Christopher Ward C70MC Grand Prix Series User guide

C70 Grand Prix Series
OWNER’S HANDBOOK

Time on your side...
Your Christopher Ward watch has been designed and engineered by highly talented craftspeople to
ensure not only accurate and precise timekeeping but also to bring a real pride of ownership that
only luxury items of the highest quality can ever hope to deliver.
You have made an investment, a good one, and the aim of this handbook is to help you make the
most of that investment during what I hope will be a lifetime of ownership.
Christopher Ward

Caring for your Christopher Ward quartz watch
Your C70 Grand Prix Chronograph is constructed from the finest components and materials
available including one of Switzerland’s finest quartz movements.
As with all watches of this quality, with just a little care, it has the potential to become an heirloom
piece giving further joy to future generations.
Here are a few hints to help keep your watch working perfectly over the years:
• Althoughthebatteryinyourwatchmaylastlonger,werecommendyouhaveitchangedevery
2/3 years by a reputable watch repairer.
• Atthesametimeashavingthebatterychangeditmakessensetohavethewatchrepairerclean
and lubricate your watch as necessary.
• Makesurethecrownisscreweddownfullybeforeputtingthewatchintowater.Adhereto
the water resistance ratings towards the end of the handbook to prevent water getting to the
movement which could result in a very costly repair or the need for a replacement movement.
• Yourwatchisshockresistanttominorimpactsbutdroppingfromheightontoahardsurface
may damage the movement.

Should you need a replacement part - don’t worry, we keep stocks of spare parts for years, even for
discontinued models. It’s all part of the Christopher Ward service.
Finally, don’t forget our famous 60:60 Guarantee allows you to return your watch absolutely free,
for any reason, and with no quibbles, for up to 60 days after purchase and we also guarantee your
movement for up to 60 months, so long as it is regularly serviced.
After all, why shouldn’t you enjoy peace of mind as much as you enjoy your watch?

"Racing is life,
anything that happens before
or after is just waiting"
Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in the film 'Le Mans'

The Grand Prix Collection
e Christopher Ward Grand Prix series comprises eight C70 watches
each in a world-wide limited edition of 500 pieces. e striking design
of each watch reflects the chassis colours of the host nations’ racing
colours - with the year of victory, the race track and the name of the
winning driver engraved on the reverse of the case.
All are powered by world class ETA 251.272 quartz movements. In the
range are e Grande Epreuve (France), e Ascari (Belgium) and e
Silver Arrow (Germany). ese joined e Brooklands (Great Britain)
e Cunningham Stripe (USA) and e Rosso Corsa (Italy) plus our latest
editions the DBR1 and the Monte-Carlo.

Since motor racing started in France in the 1890s and the first named Grand Prix was held in Pau
back in 1906, motor racing has been glamorous. But although it is stacked full of money and
celebrity, it is still the cars and the engineering that remain the focus.
It makes sense, then, that with its own attention firmly fixed on fine watchmaking, Christopher
Ward has a Grand Prix collection that highlights some of the world’s most famous - and notorious -
Grand Prix locations and drivers.
From the very first development of motor vehicles, the French were enthusiastic car manufacturers
and drivers. It was France that instigated what started as a loose network of international car racing
events - not yet an actual championship.
And it was France that drove the gradual development of a set of rules for the sport, through the
French Automobile Association. ese included the shift from roads to circuits - sometimes on
closed public roads - fixed distances, the starting grid with each nation colour coded, and regulations
on car weight, engine size and tyre types.
Grand Prix motor racing

It was in England, however, that the first ever oval race track was built, at Brooklands in Surrey, in
1907.OtherearlytracksincludedthoseinIndianapolisintheUSandMonzainItaly.erstrace
called a Grand Prix outside of France was held in Indianapolis in 1908, but it was a trend taken up
by other countries including Italy in 1921, Belgium and Spain in 1924 and in the UK in 1926. By
1934 there were 18 international races that had Grand Prix status.
It was not until after World War II that the World Championship was formalised by the newly
created Federation Internationale de l’Automobile - the FIA - and from 1950 the term Formula One
was coined to describe races that made up the championship for drivers.
A points system was created and a total of seven races were granted
championship status including the Indianapolis 500. e first World
Championship race was held at Silverstone in England.

TheLeMans24-hrRace
LeManswasrstheldintheFrenchtownofthesamename
in1923onMay26thand27thandhassincebecomeoneof
motor sports most iconic challenges. e endurance task is to
complete the greatest distance on a combination of track and
road over a 24-hour race.
e car originally had to be a production rather than a racing
car - a rule that has been stretched to its limits over nearly 90
years. is encouraged innovation in producing reliable and
fuel-efficient vehicles, because the nature of endurance racing
requires cars that last the distance and spend as little time in
the pits as possible.
In the early years of the race there were no restrictions on
the number of drivers - and in the 1920s and 1930s some
attempted to complete the race alone. For safety reasons
this was eventually outlawed, and by the end of the 1980s three drivers became the norm. Bugatti,
Bentley and Alfa Romeo dominated the race in the early years, but after the hiatus of World War
II,Ferarri,Mercedes-Benz,JaguarandAstonMartinjoinedthefray-however,overtheyearsitis
PorschethathasachievedthemostLeManswins.

Inauguratedin1911byMonaco'sPrinceAlbert1,Monte-Carlomaynotbetherstrallyeverrun-
that took place in France from Paris to Rouen in 1894 - but it is certainly among the most famous.
eglamorouscoastalroadsofMonacohave,sincetherstracelastcentury,providedthenishing
line for the rally. e problem for drivers is that getting there requires a drive through snow-covered
mountains,completewithtreacherousswitchbacks.It'sregardedasoneofthemostdicultofallthe
worldrallieseMonte-CarloRallypre-datesitssistermotorsportsevent,theMonacoGrandPrix,
which takes place on the roads within the principality.
TodayMonte-CarlotakesplaceinJanuaryandprovidesthe
finishing line for the first Intercontinental Rally Challenge
of the year with 2011 seeing drivers starting from Glasgow,
Barcelona,WarsawandMarrakesh.
e rally has always attracted the top drivers
and the top cars and because the rules of
all rally challenges are that the cars must be
road legal, rally models see modifications
tried and tested before they are introduced
to production models.
TheMonte-CarloRally

Great Britain - the first Grand Prix
e first British Grand Prix was organised by Henry Segrave at the famous Brooklands course in
Surrey on August 7th 1926.
Segrave had spiked public interest in motor racing in Britain by
winning the 1923 French Grand Prix and the San Sebastian
Grand Prix the following year.
Dressed in British Racing Green, the C70GB Brooklands
commemorates this first British race of the series which
was won by the French driving team of Louis Wagner and
Robert Senechal driving a Delage 155B.

e Brooklands
C70GB
British Racing Green

Italy - the first Grand Prix
e4thSeptember1921wasthedateoftherstGranPremiod'ItaliaattheMontichiaricoursein
the Northern Italian town of Brescia.
Although the French driver Louis Wagner took pole position on
thestartinggriditwashiscompatriotJulesGouxwhowonthe
30 lap race (Wagner finished 3rd) in a time of 3 hours, 35
minutes and 9 seconds.
e C70IT is dressed in the Italian racing colours
Rosso Corsa (race red) which legendary Italian racing car
marques such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Ferrari made
famous.

e Rosso Corsa
C70IT
Italian Racing Red

France - the first Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing (Grand Epreuve or Great Trial in France) originated in car loving France
withtherstocialracebeingheldonpublicroadsjustoutsideLeMansonJune26th1906.
e race took place over two days (the cars going into a parc ferme
overnight) and was won by Hungarian Ferenc Szisz in a Renault
Ak in a winning time more than half an hour ahead of second
placed Felice Nazzaro in his Fiat.
e circuit used was roughly triangular in shape, each lap
covering 105 kilometres (65 miles). Six laps were to be run
each day, and each lap took approximately an hour using
the relatively primitive cars of the day.
During this race a number of people, both drivers and
pedestrians-includingMarcelRenault-werekilledandthe
race was stopped by the French authorities at Bordeaux. Further
road based events were banned.

e Grand Epreuve
C70FR
French Racing Blue

Germany - the first Grand Prix
Rudolf Carracciola won his country’s first officially recognised Grand Prix at the Nurburgring on
July19th1931.
Known as “e Rainmaster” for his prowess in wet driving
conditions,CarracciolawontheraceinhisMercedes-Benz
SSK in a time of 4hrs 38mins 10 seconds.
ItwasaroundthistimethattheMercedesandAutoUnion
team stripped the white paint from their cars to meet the
scrutineers 750 kilogram weight limit - they where
weighing in at 751kg - and in so doing revealed the
gleaming aluminium body of the car which gave rise to the
nickname “Silver Arrows”. ey also managed to make the
weight limit as well!

e Silver Arrow
C70DE
German Racing Silver

Belgium - the first Grand Prix
Italian, Antonio Ascari, dominated the inaugural Belgian Grand Prix to such an extent he was able
to enjoy light food and drink snacks at each pit stop!
HeldattheCircuitdeSpa-FrancorchampsonJune25th1925only
two cars, both Alfa Romeos, finished the gruelling race although
the event was also notable for five entries, including Britain’s
Henry Segrave, failing to turn up as their cars weren’t ready.
Unfortunately, 36 year old Ascari was killed while leading
the French Grand Prix later the same year. He left behind
a seven year old son, Alberto, who went on to become one
of the great Formula 1 drivers until he too was killed at
the age of 36.

e Ascari
C70BE
Belgium Racing Yellow