Christopher Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage Edition – ‘Hands On’ Watch Review

Written by D Constant for The Watch Review Site.

Here at The Watch Review Site we would like to start by thanking the good people at Christopher Ward for supplying us with a review piece of their new C8 Pilot MkII, the U-2 Vintage Edition. Which is available on pre order and should be available to buy from the start of June 2012.

Now we have the thank you’s out of the way let’s get on with the real reason we are here, to see and review the Christopher Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage edition and put it through its paces on a Watch Review Site ‘Hands On’ Watch Review.

Our initial views are, that name it’s a bit long winded but it takes nothing away from the watch itself, The New Chr.Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage has moved on from the original C8 Pilot and also the C8 Pilot MkII, Gone are the Rivets on the Strap, the dial indicators and markers differ for that vintage look and it comes in a lovely 44mm PVD black case. Yes you heard right Black PVD (very nice)

It’s a lovely addition to the Christopher Ward C8 Pilot Collection,which has been around for a while now, it wears well and looks good in a variety of circumstances. The C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage also performs as well as expected from any Swiss made and Swiss movement timepiece. All in All it’s a great little (well not little really) quality Pilot watch and for the money, well I haven’t seen or played with better.

So have Christopher Ward and their team pulled one out the bag here. Let’s get into the C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage in Depth and see.

First off, when your C8 Pilot is delivered it comes very well presented in a black leather presentation box with light cream interior (which most would probably keep as it is a quality box to store watches that don’t require a winder), Along with this you get a quick start/functions guide, the guarantee and letter congratulating you on your purchase and a Christopher Ward microfibre cloth. All very nicely done. You feel like you have purchased a luxury timepiece from get go.

Once you get over the pleasure of unwrapping your new purchase you notice a fabulous looking, Striking Vintage style Pilot Watch, as Christopher Ward have so kindly pointed out on their website, the C8 Pilot is a traditional Pilot Watch which is based upon the 1940’s classic IWC B-Uhren watch. If you ask me with its Black PVD case there an argument to say it’s akin to the Bell & Ross BR Vintage 123 Carbon Series in looks. Not a bad thing hey.

The C8 Mk2, is very well balanced in style and colour choice throughout, hopefully this comes across in our attempts to do the Christopher Pilot MkII u-2 Vintage justice in our photographs.

What do you expect from a classic Pilot Watch?

Well, whatever it is the Chr.Ward C8 MkII U-2 Vintage has it, from its 44mm Black PVD case to its CW branding on the distressed orange/brown leather strap, its the complete package.

The vintage retro feel begins with your first glance at the Watch, the hands and markers, to slightly contrast its black dial are the in military beige as the use of “Old Radium Super Luminova” is apparent which gives more than sufficient Lumin for the discerning Pilot along with the vintage feel such a timepiece deserves.

And it just goes on with the new distressed leather brown/orange strap (less rivets – I feel it’s better without the rivets and allows the watch to be worn for different occasions easily) is a great touch by Christopher Ward. Now on to the piste-de-resistance in my opinion of the C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage, it’s Black PVD Case making this Pilot a competitor in the looks department for most of the (shall we say) more expensive and well known Pilot Watches out there.

Even its large onion style crown has the CW touch on the head. Whilst we are talking large the case is 44mm and I have very small wrists, when I first took the C8 out of the packaging to place on my wrist (after struggling to reduce the strap size to suit me, the struggling bit is due to me being a little impatient and the strap being new and stubborn, but in a good way) I thought this is going to be way too big for me. But no once on it felt very comfortable, the crown did not infringe or extrude at all and the watch sat nicely on my wrist this may be down to the thickness of the watch but whatever it is it fits well even for the limp wristed like me.

Over and above the obvious first impressions you also notice the time and effort and preciseness that Christopher Ward have put into the C8 Pilot Mk2 U-2 Vintage (I really can’t think of a way of shortening this name without referring to previous CW Pilots, Sorry);

Like the date window on the dial, Christopher Ward use a black date disc, others would have used white, and it is placed so it doesn’t infringe on the 3 o’clock marker, another great touch.

The Buckle, it’s the same as previous C8’s but also coated in Black PVD, with the CW logo on it, the placement of the CW logo on the strap end, further the CW logo on the crown, yes it sounds like there are lots of logos but they are done so meticulously well they are not in your face and are just really good touches to an already great watch.

The weight of the watch, it feels like you have made a substantial purchase, it’s weighted very well and is solid and wholesome.

But the thing I like best is the unique case back with a small round window allowing you to see the Swiss Selitta SW200 movement, but that’s not all the case back also has it also has a stamped image of what can be described an airplane wing, you tell me.

Its these little touches that make the Christopher Ward, not just a good Pilot Watch but a Great one, Now add all the above to the fact that it is powered by a true Swiss movement in the Selitta Sw200-1 and you have the complete package and all for well under £500.00.

Yes, Gasp, Shock Horror, Amazement, This Christopher Ward C8 Pilot Watch – U-2 Vintage in Black PVD which can compete with the four figure equivalents very easily comes in at less than monkey.

To Sum up it has been a pleasure sporting the Christopher Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage Watch for the last few weeks, this is a clean, simple, well built automatic Vintage Pilot Watch that can hold its own in any company.

The Quality and outstanding build quality, along with the clear effort that would have been put in to achieve such a great timepiece far exceeds its price tag.

Taking everything into consideration its British design, Swiss movement, Swiss made I would go as far to say that if you where to only buy one Traditional vintage Pilot Watch to add to your collection the Christopher Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage is the one for you.

For anyone that is interested we have a little photo gallery of the Christopher Ward C8 Pilot MkII U-2 Vintage after the technical details below.