The Twelve is Christopher Ward's integrated-bracelet sports watch: a 12-sided steel case, a tapered bracelet and a textured dial, in the 1970s tradition of the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. It comes in 3 sizes, 36, 38 and 40 mm, at the same price. The thin, hand-wound Twelve 660 is its dress version, see Christopher Ward The Twelve 660.
My pick is the 38 mm in Nordic Blue: the same case size and lug to lug as the 660 I like so much, but with the seconds hand and the date the 660 leaves out.
Overview
- What it is: a steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Automatic, 3 hands, and a date on the 38 and 40 mm.
- What stands out: the 3D pyramid dial, a bezel finished 3 ways, and a bracelet with a micro-adjust clasp. Since autumn 2026 it runs on Sellita's new SW200-2 Power+, with 65 hours of power reserve.
- Price: €1,555 on the steel bracelet in all 3 sizes, as shown to a visitor in Germany on 22nd October 2026. Free delivery and 60 days of free returns.
- Value: 100 m, a screw-down crown, a display back and 65 h for about €1,500.
The 3 sizes
All 3 sizes share the height, the movement, the water resistance, the dials and the price. They differ in the lug to lug, the bracelet width, the weight and the date.
| 36 mm | 38 mm | 40 mm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 9.95 mm | 9.95 mm | 9.95 mm |
| Lug to lug | 40.8 mm | 43.3 mm | 44.5 mm |
| Bracelet taper | 22 to 17 mm | 23.3 to 17 mm | 25 to 17 mm |
| Case weight | 56 g | 60 g | 65 g |
| On the bracelet | 151 g | 157 g | 160 g |
| Date | No | Yes, at 6 | Yes |
| Hands and indices | Slimmer | Standard | Standard |
| Caseback | Sleeker, simpler surround | 6 exposed screws | 6 exposed screws |
| Price (DE) | €1,555 | €1,555 | €1,555 |
| Stock, 22 Oct | White in stock | Nordic Blue pre-order | Glacier Blue pre-order, end November |
- 36 mm: the cleanest dial, with slimmer hands and no date. Christopher Ward pitches it as a classic men's size that also suits smaller wrists.
- 38 mm: the middle size, with the date. Its 43.3 mm lug to lug is the same as the 660's.
- 40 mm: the original Twelve from 2023. The widest bracelet, 25 mm at the case, gives it the most presence.
For me the 36 is out because it has no date, and the 40 adds 1.2 mm of lug to lug for no gain. The 38 is the one.
Specifications
The shared specs, for the 38 mm in Nordic Blue on the bracelet:
| Reference | C12-38ADA1-S00B3-B0 (Nordic Blue, steel bracelet) |
| Case | Stainless steel, 12-sided, sandblasted, polished and linear-brushed |
| Crystal | Sapphire, anti-reflective, plus a screw-down sapphire display back |
| Water resistance | 10 ATM (100 m), screw-down crown |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-2 Power+, automatic, Swiss made |
| Movement data | 26 jewels, 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 65 h typical, 60 h minimum |
| Accuracy | -5/+12 seconds a day |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 (no date on the 36 mm) |
| Dial | 3D stamped pyramid pattern, applied indices with polished facets |
| Lume | Super-LumiNova X1 BL C1 on the hands and indices |
| Clasp | Butterfly clasp with micro-adjust, 1.5 mm per side, 3 mm in total |
| Warranty | 60 months on the movement, 60 days of free returns |
Dials and straps
All 3 sizes come in Nordic Blue, Glacier Blue (a pale ice blue) and White. Each is available on the steel bracelet or on The Twelve rubber strap in black, white or light blue. The bracelet and the rubber share a quick-release system. Engraving costs €40 and a bracelet resize to your wrist size €15.
Background
The Twelve, then 2 more sizes
Christopher Ward launched The Twelve in April 2023, in 40 mm, as its first integrated-bracelet watch since the C20 Lido. The brand says it took 6 years to develop. The designer is Will Brackfield. The dial pattern is made of small pyramids that echo the "plus" shapes of the twin-flags logo. 6 exposed screws hold the 12-sided caseback surround: a nod to the Royal Oak.
A 36 mm followed, with slimmer hands, no date and a new caseback. Customers kept asking for the size in between, and the 38 mm arrived on 20th February 2025. At launch it cost US$1,225 on the bracelet, with a Sellita SW200-1 and 38 hours of power reserve.
The family now goes further than the steel Twelve: a titanium Twelve 40 at €2,195, the skeleton Twelve X and the C12 Loco, both above €5,000. The brand note covers them, see Christopher Ward.
The 2026 movement upgrade
In February 2026 Sellita announced the SW200-2 Power+: same size, same 4 Hz, but 65 hours of power reserve instead of 38. Christopher Ward put it first into the C63 Sealander in April 2026, then into The Twelve and the Trident Reef. Gear Patrol reported the new Twelve on 28th September 2026, starting at US$1,350, about US$140 more than before.
The changes for The Twelve, in all 3 sizes:
- 65 hours of power reserve: it survives a weekend off the wrist. The old 38 hours was the main criticism of reviewers, Time+Tide included.
- Better accuracy: -5/+12 seconds a day.
- A new skeletonised rotor, sandblasted with raised Christopher Ward text.
That is probably why the 38 and 40 show as pre-order: the Power+ version is new stock.
The Twelve against the Twelve 660
The 660 only comes in 38 mm, so the table compares it with the 38 mm Twelve. Both are on the steel bracelet, with Christopher Ward's prices for Germany on 22nd October 2026.
| The Twelve (38 mm) | The Twelve 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Reference, blue | C12-38ADA1-S00B3-B0, Nordic Blue | C12-38H2H1-S00B0-B0, blue |
| Price, bracelet | €1,555 | €1,925 |
| Stock, 22 Oct 2026 | Pre-order | In stock |
| Sizes | 36, 38 and 40 mm | 38 mm only |
| Diameter | 38 mm | 38 mm |
| Thickness | 9.95 mm | 6.6 mm |
| Lug to lug | 43.3 mm | 43.3 mm |
| Weight, case | 60 g | 38 g |
| Weight, on bracelet | 157 g | 85 g |
| Case finish | Sandblasted, polished, brushed: 3 finishes on bezel | Brushed tops, polished facets, flat bezel top |
| Crystal | Flat sapphire, anti-reflective | Box sapphire, anti-reflective |
| Caseback | Screw-down sapphire display back, 6 exposed screws | Sapphire display back |
| Crown | Embossed, screw-down | Embossed, push-in |
| Water resistance | 100 m (10 ATM) | 30 m (3 ATM) |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-2 Power+, automatic | Sellita SW210-1 b, hand-wound, modified by CW |
| Movement finish | Colimaçoné, skeletonised sandblasted rotor | Colimaçoné, sunray wheels, custom train bridge |
| Jewels, frequency | 26 jewels, 4 Hz | 18 jewels, 4 Hz |
| Power reserve | 65 h typical, 60 h minimum | 42 to 45 h |
| Accuracy | -5/+12 seconds a day | ±15 seconds a day |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 | Hours and minutes |
| Dial | 3D stamped pyramid pattern | Fine grained surface |
| Hands and indices | Applied, top-brushed, diamond-polished facets | Applied, top-brushed, diamond-polished facets |
| Lume | Super-LumiNova X1 BL C1 | None listed |
| Dial colours | Nordic Blue, Glacier Blue, White | Blue, green, white, all-black DLC |
| Bracelet | Single links, 23.3 tapering to 17 mm, screw links | Slimmer 2.9 mm links, 23.3 mm at case, screw links |
| Clasp | Butterfly, micro-adjust of 3 mm | Thin 4.2 mm clasp, hidden pushers, no micro-adjust |
| Rubber strap | Black, white or light blue | Black, €1,725 |
| Quick release | Yes, The Twelve system | Yes, The Twelve system |
| Guarantee, returns | 5 years on the movement, 60 days | 5 years on the movement, 60 days |
What the Twelve adds:
- Function: a seconds hand, a date, automatic winding and lume.
- Toughness: 70 m more water resistance and a screw-down crown.
- Comfort on the bracelet: a micro-adjust clasp for warm days.
- Endurance: about 20 hours more power reserve.
- Price: €370 less.
What the 660 adds:
- The profile: 3.35 mm thinner and 72 g lighter. It slips under a cuff.
- A quieter dial: the grained surface reads as a dress watch, the pyramids as a sports watch.
- The box sapphire and a decorated hand-wound movement with a custom bridge.
The Nomos Club Sport neomatik is the step up from both: 37 mm, 8.3 mm, an in-house automatic and 200 m, at about €2,800, see Nomos Club Sport neomatik.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- A size for every wrist: 3 sizes at the same price, from 40.8 to 44.5 mm lug to lug. T3 called the 38 "the Goldilocks watch" of the range.
- The dial: 1 reviewer called Nordic Blue the prettiest of the colours. The pyramid texture keeps it alive in any light, and the date wheel matches the dial.
- The bracelet: tapered to 17 mm, with screw links and a micro-adjust clasp. Time+Tide called the bracelet "simply superb".
- Everyday toughness: 100 m, a screw-down crown and 65 hours of power reserve.
- Finishing above the price: 3 finishes on the bezel, faceted indices, a decorated rotor.
Cons:
- Sellita inside: a good movement, but the same base as in watches at half the price.
- 9.95 mm and over 150 g: fine for a sports watch, but it won't slip under a cuff like the 660.
- The textured dial is busier than the 660's flat grained dial. It is a sports watch dial, not a dress dial.
- No date on the 36 mm. Small wrists that want a date have to go up to the 38.
- The price keeps moving: US$1,225 for the 38 at launch in February 2025, US$1,350 and up after the Power+ upgrade.
- Pre-order: no stock in Germany for the 38 Nordic Blue and the 40 Glacier Blue on 22nd October 2026, so expect a wait.
Who it's for
People who want one integrated-bracelet watch for everything: office, weekend, travel and a swim.
- 36 mm: small wrists, or anyone who wants the cleanest, date-free dial.
- 38 mm: small to medium wrists, and anyone who wants the date in a compact case.
- 40 mm: medium to large wrists, and anyone who wants the widest bracelet.
Nordic Blue works with grey, navy, white and denim. It is brighter and more playful than the 660's deep navy. On the rubber strap it turns into a summer watch.
Buying considerations
- Where: only directly from Christopher Ward, with free delivery and 60 days of free returns.
- Size: compare the lug to lug with a watch you own. That number, not the diameter, decides how an integrated bracelet watch sits.
- Bracelet: take the bracelet. It is the point of the watch, and the micro-adjust clasp gives 3 mm of play for warm days. Order the €15 resize with your exact wrist size.
- See it first: there is no showroom in Germany or France. The nearest is in Mayfair, London (2 Mill Street, W1S 2AT), with others in Maidenhead and Liverpool. The full options are in the 660 note, see Christopher Ward The Twelve 660. From Munich, the practical route is to order it and use the 60-day return window as a try-on at home.
- Alternatives: the 660 for a real dress watch, or the Nomos Club Sport neomatik for an in-house movement.
Verdict
21 Oct 2026 my #1 watch on the radar: the 38 mm in Nordic Blue.
The Twelve 38 in Nordic Blue is the closest thing to my perfect watch that I have found. It takes the design I love in the blue 660 (the 12-sided case, the bracelet, the blue dial) and adds back what the 660 leaves out: a seconds hand, a date, automatic winding and 100 m. With the Power+ movement, the last real weakness, the 38-hour power reserve, is gone.
What I give up against the 660 is the 6.6 mm profile and the quieter flat dial. I am not sure the thinnest watch is what I want, so that trade works for me.
Next to my Sinn 856 UTC (see Sinn 856 S UTC), it would be the polished one: same size class, but integrated, blue and dressier. Before I order, I want to see the Nordic Blue next to the 660 in Mayfair, or order it and use the 60 days.
Further Reading
- Small is big: take a tour of The Twelve (36), Christopher Ward's Loupe magazine
- Christopher Ward enters the integrated bracelet game with the handsome Twelve, Time+Tide, the original 40 mm in 2023
- A week on the wrist with The Twelve 38mm, T3
- Christopher Ward adds a 38mm Twelve to the permanent collection, Worn & Wound
- Sellita introduces the SW200-2 with 65 hour power reserve, Worn & Wound