Amsterdam’s Ace Jewelers has recently launched another retailer-exclusive limited edition watch, this time with UK-based Christopher Ward. The new watch is known as the Christopher Ward x Ace Jewelers The Twelve Hebrew and is based on the popular The Twelve range of integrated bracelet-style watches that come in steel and titanium versions. I reviewed the Christopher Ward The Twelve Titanium and thought this was a great opportunity to review the steel version.
This particular version of the Christopher Ward The Twelve was made as a limited edition of 50 pieces for the Dutch retailer. Ace Jeweler’s Alon Ben Joseph likes selling exclusive watches, as well as designing watches with cultural significance to him. The Twelve “Hebrew Edition” replaces the standard 12 o’clock hour markers with a marker using Hebrew characters. In Hebrew, some of the letters also count as numbers for doing mathematical computations, based on their order in the alphabet. Here, the two Hebrew characters put together make the number twelve, coming from the second and tenth letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This is not the first Hebrew-dial watch created for Ace Jewelers, and it makes sense that the concept continues as a creative theme to explore with various brands.
For the dial, Ace and Christopher Ward selected a very nice blue chapter ring and gradient blue texture dial. For devotees of the Israeli flag, this watch has a tone that could match up rather nicely, especially considering the white-colored luminous application on the hands and hour markers. There are several other The Twelve watches with blue dials, but this one does appear distinctive. There is a somewhat similar-looking blue version of the Christopher Ward The Twelve Titanium, but it costs more and wears differently. Blue is certainly a popular conservative color right now, so it makes sense that Christopher Ward would explore various shades of it. The weird thing about Christopher Ward’s The Twelve is that both the steel and titanium versions are 40mm wide and have a 44.5mm-long lug-to-lug distance, but they aren’t the same thickness. This is because The Twelve titanium has a slightly thinner movement and can have a case that is a bit under 9mm thick. The steel version isn’t exactly fat, but uses a Sellita SW200 automatic movement and is about 10mm thick. It has 100 meters of water resistance with a screw-down crown. Over the dial is a flat AR-coated sapphire crystal that is reasonably glare-resistant.
I like the feeling of both the lightweight The Twelve Titanium and The Twelve Steel, but in different ways. The lighter and thinner titanium version has a sporty yet elegant hipness to it, and the heavier steel version has a more substantial and classic feel which I think traditionalists might actually prefer. There is a roughly $500 price difference between the steel and titanium versions, which at this price point is quite substantial. My point is that I finally understand why Christopher Ward decided to make both versions because The Twelve Titanium and Steel are really meant for slightly different consumers.
Visible through the sapphire crystal window on the caseback (note that in the pictures, the protective plastic sheet over the movement window has not been removed), inside The Twelve (in steel) is a Swiss Made Sellita Sw200-1 automatic movement with 38 hours of power reserve and an operational frequency of 4Hz (there is a COSC-certified SW300 in the titanium version). The steel case is very nicely finished and detailed for the price. The brand aims to offer consumers a feeling that they are getting a lot for their money, and that is well-represented here. The case and dial design aren’t for everyone, but this is overall a successful product for the brand. I like some of the smaller details, such as the fact that the date disc is color-matched with the dial, and the quick-release ends on the bracelet which make it a snap to swap out with a strap. Unlike the titanium version, which I believe comes with a rubber strap to wear, it doesn’t appear that Christopher Ward includes an added strap with The Twelve in steel. However, they are most certainly available to buy as an accessory.
The arena of integrated bracelet watches went from being chic and hot a few years ago, to being very well-populated now at the end of 2024, with options ranging from a few hundred dollars to Patek Philippe money. Christopher Ward offers enough design originality and affordability for its The Twelve collection to make a park in the otherwise crowded and highly competitive space. My small quibbles about the watch are minor, like the fact that some of the steel edges could be polished to be a bit softer against the skin, or that adding a rubber strap in the kit would have been nice. Presuming you find the color and style you like, Christopher Ward’s The Twelve Hebrew Edition is a very competent timepiece that will scratch the itch if you are looking for this theme in a timepiece. This blue dial with the Hebrew 12 o’clock hour marker is just another flavor in the collection, and it doesn’t have any limited edition premium associated with the price. The Christopher Ward x Ace Jewelers The Twelve Hebrew (reference C12-40ADA1-ACE-B0) is priced at $1,225 USD and is limited to 50 pieces. Learn more at the Christopher Ward website.
