Christopher Ward London - Spring Summer 2013

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ALEGENDIN TIME

C11 TITANIUM ELITE

OUR NEW DIVER’S WATCH MAKES THE EXCELLENT EVEN BETTER

A GREATBRITISHVICTORYTHE C70 VW4CHRONOMETERCELEBRATES THEMOTOR RACE THATCREATED A LEGEND

OUR FIRST BLUEBIRDLIMITED EDITIONWATCH IS UNVEILED

GUARDIANSOF THE SKIESWE SALUTE THEUNKNOWN WAAFHEROINES OF OURFINEST HOUR

C60 TRIDENT PRO – AUTOMATIC C60-TRI-SBS £460

Made in Switzerland / Sellita SW200-1, self-winding movement / 38 hour power reserve / 42mm marine-grade 316L stainless-steel caseand deployment bracelet / Water resistant to 300 metres / 4mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Deep-etched back-plate engraving

E X C L U S I V E LY A V A I L A B L E A T christopherward.co.uk

Swiss movement, English heart

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CONTENTS | CW

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2 CWorld ALL THE LATEST UPDATES AND NEW STYLES FOR SPRING SUMMER 2013 FROM CHRISTOPHER WARD

8 A legend in time A LIMITED EDITION CHRONOGRAPH IS THE FIRST FRUIT OF CW’S RELATIONSHIP WITH BLUEBIRD SPEED RECORDS. IT’S A BEAUTY

10 Catching the buzz IF YOU HAVE EVER FANCIED KEEPING BEES, THIS IS THE TIME TO GET BUSY. 30LBS OF HONEY COULD BE YOURS!

14 Titanium takes the pressure THE NEW C11 TITANIUM ELITE BOASTS CW’S FIRST-EVER TITANIUM CASE AND A HELIUM RELEASE VALVE

18 Wheel good fun BICYCLES ARE STILL MANUFACTURED IN BRITAIN. CW GOES FOR A SPIN WITH THREE BRILLIANT SUCCESSES

24 A great British success

THE C70 VW4 CHRONOMETER CELEBRATES THE FAMOUS VANWALL, STERLING MOSS VICTORY AT THE 1957 BRITISH GRAND PRIX

32 A vintage passion

KERRY TAYLOR ATTRACTS THE WORLD’S LEADING COLLECTORS OF VINTAGE FASHION TO HER LONDON AUCTIONS

36 Hidden gems A QUARTET OF CHRISTOPHER WARD WATCHES THAT MERIT A SECOND LOOK

42 Guardians of the skies

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD: WE REVEAL THE SECRET WW2 WORK OF THE FORGOTTEN WOMEN OF THE WAAF

48 Time in mind A NEW SERIES ON HOW THE HUMAN MIND CONCEIVES OF, AND KEEPS TRACK OF TIME. BY PROFESSOR GERRY ALTMAN

Front Cover: C11 Titanium Elite, £750

Christopher Ward (London) Limited, 1 Park Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL, United [email protected] Customer Services: [email protected]

Editor: Eric Musgrave, www.ericmusgrave.co.uk. Design and art direction: ToyasO’Mara. Colour reprographics: JP Repro.

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CW | CWORLD

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AND THE 2012 WINNER IS… THE EXCEPTIONAL C900CW’S AMAZING C900 HARRISON SINGLE PUSHERHAS BEEN NAMED WATCH OF THE YEAR 2012 BYTHE KNOWLEDGEABLE ENTHUSIASTS ON THECHRISTOPHER WARD FORUM.

The most sophisticated and most expensive watch everproduced by the company elicited rapturous praise frommembers of the independent forum. Only 250 watches ofthis limited edition, which sells for £2,450, have been made.

Among the comments posted were: ‘A very beautiful andclassy watch showing beauty in its simplest yet mostcomplicated form; Mechanically, it is something to behold;The artistry of the single pusher chronograph that is visiblethrough the exhibition case back will leave you awestruck.’The C900 has taken CWL to a new level as a watchmaker.

Announcing it as the most significant new model fromthe company in 2012, the forum’s senior moderator KipMcEwan wrote: “Since its introduction in August of 2012,the C900 Harrison Single Pusher has been criticallyacclaimed as a stunning work of art and the watch thatmoves Christopher Ward far outside its comfort zone.” For more on the CW Forum, turn to page 23.

“THE C900 HAS TAKEN CWL TO A NEWLEVEL AS AWATCHMAKER”COMMENT FROM THE CW FORUM

“A VERY BEAUTIFUL AND CLASSYWATCH SHOWING BEAUTY IN ITSSIMPLEST YET MOST COMPLICATEDFORM. MECHANICALLY, IT ISSOMETHING TO BEHOLD”COMMENT FROM THE CW FORUM

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www.christopherward.co.uk

THE PERSONAL TOUCH, FACE-TO-FACERenowned for its customer service from Day 1,Christopher Ward is adding yet another level toits famous “personal touch”. From March, clientswill be able to meet the team face-to-face at thecompany’s elegant HQ in Maidenhead.Thefinishing touches are being put to a luxuriousnew showroom which will reflect all the values of the company.

“The opening of our new showroom is a veryexciting development for Christopher Ward not onlyby creating a new sales channel, but also for allowingus to develop even more personal relationships withsome of our customers,” says co-founder Mike France.

The showroom will be run on an appointment-only basis to ensure the highest level of personalservice. Keep an eye on the CW website for details.

THE DYNAMIC CERAMIC TYPHOONAPPEARING FROM OVER THE HORIZON THIS AUTUMN, THE FIRST WATCH IN CW’SNEW TYPHOON SERIES WILL BECOME THE FLAGSHIP DESIGN OF THECOMPANY’S AVIATION RANGE. A fine ceramic case – a first for CW – will be just one of an impressive line-up

of hi-tech features. The watch will bepoweredby a modified Eta Valjoux 7750

movement. The model will take itsdesign cues from the RAF’s delta-wing

multirole Typhoon fighter jet.

ANEW FORMULA

FOR CHRISTOPHER WARDIN 2014?

RUMOUR HAS IT THAT THE PETROLHEADS ATCHRISTOPHER WARD’S DESIGN STUDIO ARE

WORKING ON A TOP SECRET PROJECT CELEBRATINGTHE INCREDIBLE INNOVATION AND ENGINEERING

EXPERTISE OF BRITAIN’S WORLD-LEADING FORMULA 1RACING TEAMS.

Your intrepid reporter wasn’t allowed even a gasoline whiffof the early designs but did manage to glean plans may

include some very high-tech componentry including, wait for it,crushed carbon-fibre cases (!) and the brand’s first flyback

chronograph movement.Whilst nobody at #1 Park Street is prepared to namethe planned launch date just yet, I am prepared tospeculate that the start of the 2014 F1 Grand Prix

season will be the target. So, if for you, MiltonKeynes is the new Maranello, you won’t have

to wait too long before your wrist canalso acclaim the new world order

of motor racing!

FIRING UP THE BLUEBIRDTHE C7 BLUEBIRD, THE FIRST WATCH TO BE DEVELOPED SINCE CHRISTOPHERWARD BECAME THE OFFICIAL TIMING PARTNER TO THE BLUEBIRD SPEEDRECORDS TEAM, WILL BE OFFICIALLY RELEASED IN APRIL WITH PRE-ORDERSBEING TAKEN FROM MARCH.

The new watch is a chronograph in a limited edition of 1,912 examples, celebrating the year Sir Malcolm Campbell famously started the Bluebird legend. It is the first of a number of watches that will be released as a result of the partnership,perfectly capturing the spirit and iconic looks of the record-breaking Bluebird vehicles.

The precision detailing includes the Bluebird emblem in guilloche form on thedial and as a ceramic feature on the head of the crown. In a very unusual designapproach, the case back has been engineered to represent the famous conical hub capsof Sir Malcolm Campbell’s cars, including the 350HP Sunbeam in which he gainedhis first land speed record at Pendine Sands, Wales in 1924 and the 1935 Bluebird inwhich he broke the 300mph barrier at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The C7 from £499.For more on the C7 Bluebird, turn to pages 8-9.

C7 BLUEBIRD -LIMITED EDITION C7SBKB-390-BB£499


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“WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TOPUSH THE WATCHMAKINGBOUNDARIES AND IN JOHANNESWE HAVE A MASTER CRAFTSMANWHO IS ABLE TO SEE BEYOND THEOBVIOUS TO CREATE SOMETHINGDIFFERENT AND IMPORTANT.”

JAHNKE HAS ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD…ADMIRERS OF THE AMAZING WORK OF MASTERWATCHMAKER JOHANNES JAHNKE HAVE A TREAT IN STORE THIS AUTUMN – THE GERMAN MAGICIAN IS WORKING ON A WORLDTIMER WATCH THAT WILL LIFT CHRISTOPHER WARD TO A NEWTECHNICAL HIGH.

The design is a closely guarded secret but Jahnke’sbespoke movement is rumoured to be a uniquedevelopment on the GMT theme and could evenconstitute a world first for the company.

“We are always looking to push the watchmakingboundaries and in Johannes we have a master craftsmanwho is able to see beyond the obvious to create somethingdifferent and important. Our new Worldtimer will be yetanother example of the man’s genius,” says co-founderChris Ward.

The watch will carry the third bespoke calibre createdexclusively for Christopher Ward by this exceptionaltalent. Jahnke’s previous triumphs were the C9 HarrisonJumping Hour and the C900 Harrison Single Pusher.

“OUR NEW WORLDTIMER WILLBE YET ANOTHER EXAMPLEOF THE MAN’S GENIUS.”

Johannes Jahnke

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SALUTING A VERY BRITISH VICTORYTHE FIRST TIME A BRITISH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRANDPRIX WAS WON BY A BRITISH CAR WITH BRITISH DRIVERS ISCELEBRATED IN A BEAUTIFUL NEW LIMITED-EDITIONCHRONOGRAPH THAT WILL BE RELEASED IN APRIL.

The C70 VW4 Chronometer has been inspired by the1957 victory at Aintree of a Vanwall racing car thatstarted with Tony Brooks behind the wheel and took thechequered flag with Stirling Moss in the driver’s seat. Thepair swapped cars during the race. See pages 24-30 forthe whole astonishing story of how Vanwall, in BritishRacing Green, saw off the all-powerful red Ferraris.

Another signature motor racing watch from the CWdesign studio, the new addition is powered by the super-reliable Eta 251.233 chronometer movement. TheNumber 20 of the winning car occupies the 12 positionon the face, while the 18 of the second machine ishighlighted in Vanwall’s trim colour of yellow on thebezel. Moss’s astonishing 90.61mph best lap speed ispicked out in red on the tachymetrc scale.

The C70 VW4 Chronometer, available in a limited editionof just 1,957 models, costs £599.

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING

C60 TRIDENT PROIn another first for Christopher Ward, the

C60 Trident Pro is to be slimmed down thisspring into a 38mm model. The highly popular

existing range has a 42mm case, but thecompany is aware that some customers require

a more compact timepiece on their wrists. The new models will continue to feature theautomatic Eta 2824-2 or Sellita SW200-1movements. In keeping with the sleeker

profile, women’s versions of the new W61will have reduced-size straps.

Prices start at £399.

THE JUMPING HOUR MK II IS ALMOST WITH US!

The C9 Harrison Jumping Hour, releasedfor Christmas 2011, was CW’s first watch tocost more than £1,000. The limited edition

of 200 pieces sold out in weeks. Fromearly March pre-ordering will be openfor the Mark II, for delivery in April.

The new interpretation uses the design aesthetic of the muchadmired C900 Single PusherChronograph. The JumpingHour Mk II uses the CalibreJJ01 developed by the youngmaster craftsman for the first

version. All examples ofthe new Jumping Hour

will be personallyassembled by Jahnkeand his team at ourworkshop in Biel,Switzerland. The

limited editionthis time

numbers just250 pieces

and willcost

£1,250.

C70 VW4 Chronometer C70VW4-COSC-VK £599

C70 VW4 CHRONOMETER LIMITED EDITION £599

The victory of the Vanwall driven by Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks inthe amazing 1957 British Grand Prix at Aintree is celebrated in ourlatest chronometer. Powered by the Eta 251.233, the 500-piece limitededition salutes a race that changed the course of British motor racingfor ever. It is, of course, in British Racing Green.



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CW’S GIFT TO A HEROA WORLD WAR II PILOT WHO HAD A TREASURED WATCH STOLEN IN A BURGLARY ON NEW YEAR’S DAY HAS BEEN PRESENTED WITH ANAPPROPRIATE REPLACEMENT BY CHRIS WARD.

Graham Furley, who is 91, flew with distinction in theatres as far apart asNorth Africa and Burma in the war. His daughter bought him a watch with agold Spitfire on the face to honour his years of service in the Royal Air Force.While he slept, it was stolen by intruders at his home in Stroud.

“I was disgusted when I read about the incident,” says Chris Ward, “and givenour long-standing connections with the RAF, I felt we should step in and replacethe watch. Through Erica Ferguson, project manager of the Bentley Priory Battleof Britain Trust, we were able to contact Graham. I went to Stroud to presenthim with one of our own C5 Battle of Britain (70) Automatics.”

The veteran, said: “I am overwhelmed that Christopher Ward would do allthis for me. I am extremely pleased with the watch, its colour and the markingsremind me of my flying days during the war.”

TOTALLY TITANIUMCHRISTOPHER WARD’S CLASSY RANGE OF DIVING WATCHES HAS WON THEAPPROVAL OF BOTH HARD-CORE SCUBA GUYS AND TIMEPIECE COLLECTORSWHO NEVER VENTURE NEAR THE WATER. BOTH WILL BE EXCITED BY THE LATESTADDITION TO THE COLLECTION – THE C11 TITANIUM ELITE.

It’s the first CW watch ever to have a case fashioned from titanium, the very lightbut very strong metal that is salt water-resistant, dent-resistant and antiallergenic.This automatic is powered by an Eta 2824-2 Chronometer and has all the luminousgood looks of the C11 Makaira Pro 500 that was introduced to instant acclaim lastautumn. A vital addition to the new model is a helium release valve, a feature on allprofessional divers’ watches, which prevents a damaging build-up of helium in thewatch during resurfacing.

The C11 Titanium Elite costs £750 and in the opinion of Scuba magazine: “It's one of most beautiful watches you can buy at any price.” For the full story, see pages 14-17.

“IT'S ONE OFMOST BEAUTIFULWATCHES YOUCAN BUY AT ANYPRICE”

“I AM OVERWHELMED THATCHRISTOPHER WARD WOULD DO ALLTHIS FOR ME AND I AM EXTREMELYPLEASED WITH THE WATCH” WW2 PILOT, GRAHAM FURLEY

C5 BATTLE OF BRITAIN (70)6B/159 AUTOMATICC5-BB70-AWT £325

above; A delighted Graham Furley receives his C5 Battle of Britain (70) Automaticfrom Chris Ward, accompanied by Squadron Leader Tara McLuskie-Cunninghamand Wing Commander Erica Ferguson, who form the RAF Heritage team

CHARLES HOOD, SCUBA MAGAZINE

8 www.christopherward.co.uk

n Tuesday 3rd September1935 Sir MalcolmCampbell became the firstman to drive a car at morethan 300mph. On the

intense white Bonneville Salt Flats in Utahthe bullet-like Bluebird reached 301.337mph (484.955 kph) on two passes, markingyet another land speed record for the Britishadventurer.

Breaching the 300mph threshold provedto be Sir Malcolm’s last record-breakingachievement and the drama of the victoryhas passed into legend. The image of thehuge blue car standing in such an alienlandscape remains striking and memorable.Scottish artist Jack Vettriano recalled it inone of his most famous works, Bluebird atBonneville, which sold at auction for£468,000 in August 2007. The streamlinedcar looks like a projectile on wheels and theunmistakable conical design of the wheelhubs has been cleverly incorporated intoChristopher Ward’s first Bluebird watch,which will be released this spring.

The limited edition C7 Bluebird is basedaround Christopher Ward’s highlysuccessful C7 Rapide case and uses theimpressive Ronda 3540.D calibremovement. In a clever piece of design, five

concentric circles form the backplate andreflect the profile of the originalaerodynamic wheel. An octagonal “wheelnut” is at the centre of the plate.

Great care has been taken by CW’sdesigners to ensure that this good-lookingand unusual back is comfortable to wear.The outer edge and the edge of theinnermost circle are treated with a“fingerprint-free” IPK finish. An engravingon the outer edge reminds everyone thatBluebird has been “Breaking Records ForOver 100 Years”.

As was detailed in the Autumn 2012issue of this magazine, Malcolm Campbellstarted setting records in 1912 and as part ofhis centenary celebrations last yearChristopher Ward became official timingpartner for Bluebird Speed Projects, themodern incarnation of the Campbellfamily’s pursuit of world records on land and

water. The new watch will be a limitededition of just 1,912 pieces worldwide.

The latest of CW’s motoring-inspiredquartz chronographs is coloured,appropriately enough, Bluebird Blue, orPantone 299 to give it its official designation.Even the stems of the two pushers areanodised to the same shade.

The whole effect is to make the alreadyimpressive 42mm watch case even morestriking. To echo the clean and spare paintjob of the Bluebird, the vivid blue base iscomplemented by the use of white, Super-

LumiNova™ Indices and hands. TheBezel has a pearlescent effect and the dateframe and bezel edge are all chromefinish.Christopher Ward’s regular use ofdelicate and intricate guilloche work onthe chrono dials is much appreciated byclients, but for the new watch a silhouetteof a bluebird is deep etched into the lower

CHRISTOPHER WARD IS THE OFFICIAL TIMINGPARTNER TO BLUEBIRD SPEED RECORDS. THE FIRSTWATCH FROM THE PARTNERSHIP IS EVOCATIVE OFSIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL’S MOST MEMORABLECARS FROM THE 1920’S AND 1930’S.

A LEGEND

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“THIS NEW WATCH FROM CHRISTOPHER WARD IS SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT.THE DIAL IN BLUEBIRD BLUE IS BASED ON THE SPEEDOMETER FROM THEBLUEBIRD CAR THAT BROKE THE 300MPH BARRIER IN 1935.”DON WALES, GRANDSON OF SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL

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CW | BLUEBIRD LIMITED EDITION

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chrono dial. The bluebird logo in blue alsodecorates the white enamel crown.

Strap choices include a steel braceletand a rubber strap version, but the sportiestoption is a black calf leather strap withecru stitching that is punched to revealblue highlights beneath.

The C7 Rapide has met with theapproval of Don Wales, Sir Malcolm’sgrandson, who now chases land speedrecords in electric-powered cars: “Thecentenary celebrations of my grandfatherchristening a car ‘Blue Bird’ in 1912 couldnot be marked without the release of a newwristwatch. The family still has somewatches that he wore during his attempts.

This new watch from Christopher Ward issimply magnificent.

“The dial in Bluebird Blue is based onthe speedometer from the Bluebird carthat broke the 300mph barrier in 1935and having the Bluebird emblem subtlyplaced inside the guilloche is a nicetouch. I have always loved the wheel hubdesign on my grandfather’s Bluebirds andI am so pleased that Christopher Wardhas added that detail to the back plate. Iam sure that this limited edition of 1,912pieces will appeal not only to Campbellfans but also to collectors everywhere. It isa lovely watch. I am looking forward toreceiving mine!”

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“I AM SURE THAT THISLIMITED EDITION OF 1,912PIECES WILL APPEAL NOTONLY TO CAMPBELL FANSBUT ALSO TO COLLECTORSEVERYWHERE. IT IS ALOVELY WATCH. I AMLOOKING FORWARD TORECEIVING MINE!”DON WALES, LAND SPEED RECORD BREAKER

C7 BLUEBIRD LIMITED EDITION

FEATURES• Swiss made• Limited Edition to 1912 pieces• Quartz chronograph

movement• 1/10ths second split timing• 316L stainless steel case• 42mm diameter• Tachymeter• Special back plate engraving• Unique engraved serial

number• 10 atm water resistance• Screw-in crown and back plate• Anti-reflective sapphire crystal

• Bluebird blue dial and bezel• Enamelled Bluebird in crown• SuperLuminovaTM hands and

indexes• Spanish "Toro Bravo" leather

deployment strap

TECHNICAL• Diameter: 42mm• Height: 10.7mm• Calibre: Ronda 3540.D• Case:316L stainless steel• Water Resistance: 100 metres• Strap: 22mm black leather (or

bracelet or rubber strap)• Dial Colour: Bluebird Blue

Malcolm Campbell started racing seriously in 1912, theyear he re-named his car Blue Bird. Between 1924 and1935, the adventurer set nine land speed records in variousBluebirds. In 1924 at Pendine Sands near Carmarthen Bayhe took his 350HP V12 Sunbeam to 146.16mph (235.22km/h). Eleven years later at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah,Campbell became the first person to drive an automobileover 300 mph, averaging 301.337 mph (484.955 km/h) intwo passes. The spirit of this national hero – he wasknighted in 1931 – is captured in this C7 chronograph,which is in a limited edition of just 1,912 pieces worldwide.It is the first watch CW has released as the official TimingPartner to Bluebird Speed Records.

GUILLOCHE DETAILThe Bluebird logo is deep-etchedinto one of the inner chrono dials.

BACKPLATE DETAILThe greatest care has been taken in themanufacturing process to ensure thatthis unusual back is comfortable to wear.The outer edge and the edge of theinnermost circle are treated with a“fingerprint-free” IPK finish to reflect theBluebird’s tyres. An engraving statesthat Bluebird has been Breaking RecordsFor Over 100 Years.

C7 SBKB-390-BB £499 C7 SBKS-390-BB £550

Britnell, who has been keeping bees as a hobbyfor more than 25 years, is one of the 12,000“swarm officers” coordinated by the BBKA whoare alerted to deal with these homeless insects.

“Bees follow a surprisingly precise timetable.In recent years, my first swarm has appearedbetween April 15th and April 24th. A swarm isformed by the survivors of last year’s colony thatleave the hive to make room for the new season’sbees,” he says. “In the swarm the drones andworker bees surround the single queen bee toprotect her while they locate a new home. We liketo collect swarms to replace lost colonies and toget new beekeepers started.”

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CW | BEE ALERT

s winter turns to spring, beekeepersbegin to swarm. Apiary associationsup and down the UK hold trainingsessions at which old hands revealto newcomers the secrets of

keeping apis mellifora, the highly productiveEuropean or Western honey bee.

If you have ever thought about having a hive ortwo, now is the season to get involved. Taking itslead from the bees’ well-organised social order,The British Beekeepers Association has a networklinking its 20,000-plus members. With a passionthat rivals the watch aficionados of the CWForum, the beekeeping community is keen tospread the word about the pleasures of nurturingone of nature’s most fascinating creatures.

Beekeeping courses are held throughout theyear, but February and March are particularlyappropriate months for BBKA members to imparttheir knowledge because in April the yearly cycleof airborne activity starts all over again. The mosttangible sign of a new season is the appearance ofa swarm of bees. Buckinghamshire-based Mike

BUZZCATCHING THE

KEEPING BEES SHOULD APPEAL TO WATCH COLLECTORSAS THE WINGED WORKFORCE FOLLOWS AN AMAZINGLYACCURATE TIME SCHEDULE ACROSS THE SEASONS. THISYEAR IS A VERY GOOD TIME TO GET INVOLVED IN APIARY.

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“BEES FOLLOW A SURPRISINGLYPRECISE TIMETABLE. IN RECENTYEARS, MY FIRST SWARM HASAPPEARED BETWEEN APRIL15TH AND APRIL 24TH.”

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CWORLD| CW

To Be shot

“IT IS ALMOST ASTHOUGH THE BEES HAVEA GROUP BRAIN WHICHDISCERNS WHENEVERYTHING IN NATUREIS READY FOR THEM.”

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C50 MALVERN COSC - LIMITED EDITION £699


W11 AMELIA W11-SWW-Si £299Although unmistakably a watch for free spirits with an equal sense of style and adventure, the purity of the Amelia’s design should not be underestimated technically. It is, after all, a Christopher Ward timepiece and, therefore, a masterpiece of Swiss engineering. From the precision of the rubber-touch one-piece optic white dial, to the museum-grade sapphire crystal, expect nothingbut the best – and you won’t be disappointed.


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BEE ALERT| CW

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that is very different to that from supermarkets. “In a good year, it is possible to get two batches

of honey and they are likely to have distinctlydifferent flavours because of different foodsources. When I lived in a house with a laurelhedge the honey was dark brown and very rich.One year a local farmer planted a field withborage, the herb used to produce starflower oil.Although borage flowers are blue, the honeyproduced was a light lime green, with a VitaminC sharpness. It’s all so different to the industrially-produced stuff.”

For the beekeeper, getting between 30lbs and50lbs of honey a season from a hive is a verysweet dividend. It is important, however, thatkeepers leave enough honey to see the colonythrough the winter.

Beekeeping is no longer a rural pastime. Thereare an estimated 3,200 colonies in GreaterLondon alone, for example. Bees have been keptdomestically at least since the times of ancientEgypt, so the principles are well proven. The bigproblem for British beekeepers, predictably, is theweather. The rain and cold of spring and summer2012 caused just 8lbs of honey to be produced perhive, compared to the usual average of 30lbs-plus.The poor summer was feared to have had a longerterm detrimental impact as new queens wereunable to produce sufficient broods to seecolonies through to this year. Bees are an essentiallink in our ecosystem, so it is important that theircolonies thrive. So if you have ever thought oftaking up beekeeping, 2013 is a very timely year toget involved. www.bbka.org.uk

The enthusiastic and persuasive Mr Britnell isa neighbour of CW co-founder Mike France,who regularly hears about the delights of apiary.Perhaps Christopher Ward honey might appearon the website in the near future…

In the summer season, a hive can contain asmany as 35,000 bees, but during the winter thisfigure dwindles to about 5,000. In autumn andwinter, the bees do not hibernate, but staytogether in the hive in a winter cluster. Like thebeating pulse of a reliable watch movement, theseincredible insects generate warmth by gentlyvibrating their wing muscles. The outer, colder,bees rotate with those on the inside.

The magic trigger point for spring activity iswhen the mercury reaches 55° F, or about 13° C.Now the bees get busy. “It is almost as though thebees have a group brain which discerns wheneverything in nature is ready for them,” saysBritnell. “By the end of March and beginning ofApril, the single queen bee in the hive beginslaying up to 1,600 eggs a day and the worker beesset off to collect nectar and pollen to feed thelarvae from these.”

Estimates suggest that a hive requires asmuch as 66lb of pollen and 260lb of nectar to besustaining, so it is good thing that apis melliforais an omnivore. Snowdrops and daffodils areamong the early-season sources of the bees’ food,but almost any type of plant or tree will attracttheir attention.

Bees are known to fly at least three milesfrom the hive on their foraging flights, but MikeBritnell reckons that four or five miles is notuncommon. The bees’ travels result in honey

“IN A GOOD YEAR, IT IS POSSIBLE TOGET TWO BATCHESOF HONEY ANDTHEY ARE LIKELY TOHAVE DISTINCTFLAVOURS BECAUSEOF THE BEES’DIFFERENT FOODSOURCES.”

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CW | INNOVATION

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TITANIUMTAKES THE

PRESSURE

CHRISTOPHER WARD’S FIRST WATCH WITH A TITANIUM CASE WILL IMPRESS EVEN THE MOSTEXPERIENCEDPROFESSIONAL DIVER. A TECHNICAL MARVEL AND A PARTICULARLY HANDSOME TIMEPIECE, THE C11 TITANIUM ELITECHRONOMETER IS IN A LIMITED EDITION OF 500.

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C11 TITANIUM ELITECHRONOMETER -LIMITED EDITION C11-COSC-MAK-TKY-Si£750

MONOPUSHER

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CW | TECHNICALLY ELITE

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itanium was named afterthe Titans, a group ofpowerful and immortalgods in classical

mythology. One of theirnumber was Oceanus, who wasbelieved by the Greeks andRomans to be the divinepersonification of an enormousriver that encircled the world onthe line of the equator.

It is fitting, therefore, thatthe cases for the finest diver’swatches are made of thisremarkable element, which inits metallic form is resistant tocorrosion (especially in saltwater) and boasts the higheststrength-to-weight ratio of anymetal. The striking C11Titanium Elite Chronometer isthe first Christopher Wardwatch to have a titanium case.

Modelled on the C11Makaira Pro 500, which was

introduced to instant acclaim inautumn 2012, the Elite, as itsname suggests, has beenupgraded in several ways. Apartfrom the super-strong andlightweight titanium case, it hasa COSC certified Eta 2824-2automatic movement. Keepingall the good looks of the Pro500, it also has an internalcountdown bezel especiallyarranged for diving and, withsafety in mind, a sophisticatedhelium release valve forprofessional use.

Charles Hood, a reviewer forScuba magazine, likes what hesees. After taking the watch on adive (see opposite page) hewrote; “We think the design issimply gorgeous, with echoes ofthe classic Panerai models andthe Bell and Ross aviatorinstruments. This watch oozesclass, and while it is one of themore expensive pieces from theChristopher Ward range, thepricing is reasonable. This is apiece that most divers couldconsider for a long-terminvestment, and we think it'sone of most beautiful watchesyou can buy at any price.”

Good looks and technicalinnovation are what this watch isall about. The C11 TitaniumElite is the second diver’s watch

from Christopher Ward to use ahelium release, or helium escapevalve, which is a necessarycomponent on every professionaldiver’s watch. When operating atgreat depths, commercial diversoften spend many hours in divingbells under pressure breathing agas mix that contains helium. Ashelium molecules are the secondsmallest in nature, the gas canpenetrate the watch around theO-rings or other seals.

As long as the diver staysunder pressure, there is noproblem, but if decompression

stops during resurfacing are notlong enough, a pressuredifference builds up betweenthe helium in the watch and theenvironment. Too muchpressure will damage the watchseverely. With a helium releasevalve, when this differentialreaches a critical level, the one-way valve is activated and thegas escapes from the case.

The helium release valve onthe Titanium Elite ismanufactured by FIMM, theSwiss experts in this specialistfield. The method for releasingthe helium is fully automatic,allowing gas to escape as itexpands during ascent but notallowing water to ingress.

Even if you are not asaturation diver, the crown ofthe valve makes an alreadyimpressive watch look evenmore striking.

One final word abouttitanium, which was discoveredin Cornwall in 1791 by WilliamGregor, a clergyman and anamateur geologist: among itsmany other attributes, it isresistant to dents (useful whenknocking against underwaterrocks) and it is also inert,making it a very safe option foranyone with allergies or sensitiveskin, in or out of the water.

“THIS WATCHOOZES CLASS,AND WHILE IT ISONE OF THE MOREEXPENSIVE PIECESFROM THECHRISTOPHERWARD RANGE, THE PRICING ISREASONABLE.” CHARLES HOOD, SCUBA MAGAZINE

C11 TITANIUM ELITE CHRONOMETER - LIMITED EDITION

FEATURES• Swiss-made• Limited Edition of 500 pcs worldwide• Self-winding automatic chronometer

COSC-certified• 38-hour power reserve• Date calendar• Incabloc™ anti-shock system• Satin-brushed titanium case• Helium release valve• Museum-grade AR08 anti-reflective

sapphire crystal• Internal countdown bezel• SuperLumiNova™ hands and indexes• Screw down deep-etched engraved

back plate

• Engraved unique serial number• High-density rubber dive strap• Luxury presentation case and owner’s

handbook

TECHNICAL• Diameter: 42mm• Height: 13.2mm• Calibre: Eta 2824-2 (COSC)• Vibrations: 28,800 per hour• Case: Titanium• Water resistance: 50 ATM (500 metres)• Strap: 22mm

C11 TITANIUM ELITECHRONOMETER LIMITED EDITION C11-COSC-MAK-TKY-Si £750

ONLY 500 C11’S IN THIS COLOUR COMBINATION WILLEVER BE PRODUCED WHICH WILL MAKE THIS LEGEND-IN-WAITING EVEN MORE DESIRABLE IF THATS POSSIBLE?

T

TITANIUM TAKES THEPRESSURE

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“THIS IS A PIECE THAT MOSTDIVERS COULD CONSIDERFOR A LONG-TERMINVESTMENT, AND WETHINK IT'S ONE OF MOSTBEAUTIFUL WATCHES YOUCAN BUY AT ANY PRICE.”CHARLES HOOD, SCUBA MAGAZINE, SEENHERE ON HIS TEST DIVE WITH THE C11

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ong before Sir Chris Hoy liftedBritish cycling to new heights, somesources believe, the firstmechanically propelled two-wheeled

contraption was built by a Scottishblacksmith called Kirkpatrick MacMillan in1839. The penny-farthings of the mid-Victorian years were popular with daredevilriders despite their dangerous reputation,but it was not until the invention of the“safety bicycle” in the 1880s that cycling’spopularity boomed. Getting one’s feet intouching distance of the ground proved tobe a great advantage. John Dunlop’sinvention of the pneumatic bike tyre in1888 helped remove the boneshakingtendency of the earlier machines.

The British became skilled atmanufacturing bicycles, especially in citieswith light engineering traditions likeCoventry, Nottingham, Birmingham,Manchester and Oxford. Bicycle makerswere numerous and frame badges such asArmstrong, BSA, Carlton, Coventry Eagle,Claud Butler, Holdsworth, Mercian,Phillips, Rudge, Viking and, of course,Raleigh will still bring a smile of

recognition and many happy memories tomillions of cyclists.

The consumer value for bicycles andcycling goods in the UK market exceeded£2.9 billion in 2010/11, according to a reportby the London School of Economics forBritish Cycling, the national promotionalbody. The number of cyclists increased by11% for the same period and 13 millionBritons now pedal around regularly. Eachcyclist in the same period contributes around£230 a year to the UK’s GDP.

There was a 28% leap in retail sales forthe same period reviewed, meaning that in2010/11 some 3.7m bikes were sold at anaverage price of £439. Consumers will findthat most of the bikes on offer are nowmanufactured in the Far East, but thereremains a small but lively core of UK-basedmakers, which reflect some of the besttraditions of British cycling.

PASHLEY PLAYS THE RETRO CARD

You won’t see people wearing Lycra-richsportswear while riding their Pashleys. HarrisTweed jackets and cavalry twills for chapsand perhaps Laura Ashley floral-printed

PINK FLOYD’S CURIOUS LITTLEDITTY FROM 1967 ISEVOCATIVE OF THE BRITISHLOVE AFFAIR WITH BICYCLES.SINCE AT LEAST THE 1880S, WEHAVE BEEN BALANCING ATOPCHAIN-DRIVEN TWOWHEELERS FOR ALL MANNEROF ACTIVITIES. CYCLINGREPRESENTS FREEDOM. HERECW SALUTES THREE FIRMS THATSTILL MAKE BIKES IN BRITAIN.

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this page: Britons have been veryproud of the bikes for more than100 years. These images are someof the 200 in Bicycles by Tom Phillips(Bodleian Library Press).

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I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like. It's got a basket, a bell that rings And things to make it look good. I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it. BIKE, BY PINK FLOYD, FROM THE ALBUM THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN

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dresses for the ladies are more the sort ofcostume Pashley people prefer.

Retro styling is at the centre of thecompany’s appeal. Founded by William“Rath” Pashley in 1926 and based inStratford-upon-Avon, Pashley Cycles isEngland’s longest-established bicyclemanufacturer. The bicycles and tricyclescarefully manufactured by the 50 staff inWarwickshire find their way to more than40 countries worldwide.

Traditional manufacturing methodsallied to modern componentry andmaterials are used in the range of styles thatstretches from the traditional sit-up-and-begPrincess and Roadster models to thesportier, but still retro, Tube Rider DoubleScoop “beach cruiser” and the Guv’nor,which is based on the company’s Path Racerof the 1930s. Prices run from around £450for a Poppy to £1,495 for a ClubmanCountry touring cycle.

“Pashley has always concentrated onhand-building quality bicycles which have astyle and function that sets them apart fromothers,” says managing director AdrianWilliams. “We create products which weenjoy and which we hope our customerswill like, rather than followingany particular fashion trend. Our bicyclesare not mass-produced. They are theproduct of a small enthusiastic team ofdesigners and production engineers -supported by over 95 UK suppliers - whowork with our skilled craftsmen to createover 160 different models of bike.

“Our framebuilders take the raw tubing,cut and bend it and then braze it into acomplete bicycle frame. It is then paintedwith one of 35 different colours andassembled using a variety of components.The bicycle is then boxed for sending tocustomers both at home and abroad. Some45% of our production is exported.

“It is fortunate that Pashley has stayedwith its craft and invested in its people andproducts, rather than becoming a soul-lessimporter like so many others. Customerstoday are searching for authentic, British-made products with an individuality and

“PASHLEY HAS ALWAYS CONCENTRATED ON HAND-BUILDING QUALITY BICYCLES WHICH HAVE A STYLEAND FUNCTION THAT SETS THEM APART FROM OTHERS.”MANAGING DIRECTOR ADRIAN WILLIAMS

above; Pashley’s appeal lies in the unashamedly retro styling of its “sit-up-and-beg”bikes. It attracts fanatical devotion from its male and female fans

style which Pashley brings.”By cleverly playing the nostalgia card,

Pashley has achieved cult status. Thecomment on the company website with apicture of a Pashley Poppy, a woman’s bikepainted vivid pink, is typical: “Poppy makingherself at home after I picked her up fromthe showroom. I LOVE her!”

MOULTON RE-INVENTED THE BIKE

If Pashley is imbued with a between-the-world-wars feel, then the classic Moultonimmediately brings back memories of theSwinging Sixties. The death of Dr AlexMoulton at the age of 92 on December 9thlast year prompted a huge number oftributes on the website of The MoultonBicycle Company. A typical one reads:"From a boy, 12 years old in 1965, whosaved up to buy a Moulton Standard thatgave such pleasure and still does today, my

condolences…” Many messages are fromthe Far East. “Rest in peace and thank youfor re-inventing the bicycle," writes one fanin Malaysia. “Rest in peace and thank youvery much for the best bicycle for all,"added another from Thailand.

It is a bitter-sweet irony that after Asianfactories resulted in the decimation of theUK cycle makers, the Far East is the majormarket for possibly the most instantlyrecognisable British bike – the small-wheeled, open-frame Moulton. Some 80%of these British-made curiosities go overseas.The Japanese have been key customers fordecades and important new growing ➸

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shaped frame, was a memorable icon of theSwinging Sixties. A stylish bike for urbanjourneys, it was known as a comfortablelong-distance touring machine, which,when stripped down, became a record-beating fast track bike.

Today the Moulton bike range runsfrom the entry-level TSR2, which costsaround £950, to the technically advancedNew Series Double Pylon, which is£16,500. The simpler models are made by

Moulton’s near-neighbour, Pashley, but thetop-of-the-range bikes are still largely hand-crafted in the original factory.

“Everything on the bicycle is made hereapart from the bought-in components fromleading companies like Campagnolo, buteven then they are making hubs and gearsprocket assemblies to our exclusivedesigns,” says Stephen Moulton, CEO of thebusiness and Alex’s great nephew.“Everything is made by our skilled workers,using precision custom-made jigs. One manhas been with us for 50 years and two othersfor more than 25. Young apprentices arebeing trained to learn the relatively rare skillsinvolved, including brazing, the process bywhich we join together two pieces of metal.

“Once we have cut the tubing for theframe to precise lengths we connect thepieces by brazing, rather than using lugs.Our Double Pylon, for example, has 200braze points, each braze taking between twominutes and eight minutes to complete.Silver braze is used on our stainless steelmodels, and brass on our painted models.”

markets include China, Thailand, Singaporeand Malaysia.

Alexander Eric Moulton was an expert inrubber engineering who wanted to create amachine that was easier to ride – and moredesirable to own – than conventional bikes.His concept was to create an open-framedbicycle, which was easier to get on and off.He used small wheels with high-pressuretyres for faster acceleration (because of lessinertia). He wanted full suspension and alarge amount of carrying capacity over thewheels on the centre line of the bicycle.

His first design, the Series 1, was launchedin 1962 and was greeted with acclaim andvery large opening orders. Moulton built afactory in the grounds of his Jacobean houseat Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire to satisfydemand. The Moulton bicycle, with its F-

“CLIENTS IN ASIA ARELOOKING TO BUY THE BESTENGINEERING, WHETHER IT IS ON THE SCALE OF AWATCH OR A BICYCLE.”

At the height of its popularity, Moultonwas making between 200 and 300 bikes aweek, but today it is making only severalhundred a year. The factory employs 15people. “Now the onus is on quality,bespoke, builds on a fuller range, soindividual lead times can be anywherebetween three and eight months from thetime of order,” says Stephen Moulton.“The reason we do well in the Far East isthat the consumers there are verydiscerning. They are looking to buy thebest engineering, whether it is on the scale

“EVERYTHING IS MADE BY OUR SKILLEDWORKERS, USING PRECISION CUSTOM-MADE JIGS. ONE MAN HAS BEEN WITH USFOR 50 YEARS AND TWO OTHERS FORMORE THAN 25.”CEO STEPHEN MOULTON

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Alex Moulton’s bikes haveshown British designingenuity since the 1960s.


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of a watch or a bicycle.”ENIGMA: PERFECTLY FRAMEDA sports car or a motorbike used to top thelist of “boys’ toys” for well-heeled, middle-aged men. Now a high-performance cycle isjust as likely to be the present that a manawards himself, according to EnigmaTitanium, which is based in rural Sussex.

Using high-grade titanium, the bestlightweight steel and carbon fibre, the seven-man team at Enigma pours passion and skillinto creating riding machines that lookwonderful and perform superbly. Enigma’sspecialty is in hand-building the centralcomponent of a great cycle, the frame, andits resident master frame builder is MarkReilly, who has more than 25 years’experience to draw upon.

“We have all sorts of customers,including youngsters and women, but a highpercentage are men aged 40 to 50 who arecoming back to cycling after taking time toraise a family or build up a career,” he says.“Once cycling gets in your blood, it staysthere. They come to Enigma because theylike nice things that are well made. Just asthey want a nice watch, or a nice suit, or anice pair of shoes, so they want a bike that’sthe best they can find.”

Enigma’s top-of-the range frames aremade of titanium, that strong, lustrous,corrosion-resistant element that has thehighest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal,making it ideal for a bike frame. ChristopherWard has used titanium for the first time inits new C11 Titanium Elite Chronometer -see pages 14-17 for the full story.

As well as titanium, Enigma uses varioussteel alloys. With a precision that wouldimpress even Christopher Ward’s Swiss

watchmakers, Enigma has developedtechniques to make its own range of tubesand profiles. By making the tubes oval andtapering them in crucial areas, the companyreduces weight, increases the power transferwhile making the bike more comfortable. Inanother refinement, Enigma specialises indouble butted tubes, which have variablewall thicknesses to reduce weight.

Enigma was set up in 2006 by JimWalker with the help of Mark Reilly. Walkerhas racked up 35 years in the cycle business,many of them as a distributor, while Reillybrought with him two decades of experiencein building frames.

Says Reilly: “How the frame fits the rideris the most important part of getting a good

bike. It combines engineering skills, withknowledge of geometry and physics. Thereis definitely a shortage of good bike framebuilders.

“Our frames usually cost between £1,000and £2,000. A finished bike can go fromabout £1,700 to £6,500, which is alldetermined by technology. In cycling, lesscosts more. If you want better, lighter,stronger components, you have to pay forthem; it’s as simple as that.”

To mark his quarter-century in the trade,Enigma is offering a limited-edition of just25 custom-built Mark Reilly frames, whichcost £2,499. The steel tubing is a speciallycommissioned batch of Reynolds 753quality, once the highest specification fromthe specialist Reynolds Tube Company inBirmingham. In his early days Reilly was theyoungest frame builder certified byReynolds to use this exclusive heat-treatedmanganese-molybdenum alloy.

Annual production of Enigma bikes isin the hundreds, with only 15% goingabroad. Mainly this British manufacturersells its lovingly crafted engineering gemsto British enthusiasts.

It remains to be seen if the efforts of SirBradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton, MarkCavendish, Laura Trott, Sarah Storey, JasonKenny and the rest of Britain’s elite two-wheeled performers lift the sales of bikes,whether for high-performance or forpootling about.

There is no doubt that Britain’s loveaffair with the two-wheeler is morepassionate than ever. British Cycling, thebody that promotes all aspects of the sportand pastime, now boasts a membership of64,000, having added an amazing 14,000new members since the Olympics. Nowthat is some legacy to celebrate. www.enigmabikes.comwww.moultonbicycles.co.ukwww.pashley.co.ukwww.britishcycling.org.uk

“IF YOU WANT BETTER,LIGHTER, STRONGERCOMPONENTS, YOU HAVETO PAY FOR THEM; IT’S ASSIMPLE AS THAT.”MARK RILEY, ENIGMA

Enigma Titanium buildsa frame to fit precisely acyclist’s shape and styleof riding.

C7 RAPIDE VANWALL - SKSi £675 LIMITED ADDITION

Swiss made / Sellita SW220-1 self winding automatic / Certifiedchronometer / 38hr power reserve / 42mm diameter / Deep etched trident back plate engraving / 300m water resistant stainless steel case /Uni-directional bezel / Rubber dive strap



C7 BLUEBIRD - LIMITED EDITION C7SBKB-390-BB £499Sir Malcolm Campbell’s ambition – to be the first man to break the 300mph barrier – was achieved at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1935. Powered by the Ronda3540.D calibre, our glorious limited-edition chronograph of just 1,912 pieces celebrates this stupendous achievement. We have taken our design cues from the fabulous Bluebird itself; the model’s unique backplate is modelled on theiconic hubcaps of the legendary vehicle.


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t a Christopher Ward Forumget-together in Marlow,Buckinghamshire last October,Chris Ward delighted the

assembled group of 20 CW enthusiasts byintroducing a surprise guest – JohannesJahnke, the German watch designer whois one of the new stars in the horologicalgalaxy. He had flown in from Switzerlandwith the prototype of the C900 SinglePusher, which was about to be released.

It is typical of CW’s openness with itscommunity that the company was happy forsome very knowledgeable and criticalwatch experts to see and handle the newmodel while having the opportunity to quizthe man largely responsible for its creation.

Johannes presented us with the history,concept and development of the C900. It isour hope that this type of event shallbecome a regular occurrence. We refer tothe forum get-togethers as GTGs and heldthe first one about three years ago. Sincethen, several members have put togethermini-GTGs of their own, mostly in the UK,but we even had one in New England, myneck of the woods, that we called TheBoston Tea Party.

Wera, Chris’s wife, has posted FYIitems on the forum on an occasional basis,but otherwise the Forum is totallyindependent. There are many excellentwatch forums on the internet with a fewdedicated to singular brands. However,you will find it difficult to locate one thatis totally independent of the brand itfavours. But the CWF is totallyindependent of Christopher Ward

IF YOU WANT A TOTALLY UNBIASED VIEW ON CHRISTOPHERWARD WATCHES, HEAD FOR THE INDEPENDENT ONLINEFORUM THAT NOW NUMBERS MORE THAN 5,000 MEMBERS. THE CHRISTOPHER WARD FORUM REFLECTS THE ENTHUSIASMAND INDEPENDENTLY-MINDED VALUES OF THE BRAND. FORUMMODERATOR KIP MCEWAN, RIGHT, DISCUSSES ITS APPEAL.

London, accepts no paid advertising fromCWL or any other manufacturer. Themoderators are not employees of CWL,nor are employees of CWL allowed to poston the CWF.

As a result of this independence, we arefree to operate as we see fit. We get to postabout the things we love about CWL andthe watches we buy. We also get to critiqueCWL watches about all our dislikes. AsChris Ward himself says: “There is no betterplace to get an unbiased view, warts and all,about our brand”.

The Christopher Ward Forum waslaunched in December 2005 by Hans vanHoogstraten, who is based in Holland. Hanswas a fan of the C5 Malvern, CWL’s firstwatch, having purchased one after seeing areview on www.timezone.com, one of theleading watch websites. His independently-minded enthusiasm for the C5 and CWLin general caused some controversy and hewas banned from one forum, so he startedthe Christopher Ward Forum in response.This was just six months after the companyitself had been launched, so CWL andCWF have developed in tandem over thepast seven years.

Now with more than 5,000 members,the forum, often affectionately referred toas The Asylum, is the prime source forinformation, specifications and photos ofCWL watches. The forum always hassomething happening to keep membersinvolved. I share moderating duties withHans and the intriguingly-named Yoda.

Limited-edition watches, which aredesigned for the Forum in part by the

members, are almost an annual event.There are member-sponsored contests -some for fun, some with prizes. Andeagerly anticipated is our annual ‘Chatwith Chris’, where we are always surprisedby the advance notice of new models. Wealso get to ask some tough questions aboutthe whys and wherefores of CWL. And ifthings get a bit slow, we can always counton one of our number, known as TheLaird, to start up a poll.

One of the more popular sub-forums isthe Sneak Previews. Here we can examineChristopher Ward models that may or maynot make it to production. Chris is alwayssending the forum drawings of new ideas ormodels nearing production to see whatfeedback he can get. Members really jumpin and perhaps give Chris more than hebargained for.

The forum, although focused on thewatches by Christopher Ward, does haveplenty of talk about other watch brands andsubjects. We tend to think we havesomeone who knows something abouteverything. We have a great family at theChristopher Ward Forum and we alwayswelcome newcomers.

One of our members, Dancematt, putsit so well: “…without question the nicestwatch forum on the net. The moderators(and everyone involved) should be veryproud of this place, even (current) non-CWL owners like myself can feel at home.”

If you want to have a chat, lurk aroundand learn about CWL watches, we are theplace to be.www.christopherwardforum.com

INDEPENDENT

APPEAL

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VANWALLA GREAT

BRITISH SUCCESSAT A LOCATION NOW BETTER KNOWN FOR HORSE RACING, STIRLINGMOSS AND TONY BROOKS MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BRITONS TOWIN A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IN A BRITISH RACING CAR.THEIR AMAZING SHARED VICTORY AT AINTREE IN 1957 IN THELEGENDARY VANWALL VW4 CAR IS NOW CELEBRATED IN A LIMITED-EDITION CHRONOMETER OF EXCEPTIONAL LOOKS AND QUALITY

Consider this for an unlikely scenario from last year’s Formula 1 programme. At theBritish Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton is out infront when his McLaren develops amechanical problem. Jenson Button, who is in ninth place, is called into the pits, where hegraciously hops out of his McLaren and letshis team mate drive off to continue the race.Hamilton fights his way from ninth to take thechequered flag from the best internationaldrivers of the day. Then it’s smiles all roundand a great day for sportsmanship and forBritish racing.

Yes, we know this notion seems like a badjoke or the work of a freakish imagination. Inthese days of a massive Formula 1 rule bookand cars that are built around an individualdriver’s physique, the idea of drivers swappingvehicles mid-race is laughable enough. Butthen there’s also the intense rivalry thatsimmers consistently between even supposedteam mates. It just would not happen now.

A version of this fantasy, however, wasplayed out more than half a century ago at theBritish Grand Prix of 1957. It was the tenth-ever British GP and was also designated as the ➸


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Stirling Moss, wearing a crashhelmet that was actuallydesigned for polo players, chatsto the pit crew before the 1957British Grand Prix at Aintree. Notehis lack of protective clothing andthe neat shirts and ties of some ofthe mechanics. It was, truly, adifferent time.

“IT WAS SOMETHING I HADDREAMED ABOUT FOR YEARS;WINNING A GRAND PRIX IN ABRITISH CAR. THEN, TO DO IT ATHOME INTO THE BARGAIN... A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.”STIRLING MOSS ON THE 1957 VICTORY

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17th European Grand Prix. Held on thenow-forgotten motor racing track at Aintree(which can still be seen within the GrandNational course to this day), the high-speedcontest essentially was a battle between theformidable Ferrari team and a relatively newBritish racing car contender called Vanwall.

On the overcast Saturday afternoon ofJuly 20, a Vanwall, painted British RacingGreen, took the chequered flag to achieve atriple-decker success – the first British GrandPrix (or World Championship) victory by aBritish car with a British driver. In fact it hadtwo British drivers, for remarkably, the No20 Vanwall that crossed the line in frontstarted the 90-lap race being driven by TonyBrooks, but he was replaced by his better-known team mate Stirling Moss, who hadbegun the race in the Vanwall No 18.

On lap 27, Moss, who had beencomfortably in the lead, pulled into the pitswith a mechanical fault. Brooks, in ninthplace, was instructed to come in too and thedrivers swapped cars. With a fabulous displayof his trademark controlled ferocity (andsome lucky mishaps that befell his rivals)

“TONY BROOKS WAS A TREMENDOUS DRIVER, THEGREATEST – IF HE’LL FORGIVE ME SAYING THIS –‘UNKNOWN’ RACING DRIVER THERE’S EVER BEEN. HEWAS FAR BETTER THAN SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WONTHE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.” STIRLING MOSS

Moss went from ninth place to first, leavingthe Ferraris to follow him home in second,third and fourth places. Brooks, whocourageously had started the race despitesuffering painful injuries in a recent crash atLe Mans, dropped out of the GP when theNo 18 Vanwall failed again.

(In another amazing incident, the thirdmember of the Vanwall team, Stuart Lewis-Evans, crossed the line in seventh place inthe No 22 Vanwall. Mid-race, he hadfashioned a repair to a broken throttle cablewith a bit of wire snapped from a bale of hayat trackside. He drove back to the pits for amore reliable repair, but left his car bonnetbehind where he had stopped. For thisinfringement, he was disqualified. ImagineSebastian Vettel patching up his Red Bull atthe side of the track these days!)

In the No 20 Vanwall Moss completedthe day’s fastest lap, covering the 3-mileAintree circuit in 1:59.2 minutes, at anaverage speed of 90.61mph.

The 1996 F1 world champion DamonHill has said of Moss’ achievement: “He wonthe British Grand Prix in a British car as aBritish driver and that was the first time thathad happened and that subsequently led, Ithink, to inspiring other designers to believethat they could win in British cars.”

The previous British victories in a first-class motor race were way back in in 1923and 1924 when Sir Henry Segrave, laterbetter known as a world speed record holderon land and water, won the French GrandPrix at Tours and the San Sebastian GrandPrix in northern Spain in a Sunbeam.

More than 30 years later, the legendary1957 battle of British technology versusEuropean technology, of the young upstartsbeating the aristocrats of Maranello, isregarded as a watershed in the story of Britishmotor racing.

Apart from being an incredibleafternoon’s drama, it confirmed thepossibility that UK manufacturers couldcompete with the powerhouses of Italy, suchas Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, andwith other dominant European marques,such as Germany’s Mercedes-Benz.

Vanwall was the vanguard that wasfollowed by triumphant F1 British teamssuch as Cooper, BRM. Lotus, Brabham,Tyrrell, McLaren, Williams and Brawn.

The remarkable 1957 triumph alsoincluded – and this is poignant to considerin these more cynical, commercial times –a great British sporting gesture. TonyBrooks was described by Stirling Moss as“...a tremendous driver, the greatest – ifhe’ll forgive me saying this – ‘unknown’racing driver there’s ever been. He was farbetter than several people who won theworld championship.”

Of driving in the Vanwall team withMoss, Brooks commented: “I suppose itsounds terribly dated and naïve to say this,but I’d been to public school where one

opposite page, Tony Brooks and Stirling Mossshare the laurels after switching their Vanwallcars on lap 27. below: Moss punches the airas he takes the chequered flag, ahead ofthree chasing Ferraris

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C7 ITALIAN RACING RED – LIMITED EDITION C7 IRRT-390 – MK2 £399

Made in Switzerland / Worldwide limited edition of only 300 pieces/Ronda 3540.D Quartz chronograph / 1/10ths second split- timing /316L marine-grade stainless steel case / Anti-reflective sapphire crystal /Unique serial number / ”Toro Bravo” leather deployment strap



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learned that ‘the team was the thing’.”Given Christopher Ward’s track record

(no pun intended!) with motoring-inspiredmodels, it is not surprising that the 1957British Grand Prix is being celebrated in achronometer version of the C70. It will be alimited edition of just 1,957 models. TheNumber 20 of the winning car occupies the12 position on the new watch’s face, whilethe 18 of the second machine is highlightedin Vanwall’s trim colour of yellow on thebezel. Moss’s astonishing 90.61mph best lapspeed is picked out in red.

“This episode particularly appealed tous because of the idea of a Britishengineering company like Vanwall takingon and bettering the Europeanheavyweights in its field,” says ChristopherWard director Mike France. “That isexactly what we have tried to do withChristopher Ward London. For motorenthusiasts of a certain age, the VanwallVW4 is a legendary, not to say, beautifulcar. And there is a very nice connectionwith us because the Vanwall company wasbased in Maidenhead, as we are.”

Vanwall was the brainchild of TonyVandervell, a former racing driver and awealthy industrialist whose main productwas the “Thin Wall” bearing that was usedextensively in the international car andaircraft industries from the 1930s onwards.Part of his name and his product’s namewere combined to form Vanwall.

Vandervell wanted to create a successfulBritish racing car that, he said, would beable “to beat those bloody red cars”, areference to the striking livery of EnzoFerrari’s vehicles. In fact, his early efforts atdeveloping a winning machine involvedhim buying a racing car from Ferrari inearly 1949 and again in 1951 and modifyingthem. There followed several years in whichthe Vanwall team steadily improved theircars and caught the motor racing world’sattention with strong outings oninternational circuits.

Between 1951 and 1953 an adapted 4½-litre Ferrari Type 375 F1, which was knownas the Thin Wall Special, was raced withsome success. By 1954, the Britishentrepreneur’s team had produced a 2-litreengined car known as the Vanwall Special;changes to racing rules allowed it to beenlarged to 2½-litres during the season. By1956 a young car designer called ColinChapman, who was later to earn legendarystatus with Lotus cars, was brought in toimprove the chassis design of the Vanwall.

Frank Costin, an expert in aerodynamics,dreamed up an impressive low-drag bodythat owed a lot to aircraft technology.

Although the early Vanwalls werenotorious for mechanical unreliability, the Vanwall VW4 was a beautiful-lookingcar, a near-replica of which is availabletoday (see pge 30). It was viewed as amasterpiece of engine design in a sturdyyet light chassis. What made theachievement of Moss and Brooks all themore laudable was that, despite its speedand power on the straight, it was difficultto steer. “A very heavy, ponderous, car todrive” is Moss’s assessment. In the rest ofthe 1957 season after Aintree, a Vanwallhelmed by Moss also triumphed at aGrand Prix in Pescara, Italy and then, for ahugely satisfying hat-trick, at the Italians’sacred circuit at Monza.

Alas, Vanwall, as it achieved greatvictories, was also to be touched by tragedy.In the 1958 season Moss won Grand Prixraces for Vanwall in Holland, Portugal andMorocco, while Brooks matched him with

“THIS EPISODE PARTICULARLY APPEALED TO USBECAUSE OF THE IDEA OF A BRITISH ENGINEERINGCOMPANY LIKE VANWALL TAKING ON AND BETTERINGTHE EUROPEAN HEAVYWEIGHTS IN ITS FIELD,” SAYS CHRISTOPHER WARD DIRECTOR MIKE FRANCE.

below: Vanwall was the creation of engineeringentrepreneur Tony Vandervell. In 1957, the 2½-litre 4-cylinder DOHC engine produced 285 BHPat 7,300 rpm. Moss described the steering as“ponderous”. Colin Chapman, later a legendwith Lotus, helped designed the chassis.

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you know, Tony and I being the firstBritish drivers to win a Grand Prix sinceSegrave and Sunbeam back in 1923. Andalso to be the first all-British winners of theBritish Grand Prix. Fantastic experience."

This unforgettable achievement isproudly celebrated in Christopher Ward’slimited-edition C70 VW4 Chronometer.

VANWALL TODAYA modern road-going interpretation of theGP-winning Vanwalls of 1957 and 1958 isavailable from the modern Vanwall company.The handcrafted aluminium bodywork isdimensionally the same and is painted in theexact colour of the original racing cars. It uses modern components and is poweredby a reconditioned Lotus 2.2 litre 4-cylinderengine and transmission. Lights and wingscan be fitted to the car to making it roadlegal. The price range is £135,000 to£150,000 (plus VAT). www.vanwallcars.com

C70 VW4 CHRONOMETER - LIMITED EDITION

Inspired by the Vanwall VW4’s success in the1957 British Grand Prix at Aintree, thisdesign blends retro elements with the finest modern specifications of accuratetimekeeping. Encompassing the renowned Eta 251.233 COSC movement, the C70 VW4 Chronometer comes with certification from the Controle Officiel Suissedes Chronometres, the institute which measures the accuracy and precision ofChronometers made in Switzerland. The C70 VW4 VANWALL Chronometer is, therefore, one of the most accuratequality watches in the world. Limited to a worldwide production run of precisely1,957 pieces, it will appeal to watch aficionados and racing enthusiasts alike.

FEATURES• Swiss made• Worldwide limited edition of

1957 pieces• Quartz chronometer movement• COSC certified• 42mm hand - polished stainless steel

case with aluminium bezel• Screw-in crown and back-plate• Anti-reflective sapphire crystal• SuperLuminovaTM hands• Special back-plate engraving• Unique engraved serial number• Spanish "Toro Bravo" leather

deployment strap

TECHNICAL• Diameter: 42mm• Height: 10.7mm• Calibre: ETA 251.233 COSC • Case:316L stainless steel• Water Resistance: 100 metres• Strap: 22mm black leather (or bracelet

or rubber strap)• Dial Colour: Vanwall BRG and Yellow

THE NEW C70 VW4 CHRONOMETER - LIMITEDEDITION IS THE LATEST IN CHRISTOPHER WARD’SIMPRESSIVE PARADE OF WATCHES INSPIRED BYCLASSIC MOTOR RACING. PREVIOUS EXAMPLESIN THE SERIES INCLUDE C70 DBR1, C70BROOKLANDS AND C70 MONTE-CARLO, ALL OF WHICH ARE NOW SOLD OUT.

victories in Belgium, Germany and Italy.Six wins from the series of nine races meantthat Vanwall became the first team to winthe Constructors’ Championship, whichwas inaugurated that year. Moss, however,lost out to his great rival Mike Hawthorn, aFerrari driver, in the drivers’ competition bya single point. Even worse than this,however, was the death of Stuart Lewis-Evans, the third driver on the Vanwall team,from burns following a crash in the season’sfinal race, the Morocco GP. He was drivingthe Vanwall that had won at Aintree.

Vandervell’s failing health and hisdepression at Lewis-Evans’ demise led to arather swift decline for Vanwall, whichdisappeared from the racetracks by theearly 1960s. But three hours of franticactivity at Aintree on 20 July 1957 meanthat the marque holds a unique place inthe annals of British motor racing. StirlingMoss, the best driver never to have wonthe world championship, recalled: "It wassomething I had dreamed about for years;winning a Grand Prix in a British car.Then, to do it at home into the bargain,

C70 VW4-COSC-VKCHRONOMETER - LIMITED EDITION£599

TIME CHANGERS| CW

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33sec.“I HEREBY DISCONTINUE MYACTIVITIES AT THE POST OFPRESIDENT OF THE UNION OFSOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS,”declared the 60-year-old politician, the last leader of anempire of 15 republics with a total population of 290,000,000 people.

On 25 December 1991 Mikhail Gorbachev made hisresignation speech in a 10-minute address to the nationthat had been founded by the Bolsheviks 69 years earlier.Moments after he had finished speaking, figures appearedon the illuminated dome of the Council of Ministers buildingand prepared to lower the Red Flag flying over the Kremlin.

Billowing in a strong winter wind, it takes 33 seconds forthis symbol of the might of the Soviet Union to come downfor the last time, heralding a period of profound change, not just for those who lived under the hammer and sickle but for the entire world.

The following morning Muscovites saw the white-blue-and-red striped flag of the new Russian Federation flying over what had been the citadel of Communism. The SovietUnion had ceased to exist.

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CW | RICHES IN THE WARDROBE


couldn’t get the telephone line open to a keenbuyer overseas,” says Taylor ruefully.

In March 2011 she brought the hammerdown on the skimpy see-through lace dress bylittle-known designer Charlotte Todd worn byKate at a student fashion show at St AndrewsUniversity – allegedly the occasion when she firstcaught the eye of Prince William. The price was£78,000.

The buyer was not an ardent royalist, butrather a smart property developer who saw hispurchase - £65,000 plus 20% buyer’s premium –as a shrewd investment. Taylor recalls: “He saidto me afterwards, ‘This woman is going to beQueen of England one day. How much will it beworth then?’

“Alongside celebrity items, haute couture isreally affordable at auction and another shrewdinvestment. In 1993, while working at Sotheby’s,I sold an Yves Saint Laurent dress from his 1965

passionA vintage

SHE SERVES A GLOBAL NETWORK OF COLLECTORS WITH THEFINEST EXAMPLES OF VINTAGE FASHION. QUALITY, RARITY ANDPROVENANCE ARE HER STAPLES – AND A LINK WITH CELEBRITYCAN ADD A ZERO TO THE FINAL PRICE. WELCOME TO THEFASCINATING WORLD OF KERRY TAYLOR.

clockwise from above: A taffeta bridalgown and bonnet, circa 1845, soldfor £11,000; The Diana “Travolta”dress is expected to sell for more than£200,000 in March; A tartan dinnersuit owned by the Duke of Windsor

clockwise from right: KateMiddleton’s see-throughdress sold for £65,000 inMarch 2011; thesebrocaded silk women’sshoes, circa 1770, sold for£3,200; this rare 1925dress by MadeleineVionnet raised £50,000

On the evening of 9th November 1985, PrincessDiana had a short impromptu dance with JohnTravolta during a gala dinner at the WhiteHouse. It was an unforgettable moment for royalwatchers. Diana was looking fabulous in a sleekmidnight-blue silk velvet evening dress by Britishdesigner Victor Edelstein. On March 19 thatgown will be auctioned in the London saleroomof Kerry Taylor Auctions. The estimate for thedress is £200,000 to £300,000.

One of the leading sellers of vintage fashionsin the world, Kerry Taylor has an impressive trackrecord with Diana’s dresses. In June 2010 shesold the black strapless evening dress that thethen-Lady Diana Spencer wore on 9th March1981 on her first official engagement after theannouncement of her betrothal to PrinceCharles. Designed by the Emanuels, who latercreated her wedding dress, it sold to a costumemuseum in Chile for £192,000.

The Duchess of Cambridge is proving to bejust as collectible as Diana. At a Kerry Taylor salelast year two hats that Kate Middleton had wornjust once – she had hired them, not even ownedthem – sold for an incredible £3,120 and £3,600respectively. “We would have got more, but we

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“I’M NOT ACOLLECTOR OFVINTAGE FASHIONMYSELF. IT’S ENOUGHFOR ME THAT I GET THECHANCE TO HANDLETHESE BEAUTIFULCLOTHES.”AUCTIONEER KERRY TAYLOR



EMILY DIAMOND DOUBLE-TOUR DS21-DEC-SWT-XL £399

A beautifully crafted, saddle-stitched, Italian leather double-tour strap perfectlycomplementsthe classic looks of this mini-masterpiece. For full-on, 24 hour lifestyles,the Christopher Ward “easy-change” strap mechanism offers infinite flexibility. But to be honest, it’s not the technical wizardry you’ll fall in love with: it’s Emily’sstunning looks, featuring 38 full-cut white diamonds.


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RICHES IN THE WARDROBE| CW


‘Mondrian’ collection for £2,000. In 2011 I sold the same garment for £28,000.”

Financial investors are just one of thegroups that find the lots at the Kerry TaylorAuctions saleroom in Bermondsey, London,interesting. Fashion collectors are as variedas watch collectors. Her other majorpurchasers are: costume museums (“Thereare fewer than a dozen around the worldthat can afford the top prices, but there arelots that buy less expensive examples”);dealers (“There are a lot in LA, for example,selling vintage fashion to the Hollywoodset”); important private collectors (“Thereare about half a dozen serious collectorswilling to spend six-figure sums”); fashionhouses (“They usually are trying to build upthe archive of their own products”); fashiondesigners (“They buy for inspiration”); littlecollectors (“People specialise in all sorts ofniches, like lace, buttons, quilts,..”); andpeople who just like vintage fashion andbuy-to-wear (“If they look after them, theycan re-sell them later”).

Taylor’s global network of contacts hasbeen built up over a 30-year career inauctioneering. Brought up in rural northWales, she took a temporary job as areceptionist at Sotheby’s in Chester in 1979,aged 19. There she found her métier and sobegan a rapid rise to prominence. “I workedharder and longer hours than anyone elseand I became one of the youngestauctioneers in Sotheby’s history at the age of21,” she says. A move to Sotheby’s NewBond Street was inevitable and in her mid-20s Taylor re-established the costume andtextile sales there. By the age of 30 she wasdirector in charge of all collectors’ areas –

such as sport, rock ‘n’ roll, fashion, specialtheme sales and celebrity sales.

She left Sotheby’s in 2003 to set up herown auction business specialising in her firstlove, costume and textiles. “I am interestedin fashion as applied art, in the art ofdressmaking itself, if you like,” she explains.“I am not a collector of vintage fashionmyself, partly because I just am notacquisitive and partly because I do not wantany conflict of interest. It is enough for methat I get the chance to handle thesebeautiful clothes.”

The highlights of her auction scheduleare her twice-yearly Passion for Fashion sales,which typically offer around 300 lots of thefinest examples of collectible textiles andfashion. These are augmented by at least two“general sales”, that offer items that are lessexpensive, but still of high standard. Thenthere are special sales, such as the Marchone this year with just 10 dresses worn byPrincess Diana, or the sale in April of theclothes, accessories and watches of a singleprivate owner.

Setting the rarefied pieces to one side,Taylor stresses that it is easy for anyoneinterested in fashion to buy from her. “If youbuy from an auction, vintage is affordable. Itis fantastic quality compared to the rubbishthat is sold in shops today. It’s unique. Lots ofpeople buy clothes from me to wear them.For example, in the shops now a moderndress with the Pucci label will cost maybeupwards of £1,000, but someone might beable to buy one from me that was made inthe 1960s, when Emilio Pucci himself stillran the business, for maybe £200. They can

“BUYING HAUTE COUTURE AT AUCTION IS ASHREWD INVESTMENT. I SOLD AN YVES SAINTLAURENT DRESS FROM HIS 1965 ‘MONDRIAN’COLLECTION FOR £2,000 IN 1993. IN 2011I SOLD THE SAME GARMENT FOR £28,000.”

In fewer than 20 years, the value of this YSL‘Mondrian’ dress increased 14-fold

wear it, enjoy it and probably resell it formore than they paid for it.”

Although the great majority of what shesells is womenswear, menswear is “verystrong in the saleroom” at present.“Anything eye-catching and stronglydesigned is in demand,” says Taylor.“Museums are looking for good 1960smenswear from Carnaby Street andboutiques of the era like Granny Takes ATrip, Blades, Mr Fish, Mr Freedom,Tommy Nutter.”

Unlike the best womenswear, which ishand-made haute couture, fashionmenswear tends to be ready-to-wear. “Irecently sold a coat by John Stephen, thefounder of Carnaby Street, for £1,500. I canonly describe the fabric as curtain material.”

Sober and respectable nineteenth-century menswear is also in demand, simplybecause so little of it has been preserved.The oldest garment Taylor ever sold was asomewhat different example of menswear –a velvet doublet, or jacket, from 1573 withslashed sleeves that revealed the clothbeneath. A private collector bought it for£200,000, not in an auction, but with Tayloracting as a sales agent for a client.

Such is her reputation, other auctionhouses like Sotheby’s and Bonhams nowrefer clients with textiles and costume to sellto Kerry Taylor Auctions. Its reputation hasbeen built by being honest, honourable andby trading in only a certain level of quality.“Just because something is old, doesn’tmake it interesting,” Taylor passionatelyinsists. “There is a lot of rubbish spokenabout vintage fashion and there is a lot of tatthat is called vintage. Do we really want tosee anything else in Crimplene? Rarity oruniqueness in itself is not an asset. If it is sorare and specialised that no one wants it, sowhat? What I need is something really rarethat everyone wants, like a MadeleineVionnet dress from the 1920s, early Chanelpieces, something from Yves Saint Laurent’sPop-Art collection of 1966 or his Africancollection from 1967. People expect me tooffer the crème-de-la-crème.”www.kerrytaylorauctions.com

“THERE IS A LOT OF RUBBISHSPOKEN ABOUT VINTAGEFASHION AND THERE IS ALOT OF TAT THAT IS CALLEDVINTAGE. DO WE REALLYWANT TO SEE ANYTHINGELSE IN CRIMPLENE?”


“EACH YEAR CWINTRODUCES ONLYBETWEEN FIVE AND10 NEW MODELS.AFTER EIGHT YEARSITS TOTALSELECTION OFAVAILABLE STYLESIS ONLY 32...”

C90 POWER RESERVE C90-SKK £850

C20 LIDOAUTOMATIC C20-SSS £450

CW | TIME TO LOOK AGAIN

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TIME TO LOOK AGAIN| CW

FLICKING THROUGH ITS BACK CATALOGUE,CW NOTICED A FEW MODELS THAT PERHAPSDID NOT GET THE EXPOSURE THEY DESERVEDWHEN FIRST RELEASED. HERE IS A QUARTETTHAT IS DEFINITELY WORTH A SECOND LOOK.IT WILL BE TIME WELL SPENT…

“THESE HIDDEN GEMS DESERVE TO BE RECONSIDERED.THEY ARE VERY WELL-REGARDED BY THE CW TEAM AT MAIDENHEAD.”

C9 HARRISON GMTAUTOMATIC C9-GMT-SKT £550

C40 SPEEDHAWK

CHRONOGRAPH

AUTOMATIC

C40-SKS £750

Christopher Ward could never be accused of flooding thewatch market. Each year the company introduces only betweenfive and 10 new models. The total selection of available stylesafter eight years is just 32 in various colour options.

CW is very pleased to have had some outstanding successes,such as the Malvern Mk2 collection, the C60 Trident collectionand quite a few sell-out limited editions, like the C70 DBR1chronometer and the C9 Jumping Hour.

Recently, however, the team in Maidenhead got to thinkingthat a few of their personal favourites did not get the attention theydeserved when first introduced. It is time, therrefore, to reconsiderthese “hidden gems”. ➸

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C90 POWER RESERVE

TAKING A NEW LOOK AT THIS HANDSOME TIMEPIECEMAKES ONE WONDER WHY IT’S NOT BETTER KNOWNAMONG THE CHRISTOPHER WARD FAN CLUB. WHETHERWITH A WHITE DIAL OR A BLACK DIAL, IT’S A LOVELYEXAMPLE OF UNDERSTATED DESIGN.

Having started life in 2009 as the C90 Becketts - namedafter the legendary corner at Silverstone - the watch wasrenamed in 2010 after CW discovered that use of thename was protected. In this elegantly retro incarnation,the C90 is currently Christopher Ward’s first powerreserve watch, courtesy of the complex 24-jewelValgranges Eta A07.161 automatic movement. Thepower reserve function of the movement was specificallycustomised for this watch by Eta.

The 45-hour power reserve meter is a dominantfeature of the multi-layered dial, which is very strong onlegibility. It’s another big watch in all senses, with a43mm diameter hand-polished surgical-grade stainlesssteel case that is water-resistant to 5 ATM (50m). It hasall the usual CW attention to detail, such as raised andpolished indices, SuperLuminova™ stripes on theminute and hour hands, a see-through back plate and asuperbly profiled adjustable Italian leather strap with aneasy-opening butterfly clasp.

Christopher Ward has built up a reputation for finemotor-racing-inspired watches. The often-overlookedC90 Power Reserve deserves a place very near the frontof the grid. C90 POWER RESERVE C90-SKK £850

C20 LIDO AUTOMATIC

SLIP THIS ELEGANT BABY ON YOUR WRIST AND YOUCAN IMAGE YOU ARE AN ADVERTISING HOT-SHOTAMONG THE MAD MEN OF MADISON AVENUE ORARE HANGING OUT IN LAS VEGAS WITH SINATRA AND THE REST OF THE RAT PACK.

There’s an unashamedly 1960s retro feel about thisversatile watch, which is great for everyday wear, but also looks slick enough to be worn for special occasions.

The original C2 Lido was introduced in 2008.Having been developed through the CW Forum (seepage 23 of this issue for more on the CWF), the firstAutomatic Lido appeared as a limited edition of only100 pieces. The C20 Lido under review here appearedin the main range in 2010.

There is an economy of style about this timepiecethat gives it an aura of restrained masculinity. The40mm case itself is particularly impressive as it appearsas though it is milled from a single piece of steel. Theclean and functional dial is enhanced with a subtleguilloche design in the centre, which catches the lightthrough the anti-reflective crystal.

Through the exhibition panel on the back plate theexcellent Eta 2836-2 calibre automatic movement(which controls Day/Date functions) can be viewed.

The steel bracelet option is a strong contender formany customers, but a calf leather strap in tan or blackgives the C20 Lido a more dressed-up attitude. It is awatch, however, whose cool good looks are especiallyenhanced by an upgrade to a Louisiana alligator strap.Ask yourself, which would Frank have preferred? C20 LIDO - AUTOMATIC C20-SSS £450

TIME TO LOOK AGAIN | CW


C40 SPEEDHAWK CHRONOGRAPH

IN A STOOPING DIVE THE PEREGRINE FALCON CANREACH SPEEDS OF 200MPH (320KPH), MAKING IT ONE OFTHE FASTEST CREATURES ON THE PLANET. A SILHOUETTE OFTHIS REMARKABLE BIRD OF PREY IN A STOOP FORMS THECOUNTER BALANCE ON THE SECOND HAND OF THE C40SPEEDHAWK, WHICH GIVES AN INDICATION OF THEPERFORMANCE FROM THIS AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH.

A development from the highly successful C4 Peregrinemodel, the C40 Speedhawk Chronograph wasintroduced in 2009 and marked a significant leapforward for Christopher Ward. The all-importantimprovement was the introduction of the famous Eta7750 Valjoux movement, the hypnotic operation ofwhich can be seen through the exhibition plate.

Physically, this watch is imposing, with a 42mmhand-polished surgical-grade stainless steel case requiring16mm of height to accommodate the sophisticatedfunctions within, including the Etachron regulatorsystem. The black dial, highlighted with white and red,features the 3-counter multi-function chronograph(hours, minutes and stop second), a Day/Date calendarand a uni-directional rotating bezel and internaltachymeter. It’s a busy, but very legible face, thanks to the convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.Picking up the red theme of the dial, the stems of thepushers flanking the screw-in crown are anodised red.

Water resistant to 5 ATM (50m), the C40 Speedhawk is available with a stainless steel bracelet or a black calfleather strap with red contrast stitching. The latter looksparticularly sporty with a PVD matt black case.

As is usual with raptors, the female peregrine is muchbigger than the male, which leads us to conclude thatalthough the C40 Speedhawk is ostensibly a man’swatch, it also would look good on some female wrists.C40 SPEEDHAWK CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC

C40-SKS £750

C9 HARRISON GMT

LONG BEFORE GOOGLE EARTH AND SAT NAV, FINDINGONE’S PLACE ON THE PLANET WAS A MATHEMATICALPUZZLE KNOWN AS THE “LONGITUDE PROBLEM”.

The globe was divided by imaginary vertical lines,starting at 0° at Greenwich and fanning out -180°westwards and +180° eastwards. Knowing where youwere required a reliable timepiece that could calculateyour journey time from Greenwich.In 1761 a watch devised by British horologist JohnHarrison arrived in Jamaica on a British navy ship andwas running only 5 seconds slow, which correspondedto an error in longitude of 1.25 minutes, or about onenautical mile. Harrison was awarded a prize of £20,000(equivalent to almost £3 million today) from the Britishgovernment for his achievement.

Harrison’s H4 Chronometer, also known as his SeaWatch No 1, was recognised as the marvel of the ageand 250 years later it has inspired superb watches fromChristopher Ward. The C900 Jumping Hour and theC900 Single Pusher are the most exotic of the bunch,but the C90 Harrison GMT is probably the model thatmost closely echoes the spirit of Harrison’s achievement.

Thanks to its marvellous Eta 2893-2 automaticmovement, this watch – the GMT stands forGreenwich Mean Time – shows the time in two timezones simultaneously, a feature that would havedelighted and amazed Harrison himself. In the bestspirit of Christopher Ward’s ethos, the dial is clean andunfussy, with the second zone’s time being indicated ona neat inner circle on the dial.

The sophisticated movement is visible thanks to thesee-through back plate on the 43mm hand-polishedsurgical-grade stainless steel case. If you want a timelyreminder of the power of “less is more” as a designmantra, the astonishingly precise C90 Harrison GMT is the watch for you.C9 HARRISON GMT AUTOMATIC C9-GMT-SKT £550

C9 HARRISON AUTOMATIC – LIMITED EDITION C9-AUTO-SBBR £599

Made in Switzerland / Worldwide limited edition of only 100 pieces /Sellita SW 200-1 self-winding élabore movement / 38 hour power reserve / 43mm 316L surgical-grade, hand-polished stainless steel case/ Anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Galvanic blue one-piece metal dial /Premium-grade alligator deployment strapE X C L U S I V E LY A V A I L A B L E A T christopherward.co.uk


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4min:59secAT 02:51:16 UTC ON MONDAY JULY 21 1969, A FORMER TEST PILOT FROM WAPAKONETA,OHIO, OPENED THE HATCH OF THE APOLLOLUNAR MODULE, EAGLE AND LOOKED OUTAT THE LUNAR SURFACE.

His journey to this point had taken years of meticulousplanning and all the confident ambition and wealth of1960's America.

His next journey - the nine-rung descent of the LunarModule ladder - would take just four minutes, 59 seconds but would end in one of the most significant events inhuman history.

Neil Armstrong would become the first person tohave ever stepped on anything that has not existed on,or originated from, our home planet. Unable to see hisfeet below him, he carefully stepped down, reaching out to activate a TV camera. As he neared the bottom he said, “I’m going to step off the LEM now”. He thenturned and took a small step onto the surface. The timewas 02:56:15 UTC.

SPANTIME A NEW SERIESWHICHMEASURESTIMES THATCHANGEDOUR WORLD

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uring the summer of 1940,Bentley Priory was probably thesingle most important buildingin the whole of the UnitedKingdom. A former country

house in Stanmore, north London, it was theheadquarters of the Royal Air Force’s FighterCommand, which was led by Air ChiefMarshal Sir Hugh Dowding, who since 1936had been refining a system to protect thecountry from aerial attack.

The Battle of Britain from July toOctober 1940 proved that his secret airdefence strategy, known as the DowdingSystem, worked. Improved and refined, itcontinued to thwart the enemy during theBlitz of 1940-41 and the V1 and V2 rocketattacks in 1944-45.

The principles used in this radar-basedearly warning system are employed in ourdefence systems today but now computers dothe analysis that in WW2 was handledmainly by a small group of young women inthe Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, which hadbeen formed in 1939.

A stained glass window at Bentley Priorycelebrates their previously overlooked role by showing a WAAF in the Filter Centre,which was the pivotal heart in the DowdingSystem. Among the WAAF veterans whoserved in the Filter Centre at Bentley Priory and elsewhere during the war arePatricia Clark (née Robins) and EileenYounghusband (née Le Croissette), who put

on the WAAF uniform in 1940 and 1941respectively, when both were just 19.

Virtually every movie about the Battle ofBritain or the Blitz includes images ofyoung WAAF personnel pushing aroundmarkers in RAF Operation Rooms, but untilvery recently it was almost unknown to thepublic that the information used by the Opsstaff had been received, analysed andcollated at great speed in neighbouringrooms called Filter Centres.

“If it wasn’t for the girls in the FilterCentres, the Ops Room wouldn’t haveknown where the German planes were andwouldn’t have been able to tell the pilots,”insists the sprightly and engaging PatriciaClark. “The main reason people don’t knowabout what we did is that we all had to signthe Official Secrets Act and that restrictionwas not lifted until 1975.”

More than seven decades on, EileenYounghusband, who has become aneloquent figurehead for her WAAFcolleagues, is equally indignant. “What wedid in the Filter Centres has been a biggersecret than what was done at BletchleyPark,” she maintains.

Victory in the Battle of Britain and otherair battles over the United Kingdom duringWorld War Two immediately conjuresimages of the bravery and fortitude of TheFew, but the reality is that victory wasdelivered by an extensive system thatintegrated new technology, processes ➸

“WHAT WE DID IN THE FILTER CENTRES HAS BEEN A BIGGER SECRET THANWHAT WAS DONE ATBLETCHLEY PARK.”EILEEN YOUNGHUSBAND

Wartime WAAF Eileen Le Croissette, now EileenYounghusband, used her maths skills in theFilter Centres

D

RAF FIGHTER COMMAND’S WARTIME HQ, BENTLEY PRIORY, WILL BE OPENED IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR AS A MUSEUM TO CELEBRATE ALL WHO CONTRIBUTEDTO THE VICTORIES IN THE SKIES OVER BRITAIN IN 1939-45. HERE WE HIGHLIGHTTHE ROLE OF UNSUNG HEROINES OF THE WAAF WHO WORKED IN TOP-SECRETFILTER CENTRES AT THE HEART OF THE UK’S UNIQUE AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM.

CW | SECRET WOMEN OF WW2

GUARDIANS OF THE

SKIES

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ENGLISH FIZZ| CW

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In the Filter Centres, WAAF personnelsoon proved themselves to be just asable as the RAF men they replaced.Connected to radar stations on thecoast via telephone lines, they plottedthe positions of enemy and friendlyaircraft with great speed and accuracy

“THE MAIN REASONPEOPLE DON’T KNOWABOUT WHAT WE DID ISTHAT WE ALL HAD TOSIGN THE OFFICIALSECRETS ACT AND THATRESTRICTION WAS NOTLIFTED UNTIL 1975.”PATRICIA CLARK

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radar detection. His system relied on a ringof radar stations on the British coast that hadbeen set up in the mid-1930s by RobertWatt-Watson, a radar pioneer working forthe British Air Ministry. These stations werethe starting points of what became known asCH or Chain Home.

Radar detections from a single positionwere imprecise 70 years ago. Bycoordinating the overlapping readings fromneighbouring stations, a much moreaccurate assessment of the position andaltitude of incoming aircraft – and,importantly, of the number of aircraft –could be made. It was this sort of plottinganalysis at which Patricia, Eileen and theirWAAF colleagues in the Filter Centresbecame very skilled.

Human observation, especially by theObserver Corps, was important to fill in thegaps between radar stations, especially in theearly part of WW2 when radar coverage wasdirected mainly out to sea. (The ObserverCorps was awarded the prefix “Royal” byKing George VI in April 1941 in recognitionof its contribution during the Battle ofBritain.) As the war progressed, systems usingdifferent radio frequencies were better attracking aircraft over land. Airborne RAF

planes also contributed information and, onthe ground, bi-lingual personnel, includingWAAFs, listened in to the wireless chatter ofGerman aircrew.

This mass of information needed to besent, received, analysed and processed very

“IF WE TRACKED ONELOSING HEIGHT, WE WEREABLE TO ALERT THEMARITIME RESCUE SERVICESAND OFTEN PILOTS WERESURPRISED TO FIND A BOATWAITING FOR THEM WHENTHEY DITCHED.”

communications and a band of highlyskilled RAF and WAAF personnel. In 1940the system enabled The Few in the air andthe Anti-Aircraft Artillery on the ground toovercome a numerically much strongerenemy. The success of the Dowding Systemduring the Blitz meant that Hitler’sOperation Sealion, his planned invasion ofBritain, came to nothing.

In 1932 the British Prime MinisterStanley Baldwin infamously declared that“the bomber will always get through”. Thiswidely held view of the indefensible threatof modern aerial attack was challenged bySir Hugh Dowding, who in the three yearsbefore World War II conceived andorganised the development of a uniqueintegrated air defence system. Born in 1882,he was approaching retirement age, but headopted a maverick stance against many ofhis superiors and political masters, certainin his view that Britain’s only hope was tokeep its meagre air force concentrated onthe home front to defeat the expectedGerman onslaught from the skies.

Observation, communication ofinformation, analysis and speed of responsewere the vital elements of his plan. He wasone of the first to recognise the potential of

above: the work of the WAAF plotterswas supervised from a balcony. right: telephone links to radar stationswere open 24 hours a day

HUGH DOWDING‘S VIEW WAS THAT BRITAIN’SONLY HOPE WAS TO KEEP ITS MEAGRE AIRFORCE CONCENTRATED ON THE HOME FRONT


SECRET WOMEN OF WW2 | CW

quickly if it was to be useful. Dowding puthundreds of telephone lines underground(to be safe from bombing) to enable theinformation to flow between the radar chainand observer groups, RAF Bentley Prioryand the other Fighter Command units.

Under the Dowding System, the countrywas divided into geographical areas, each ofwhich was covered by a Fighter CommandGroup. These areas in turn were subdividedinto several Sectors with a Sector stationcontrolling two or three airfields.

During an enemy attack, details ofincoming aircraft – and, importantly, offriendly aircraft – were sent by the ChainHome stations to the Filter Centre at GroupHQs. Once collated, assessed and plottedon a large table-top map, this informationwas passed to the Group Operations Roomsand thence to Sector Ops Rooms, where theController made the decision when toscramble the fighters. He and his deputycontrollers provided pilots with codedcourses to vector, or guide, the fighters tothe target. The order to “scramble”,together with the codename for the area tobe patrolled, was relayed by telephone todispersal huts at the fighter airfields.

Under the integrated Dowding System,the information from the Filter Centre wasdisseminated to other key parties involved in

the aerial combat, such as anti-aircraftbatteries, air raid authorities, BalloonCommand, and after it was formed later inthe war, the Air Sea Rescue service.

In the early days of WW2, it was notthought the WAAF personnel would be ableto handle as efficiently as the men of theRAF the calculations and pressure of theFilter Centre operations. The pool oftrained RAF staff was small and there wereincreasing demands for personnel to operatesystems overseas. It was decided to givewomen a chance and this proved to be thecorrect decision because they acquittedthemselves wonderfully.

“With our smaller hands, we were ableto place the small counters that representedhostile planes and friendly aircraft muchmore dextrously than men. We learnt veryfast to be quick,” says Patricia.

On the recommendation of a friend whowas working in a Filter Centre, EileenYounghusband told her recruiting officerthat she was good at mathematics andwanted to be a Clerk Special Duties, thecode used for the WAAF plotters. Therecruiting officer was astonished that shehad even heard of the term, as it was sohush-hush. Seventy years on, Eileenexplains why the analysis done at speed inthe Filter Centre was so important toachieve the effective use of the RAF’s verylimited resources: “Quite simply, during the

Battle of Britain and the Blitz, we didn’thave enough planes, pilots or fuel. TheSpitfires and Hurricanes had fuel to keepthem in the air for just under an hour, sothe very earliest they could intercept wasabout 30 minutes from their airfield. Thetrick was not to get the planes up too early,but to get them to the right area at the lastminute. That’s why all our calculations, ourintersections of the arcs of incoming planes’paths, our predictions of where they weregoing to be and when, were so important.”

The central work area of a Filter Centrewas the table on which was a map coveringthe Group’s area. Most of the map, Eileenrecalls, showed the area of the sea as it wasover the water that the early radar locatedairborne activity. Each radar station in thearea was assigned to a WAAF known as aplotter, who communicated with the stationthrough a headset and large mouthpiecethat curved upward from the chest. As theinformation – type of aircraft, number ofaircraft, direction of aircraft, altitude, friendor foe – came over the telephone lines theplotters laid down markers on the table. Themarkers, of different shapes and colours,carried different letters and numbers thatrepresented different information.

This information was simultaneouslyassessed and collated into simple arrowedtracks on the map by a Filterer Officer, whowas free to walk round the table and to

“I AM NOW 92 YEARS OF AGE AND MY FELLOW WAAFSHAVE WAITED A VERY LONG TIME FOR RECOGNITIONOF THE VITAL PART WE FILTER CENTRE PLOTTERS,FILTERERS AND FILTER OFFICERS PLAYED.”

left; The maverick Sir Hugh Dowding, who devisedthe UK’s integrated air defence system worked.right; WAAF personnel were called the “beautychorus” during the war. In September 2012 theseveterans gathered again at Bentley Priory, FighterCommand’s wartime HQ.

above: As the tide of war changed, EileenYounghusband, second from left, was postedto Belgium to help identify German rocket-launching sitesPi

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modern eyes the construction of thebalconies in the Filter and Ops Centres andthe technical infrastructure was somewhatHeath Robinson.

As well as analysing and plotting enemyaircraft, Filter Centres had to identify allaircraft operating out to sea to prevent

fratricide and enemy forces creeping inunder cover of returning friendly aircraft.This was achieved electronically by anaircraft sending a signal to the CH radar –although not all aircraft were fitted withthis equipment early in the war – and byall friendly movements being notified toFilter Centres. Identification in itself was acomplex task. Early in the war it wasrealised that an organisation to rescuedowned aircrew at sea was necessary, sothe Air Sea Rescue Service was formed in1941 following the experiences of theBattle of Britain. The Filter Centres

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The design of the automatic watch is based on the Air Ministry's military issuepilots watch of the time, (reference number 6B/159) and carries the King’s crownand laurel-wreathed RAF crest of the period. Other unique features include hourand minute hands formed in the shape of the propeller blades of the iconic Spitfirewhich was so central to securing victory. The Battle of Britain was, arguably, themost important military battle of the 20th century. Production of the watch islimited to 1,940 pieces worldwide.

ALL THE ASCENDANCY OF THE HURRICANES ANDSPITFIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS BUT FOR THISSYSTEM WHICH HAD BEEN DEVISED AND BUILTBEFORE THE WAR, WROTE WINSTON CHURCHILL

“filter” the information being laid down bythe plotters. The often-frantic activity on thetable – Eileen recalls that it was normal that15 or more plotters would be workingshoulder-to-shoulder – was supervised froma balcony on which sat a Filter Officer (whofrom 1941 was usually WAAF), a FilterRoom Controller (who was always RAF) andWAAF “tellers”, who passed on by phonethe key elements of the plotting to thenearby Ops Room.

During the Battle of Britain, the FilterCentre at Bentley Priory was the only one in the country – the success of the systemduring the summer of 1940 led to itsexpansion. A recreation of the FilterCentre will be a feature of the new museum.

By coincidence, although at separatetimes, Patricia and Eileen were both firstposted to 10 Group, which covered thesouth-west of England and south Wales.Their paths crossed later in the war. AtRAF Rudloe, 10 Group’s HQ near Bath,Pat’s first Filter Centre in late 1940 was ina former cowshed – it was later relocatedunderground.

This was symptomatic of the make-do-and-mend reality of the early years of theSecond World War. The Dowding Systemused the most advanced technology of theday – radar – yet even at Bentley Priory to

RAF Air Sea Rescue gather in British pilots forced to bale outat sea. June 8, 1941. (AP Photo)

47

SECRET WOMEN OF WW2 | CW

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supplied much of its information. “This was very important because quite a

few planes went down in the drink,” PatriciaClark recalls. “If we tracked one losingheight, we were able to alert the maritimerescue services and often pilots weresurprised to find a boat waiting for themwhen they ditched.”

The seriousness of their workthroughout the war was made painfullyobvious to the WAAF personnel by thealarming fatality rates among aircrew.Eileen Younghusband joined up after afavourite cousin, who was in the RAF, waskilled on a training mission. In 1943 thecrew of a stricken Lancaster bomber whohad been fished out of the Channel wasbrought to a Filter Centre to discover howtheir plane had been pinpointed soaccurately. Patricia Clark became engagedto one of the visitors, an Australiannavigator called Ken Lyons. He was killedon an air raid over Germany in 1944, aged26. She had already lost two cousins whowere pilots in the Battle of Britain. “Iwouldn’t say you got used to it, but deathwas very commonplace,” she says today.

Talking to impressive women likePatricia and Eileen today, it is difficult toimagine the sexist prejudices of the timesthat they and their fellow WAAF personnelovercame. Patricia recalls all her comradeswere her age: “I can’t remember any of theplotters or Filterer Officers being older thantheir mid-20s at the most.”

They were determined to show that theycould handle the technical tasks that RAFmen were doing. Although the WAAF hadbeen established in June 1939 when warseemed likely, it was not until 1941 thatwomen working in technical roles, such asin the Filter Rooms, were commissioned.Patricia Robins finished the war as a FlightOfficer and Eileen Le Croissette as aSection Officer.

The Filter Centres were “manned” byWAAF personnel 24 hours a day, with thetelephone lines to the radar stations keptopen permanently. Shifts were eight hourslong. At times of heavy enemy activity, suchas the Blitz or during the V1 and V2 raids,Filter Centres were places of intense activity.At other times, however, when bad weatherprevented flying, the WAAFs caught up withtheir reading, knitting and sewing. Patriciabegan writing stories for women’s magazinesduring these quiet shifts.

Winston Churchill’s comment that:“Never in the field of human conflict was somuch owed by so many to so few” haspassed into legend, but he also wrote in hissix-volume history, The Second World War,that: “All the ascendancy of the Hurricanesand Spitfires would have been fruitless but

for this system which had been devised andbuilt before the war. It had been shaped andrefined in constant action, and all was nowfused together into a most elaborateinstrument of war the like of which existednowhere in the world.”.

This “most elaborate instrument of war”was the Dowding System.

Says Patricia Clark: “I am now 92 years ofage and my fellow WAAFs have waited avery long time for recognition of the vitalpart we Filter Centre Plotters, Filterers andFilter Officers played. We were totallydedicated to our work and proud to beconsidered more than capable and wellable, as was doubted, to replace the menwho were needed for active serviceoverseas.”

Eileen Younghusband adds: “It is myfirm belief that the Filter Centre was thelinchpin of the air defence of Britain and itis time this was celebrated. Many FilterCentre personnel have been puzzled andsometimes upset that their vital work underdifficult conditions was never acknowledged.At last the part they played in the DowdingSystem is now being recognised.”

BENTLEY PRIORY APPEALKnown as “the spiritual home ofThe Few”, Bentley Priory inStanmore, north London, will bereopened as a museum inSeptember 2013 after a seven-yearappeal that has raised £13 million.Just £800,000 is still required andlapel badges are being sold at £30to help reach the target. To order abadge, call 020 7580 3343 or [email protected]

Many thanks to Bentley Prioryproject manager WingCommander Erica Ferguson forher generous help in puttingtogether this feature.

www.bentleypriory.org

“IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THATTHE FILTER CENTRE WAS THE LINCHPIN OF THE AIRDEFENCE OF BRITAIN ANDIT IS TIME THIS WASCELEBRATED. MANY FILTERCENTRE PERSONNEL HAVEBEEN PUZZLED ANDSOMETIMES UPSET THATTHEIR VITAL WORK UNDERDIFFICULT CONDITIONSWAS NEVERACKNOWLEDGED.”EILEEN YOUNGHUSBAND

For an official 1943 film on the Filter Centres, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFN4uE2b9hAEileen Younghusband’s memoir, One Woman’s War, details her WAAF experiences. In civilian lifeshe became a successful business woman. www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/onewomanswarAfter WW2 Patricia Clark became a successful novelist. Her autobiography, You Never Know,which includes her war years, was published under her pen name of Claire Lorrimer.www.clairelorrimer.co.uk

CW | PAUSE FOR THOUGHT


e synchronize our dailyactivities using any number of diverse devices – rangingfrom the mechanical to the

subatomic – and yet we rarely stop to thinkhow it is that without such devices we stilldo a pretty good job of keeping time,knowing how long it will take to get backfrom the shops, or overtaking the car infront before hitting the oncoming traffic.

How do we do this? And why is it thattime sometimes appears to slow down, orspeed up? These are not the idle questionsof scientists with too much of the stuff ontheir hands. When a skydiver takes that firstjump, and has to count the seconds beforepulling the ripcord, does he count at thesame speed as he did when trained to countwhile on the ground?

When pilots estimate the time to hit theground as they land the planes in whichyou travel, are their estimates as accurate aswhen, during training, they were moresafely sitting behind the controls of asimulator? And if not, why not? If you arethat skydiver, or are sitting in that plane,you’d hope that someone, at least, knowsthe answer to these questions.

Psychologists and neuroscientists attemptto answer exactly such questions. We livewith the objective measures of time allaround us – from watches and phones toTVs, ovens, and microwaves. Yet despite itsobjective and measurable manifestation,time is subjective – right now, time may begoing by faster for you than it is for me.

Hence the role for psychologists inunderstanding how the mind “does” time.Even economists and decision-makers careabout subjective time: A decision that mighttake only moments to make is easily andaccurately made when we don’t feel rushed,but is harder to make when we feel undertime pressure (regardless of how much time

AS A SPECIES, WE ARE FASCINATED BY TIME. WE’VEBEEN MEASURING IT FOR SOME 4,000 YEARS ANDCELEBRATING ITS PASSAGE FOR FAR LONGER.

The biggest impediment, however, toour understanding of mental time is timeitself. The human brain changes inthousands of subtle ways, thousands of timesa second. As scientists, we measure it, probeit, time it. If we could just slow down timelong enough to watch the brain change,moment-by-moment, we might betterunderstand how different parts of the brainwork in synchrony to create our ownpersonal experience of time. But we cannotopen up a brain like we can a watch, andprobe how each part enables all the othersto function. The methods we use are notthose of a watchmaker (readers familiar withZachary Quinto’s character Sylar from theTV series Heroes will be disappointed).

Time inMind

we actually have). The same amount of timein one context might seem like an eternity,but in another, a moment that was all toobrief. Psychologists care about these things,and how they come about: How, why, andwhen our mental clocks tick at different rates,and what the consequences of changing thatrate are for everyday behaviours. Andneuroscientists care about which parts of the brain control the mental clock, andwhether there may not in fact exist multipleclocks within a single brain all ticking atdifferent rates. Even anthropologists careabout time, with different cultures appearingto think about time in different ways (anddescribing time in their respective languagesin quite different ways to how we mightdescribe it in English).

THE BIGGEST IMPEDIMENT, HOWEVER, TO OURUNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL TIME IS TIME ITSELF: THEHUMAN BRAIN CHANGES IN THOUSANDS OF SUBTLEWAYS, THOUSANDS OF TIMES A SECOND.

were planning the same thing next monthinstead. And we’ll learn about how differentparts of the brain serve differentchronometric functions, from estimatingtime to travelling back in time. We mighteven learn a little about skydiving, decision-making, and culture. If nothing else, we’lllearn a little more about the most versatileclock you’ll ever experience but never beable to buy: the one inside your head.Gerry Altmann is Professor of Psychology atthe University of York in the UK, Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Cognition,and prize-winning author of The Ascent ofBabel, an accessible introduction to how thebrain does language. In his spare time,Gerry is a watch nerd.

How we instead study the mind’s abilityto keep time, and even conceive of time, is something that we shall consider acrossa series of occasional articles that willappear in future issues of this magazineand in the Christopher Ward blog.Scientists working on the psychology andneuroscience of time will contribute shortarticles describing their and others’research on psychological time, and how it changes from moment to moment andperson to person.

We’ll find out how our mentalconception of time is not that different fromour mental conception of space – time andspace are inextricably bound, both inEinstein’s theory of special relativity, and inour minds. We’ll discover that our ability toestimate elapsed time relies on a mentalchronograph this is unlike any chronographyou can buy in a shop. We’ll find out whywe think that something we’re planning ondoing tomorrow will take longer than if we

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A NEW SERIES ON HOW THE HUMAN MINDCONCEIVES OF, ANDKEEPS TRACK OF, TIME.

by Professor Gerry Altman

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There is great satisfaction to be had in celebrating the feeling offellowship and comradeship that is derived from belonging to a groupof like-minded individuals. It’s no surprise that one often hears ateam, a club or a troop described as a “body of men”; such groups areoften more than the sum of their parts.

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