Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Limited Edition

With one exception, all complications reveal their purpose visually. Chronographs, perpetual calendars, GMTs – every type requires a display. The exception to the rule are complications which convey information with sound: watches which chime the hour, the quarter or the minute. For the first time, this most elevated of functions has been made accessible by Christopher Ward, with the aptly-named C1 Bel Canto.

Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto - Azzuro

Chiming on the hour, Bel Canto challenges the watchmaker in two ways beyond non-sounding complications. The first is to create an audible note from so small a device. The laws of acoustics are immutable, and the assembly which contains the striking elements must be able to deliver a ring that its wearer can hear, even on the wrist. The second challenge, one which does not apply to the chiming watch’s cousin, the alarm watch, is that it must produce a melodious note. Alarm watches need only alert the wearer, usually with a raucous ring

Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto - Azzuro

What enabled Christopher Ward to produce the Bel Canto, without abandoning its value-based ideology, was lateral thinking on the part of master watchmaker Frank Stelzer. It occurred to Frank that the module in the JJ01 calibre in Christopher Ward’s earlier jumping hour watch, the C9 Harrison of 2011, could be adapted to chime on the hour. This enabled the development of the module for the Bel Canto’s Calibre FS01, with the addition of 50 new components.

Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto - Azzuro

With a generously-sized titanium gong surrounding the movement, its hammers viewed from the dial side, the C1 Bel Canto can be left in the “on” position to ring on each hour, or set to “off” from the same button at the 4 o’clock position. Ringing status is indicated by a small red arrow adjacent to the button. With the hours and minutes dial contained at 12 o’clock, the entire mechanical ballet is on view at all times.