different directions, conjuring both contemporary “indie” aesthetics as well as something much more classical. The latest version of Christopher Ward’s C1 Bel Canto now dons the “Lumiere” designation that we first saw a year ago in the C60 Trident. Lume was a big part of the story with that C60 Trident, but it wasn’t the whole story as it is with the new Bel Canto, which here sees its most radical reinvention to date.
Obviously, this is one for the folks who are never without a high powered flashlight in their EDC. The C1 Bel Canto Lumiere is the most exotic interpretation of the platform yet. It’s built around a platine with a sunray pattern that is intricately coated with two shades of luminescent material. This effectively lights the “dial” of the watch from behind, and below the chiming mechanism. The time-telling ring is now a solid circle of high powered Globolight lume, where the current time is read with lume tipped hands. There are no numerals or indices on this Globolight ring, and I’m sure some will balk at the fact that we now just have an approximation of the time to reference, but I think for a watch that effectively an art piece, it’s perfectly acceptable to place form over function.
Another detail that I’m sure collectors will have a love it or hate it attitude toward is the strap, which is white rubber and infused with Super-LumiNova. I love the idea of a lumed strap, but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I’d be able to pull it off in real life. But collectors who are perhaps more in touch with the eight year old version of themselves that still gets very excited about things that glow in the dark will absolutely love it.
As Christopher Ward continues to push the envelope in their watchmaking with advancements like the Loco while expanding core offerings in more mainstream collections, I’ve often wondered how they’d handle the eventual maturation of the Bel Canto. And at this point, it does feel mature in the sense that it’s well understood by the watch community as an important gauntlet being thrown by a brand on the rise. The introduction of the Bel Canto Lumiere indicates to me that Christopher Ward has some gas left in the tank when it comes to iterating creatively on what is a fairly locked in platform.
In terms of specs, of course, this new Bel Canto follows all the previous versions, with a titanium case measuring 41mm and the FS01 chiming movement. As mentioned, the watch can ordered on a lumed rubber strap, but it can also be configured on either the Bader or Consort bracelets that Christopher Ward has offered for some time. The retail price on the rubber strap is $4,840, $5,205 on the Bader bracelet, and $5,290 on the Consort. Delivery is anticipated by the end of December. Christopher Ward
Zach Kazan
2025-11-14 14:00:00