The Christopher Ward Bel Canto Salmon Brings the Chiming Complication to the Masses

Alright, I must admit that we’re a bit late to the party when it comes to reviewing the Christopher Ward Bel Canto… A fault confessed is half-redressed. But we’ll do better, as it’s time for us to have a closer look at this watch. The Bel Canto has been under MONOCHROME’s radar ever since its introduction in 2022. back then, it caused quite a stir, as it’s not often we get to see a fully mechanical chiming hour watch priced below 5,000 euros! So, together with our latest video review (which you can see at the top of this article), it’s time to see if the Christopher Ward Bel Canto, especially this salmon-toned version, is worth the hype.

The only other watch that immediately comes to mind when thinking about accessible chiming complications is the MeisterSinger Bell Hora, and you’d be surprised to learn there’s a genuine connection between the two. The Bel Canto takes the concept of a chiming hour watch, where a hammer strikes a gong to signal the passing of a full hour, and turns it on its head. Not literally, as the functionality remains pretty much the same, but in terms of construction, and even better; affordability.

It starts with a simple base movement, a Sellita SW200-1 automatic, providing 38 hours of running time. On top, Christopher Ward has installed its own FS01 module. This was developed by Frank Stelzer, the brand’s technical director, and also the one who developed the Bell Hora mechanism for MeisterSinger. Yet where the MeisterSinger hides its cleverness, Christopher Ward has decided to put it on full display!

The principle is rather simple but making it work is quite something. Over the course of an hour, energy is built up by a snail cam and a spring mechanism. When the minute hand passes 12, a lever snaps over the tip of the snail cam and releases the hammer. This in turn hits a gong, signalling the passing of the hour.

And the best part? Most of this is shown right on the Rosa Gold sunray brushed dial! Other colours are available as well, but we’ve always had a soft spot for salmon tones. Anyway, the whole striking mechanism is suspended under multiple bridges and can be fully admired up front. From any angle, there is a ton of detail everywhere you look. From the mounting of the gong, the way it loops back on itself, the architecture of the bridges, the charging mechanism and so on. There’s a lot to love.

Now, a watch that gives a single chime when 60 minutes have passed, is a little impractical in everyday life. So, suspended over the top half of the dial is an openworked subdial for the hours and minutes. The markers and hands are finished with Super-LumiNova inserts, and the whole design is rather contemporary.

To match the striking appearance, and to best amplify the sound of the chimes, the Bel Canto has a grade 5 titanium case. This acts like a resonance chamber, to make sure the sound is as clear and audible as possible. And it must be said, the sound is surprising! I’ve handled a fair share of chiming or repeater watches, and the Bel Canto isn’t far off! It has a lovely crisp tone and lingers a bit before dying out.

The design of the case is rather contemporary, which I appreciate very much. Christopher Ward could have opted for something far more classical, but this way the Bel Canto stands out from the masses even more! The case measures 41mm in diameter, which is reasonable. Even the height of 13mm is very acceptable given the space needed for the chiming hour module.

Just the head of the watch tips the scales at a mere 53 grams, which ups to 113 grams if you put on the full grade 2 titanium bracelet with micro-adjustable folding clasp. Because of that low weight, and somewhat compact dimensions, the Bel Canto wears very well on the wrist.

And that chime every hour is just amazing, really. Where normally such a complication means spending at least tens of thousands on a watch, the Christopher Ward Bel Canto is priced at EUR 4,545. Put it on a leather strap, and that drops down to EUR 4,095. Excluding VAT that is, but still. That’s an incredible deal for such a complication!

The Christopher Ward Bel Canto has been so popular that it has sold out multiple times already. Although we had the chance to try out a sample watch, a new production batch is on its way. As of now, you can pre-order your own Bel Canto, with an estimated delivery for January 2025. The only dilemma is; which colour! Black, ice-blue, purple, deep-blue or salmon? Check www.christopherward.com for more details.