Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by Christopher Ward or any other entity.
Video
Review
Ever since Christopher Ward released the Titanium Twelve X, I had been seriously considering picking one up. I tried them on at WindUp Watch Fair and loved how they looked and felt on the wrist. But if you watched my review of the regular Twelve Ti, you’d know that one thing held me back – the lack of a micro-adjustment on the clasp. Thankfully, Christopher Ward fixed that issue with the Twelve Ti and all subsequent Twelve models, making the decision to buy much easier. Then, late last year, they announced something even more special – a steel ‘Special Edition’ of the Twelve X, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their in-house SH21 caliber.
This version features a stunning blue theme and a skeletonized movement with 150 hand-polished facets, meticulously finished on both the front and back. The hand polishing was carried out by APJ Sàrl, a firm specializing in high-end watch component finishing, which Christopher Ward began working with after the overwhelming demand for the Bel Canto exceeded the capacity of their original suppliers/partners – Armin Strom and Chronode SA.
The moment this watch was announced, I immediately placed my order, and after three months of ownership, I can confidently say I’ve loved every moment of wearing and photographing it. On the bracelet, this watch retails for $4,725 USD, and the most common response I’ve heard is: “You could get a Tudor for that price!” And yes, that’s true – but the way I see it, the better way to phrase it is: “Yes, you can get all of this for the price of a Tudor.”
Let’s check it out!
Case
The Twelve X has a case that is both intricately designed and exceptionally finished. I measured it at 42mm across its widest point, including the crown guard components, and 40.75mm at its narrowest. The lug-to-lug measurement is tricky, but across the case alone, it spans 45.75mm and if you include the end links, it stretches to 53.5mm. However, given the way the bracelet integrates into the case, it realistically wears like a watch with a 48mm or 49mm lug-to-lug span. The height comes in at 12.75mm, which includes both the top and bottom boxed sapphire crystals, each featuring excellent AR coating.
As with any modern Christopher Ward watch, the case finishing is exemplary. I stand by this statement – even against watches that cost four to five times as much. The Twelve X takes the core design language of the Twelve but beefs it up slightly, with subtle increases in height across the mid-case and stepped bezel sections to accommodate the thicker SH21 movement. However, thanks to its multi-step case architecture and masterful combination of brushed, media-blasted, and polished surfaces, the added thickness all but disappears when worn.
At 3 o’clock, there’s a 5.35mm screw-down crown, which is easy to grip and operate. The crown action is excellent, with a well-machined crown tube that feels solid and satisfying to use. Flanking it are screw-in crown guards, which themselves feature a mix of polished, brushed, and blasted finishes, adding to the case’s complexity.
Christopher Ward’s Light Catcher case designs have always impressed me, and while the Twelve X technically isn’t labeled as one, its generous use of polished bevels and surfaces creates a similarly striking play of light. Flipping the watch over, you’re met with a screw-down case back that houses a large boxed sapphire crystal, providing an expansive view of the beautifully executed SH21 movement inside. And despite its intricate skeletonization, the Twelve X still maintains 100m of water resistance, making it as practical as it is visually stunning.
Dial
This watch blurs the line between dial and movement, thanks to its extensively skeletonized SH21 caliber. Unlike traditional dials, most of what you see from the front is the movement itself, yet legibility remains impressively high.
A blue chapter ring, slightly recessed into but mostly above the movement, features pale blue minute markings that stand out well, making time-reading effortless despite the open-worked design. Further aiding visibility is a recessed lumed ring generously filled with Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 BL C1, which not only enhances nighttime legibility but also features rectangular “cliffs” at each hour marker, a thoughtful upgrade from the C60 Concept that makes orientation easier. At 12 o’clock, a Globolight XP marker, color-matched to the watch’s blue theme, serves as a focal point.
Continuing the blue theme, the handset is strikingly finished, with a combination of brushed top surfaces, polished edges, and large lume-filled plots – all except for the seconds hand, which remains unlumed. But the real star of the show is the architectural execution of the SH21 movement, which appears to take inspiration from the C60 Concept’s skeletonized caliber, but pushes the concept even further. More material has been removed, exposing finer details like the keyless works at 3 o’clock and the Incabloc shock protection at 4 o’clock, features typically hidden in most movements.
My favorite elements of this dial are undoubtedly the four structural bridges at 6, 8, 10, and 12 o’clock. These aren’t just functional components: they add an immense sense of depth, with beautifully sloped surfaces and crisp, hand-polished bevels that gleam under the right lighting. The finishing here is excellent, and I genuinely cannot think of another watch in this price range that reaches this level of execution – unless you’re scouring the pre-owned market for obscure independents or vintage pieces. The exposed twin barrels also provide an interactive element, allowing you to gauge the remaining power reserve just by observing their state of wind.
Overall, this watch is a joy to look at – and an even greater joy to photograph and examine under a loupe. There aren’t many watches in this price category that would inspire you to reach for a loupe, but this one absolutely does, which speaks volumes about just how special it is.
Lume
The lume on the Twelve X Steel builds upon the signature glow of the C60 Concept, but refines it with a more legible design. Most notably, the Globolight XP orange triangle at 12 o’clock has been swapped for a light blue polygonal shape, seamlessly integrating with the watch’s blue theme.
The lume-filled ring surrounding the dial is both generously applied and thoughtfully executed, enhancing nighttime readability far beyond what the C60 Concept offered. While the pale blue lume is sufficiently bright and long-lasting, it doesn’t quite match the sheer intensity of the Trident Lumiere, which I consider to be one of Christopher Ward’s most underrated watches, and an absolute lume powerhouse.
That said, it does outperform my MING 17.09 in both brightness and longevity, making for a strong showing. The well-lumed hour and minute hands ensure excellent readability, though the seconds hand remains unlumed. Through the night, the watch remains highly legible, delivering a dependable and visually engaging lume experience.
As a side note, I can’t help but think how incredible it would have been if the rotor had been lumed too, much like the C1 Power Glow Prototype – a touch that would have further emphasized the slightly futuristic aesthetic of this piece.
Movement
This watch is powered by a truly special movement: a skeletonized and slimmed-down version of the in-house Calibre SH21. This caliber, which first debuted in 2014, is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, and Christopher Ward has done it justice with some thoughtful refinements. The movement still features its robust double-barrel construction, providing an impressive 120-hour power reserve, and it remains COSC certified, ensuring strong accuracy. In my experience, SH21-powered watches have always performed within COSC tolerances, which is why I had no hesitation in picking this watch up, despite it being priced higher than a typical CW timepiece.
The SH21’s history is also fascinating. Originally developed in collaboration with Johannes Jahnke, who was responsible for some of Christopher Ward’s most innovative complications (including the jumping hour module that ultimately led to the Bel Canto), this movement was a product of the Synergies Horlogère R&D team, which was later merged into Christopher Ward. While it is an in-house caliber, they don’t explicitly state where all of it’s components are manufactured. However, after looking at enough movements over the years, I strongly suspect at least the balance is produced by Concepto Watch Factory: a respected movement manufacturer known for manufacturing movements for brands like Bulgari, Jacob & Co, Louis Moinet, and even Sinn. That’s no knock against the SH21 – Concepto is a powerhouse in the industry, and this movement is built to a very high standard.
To celebrate a decade of the SH21, Christopher Ward has extended the use of hand-polished bevels to the back side of the movement, a level of finishing that elevates its visual appeal significantly. And honestly, if you can’t already tell, I’m a huge fan of this movement. It not only keeps great time but also looks incredible in its skeletonized form.
The finishing is excellent for the price, and the quality, design, and experience rival those of independent high-end brands. To put it into perspective, I’d say the SH21 in this watch holds its own against the Schwarz Etienne micro-rotor caliber in my MING 20.11 Mosaic, which costs nearly three times as much. In fact, with its hand-polished bevels and top-tier quality control, I might go as far as to say that this movement is slightly nicer. And you all know by now how much I love my MING watches.
On The Wrist
The Twelve X is a bit tricky to quantify in terms of wearability, as its unique case design defies conventional measurements. While its widest point, including the crown guards, comes in at 42mm, without them, it’s closer to 40.75mm. There are no traditional lugs, so the usual lug-to-lug measurement doesn’t apply. Instead, measuring between the two fixed case protrusions gives 45.75mm, and including the first rigid end link extends that to 53.5mm – though, given the aggressive downward taper, the realistic equivalent lug-to-lug feel is somewhere around 49mm. On paper, its 12.75mm thickness might sound substantial, but the multi-stepped case design and boxed sapphire crystals on both sides make it wear far slimmer than the numbers suggest. It sits beautifully on the wrist with an unexpectedly refined profile.
The attention to detail in the case finishing extends seamlessly to the bracelet, which features gorgeously brushed top surfaces and crisp polished bevels along the sides. The integrated bracelet tapers from around 25mm at the case down to just over 18mm at the clasp, giving it a sleek, comfortable fit. Speaking of the clasp: it’s another standout feature that helped justify adding an integrated bracelet watch to my collection. The sleek micro-adjustment system allows for a quick extension via a ball-bearing mechanism, adding 1.2mm on each side, which has been perfect for accommodating wrist expansion throughout the day. The links articulate well, ensuring excellent comfort, and the clasp allows for an almost custom-fit level of adjustment.
I also picked up both rubber straps: the blue one with a steel clasp that was released alongside this watch and the black one with a titanium clasp designed for the Twelve X Titanium. These rubber straps completely change the watch’s personality, making it feel sportier and more casual, and I have no complaints about their quality or design. However, I do have an issue with their length – for my 6.75” wrist, there’s simply too much excess strap, which feels unnecessary. At some point, I’ll likely trim it down myself, but I really wish Christopher Ward offered different size options for their rubber straps. This isn’t just an issue with the Twelve X – it’s also something I’ve encountered with my Trident Lumiere straps. That said, overall, the watch wears exceptionally well on both the bracelet and rubber options, and I have nothing but good things to say about how it wears.
Wrapping Up
This review has gone on long enough, so I’ll keep this conclusion short – this watch is special. If the Bel Canto was Christopher Ward’s moment of breaking into the industry’s upper echelon, proving that they could push the boundaries of watchmaking within tight price constraints, then the Twelve X Special Edition feels like a taste of the next chapter in that story. It’s a bold next step into the realm of haute horology and artisanal independent watchmaking, demonstrating once again that Christopher Ward can achieve more with less, and also deliver more and ask from its customers a whole lot less. And that’s what makes this watch such a statement piece. It offers a genuinely high-end, independent watchmaking experience, with meticulous finishing, an excellent movement, and innovative design – and yet it costs no more than a Tudor.
