Christopher Ward’s upcoming C1 Loco Classic has been nominated in the Petite Aiguille category at the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), placing it among the final six watches selected from 26 entries in the category and the only nomination from a British brand.

The nomination was determined by the 1,028 members of the GPHG Academy, representing recognition from one of the watch industry’s most extensive and diverse international judging bodies. The Petite Aiguille category recognises watches with a retail price between CHF 4,500 and CHF 10,000.

From today, prospective owners can register their interest in the C1 Loco Classic via a dedicated page on the Christopher Ward website, ahead of its full launch on October 15th.

The model shown here in Oro will be joined at launch by two further colour options and an all-new 904L stainless-steel bracelet, created specifically for the C1 Loco Classic.

The nomination continues a strong recent run for Christopher Ward at the GPHG. In 2023, the C1 Bel Canto became the first British watch to win a GPHG award, taking home the Petite Aiguille prize. The brand has subsequently secured nominations for the C1 Moonphase in 2024, and C1 Celestial Moonphase and C12 Loco in 2025.

For Christopher Ward CEO & Co-founder Mike France, the nomination is recognition of both the watch itself and the strength of the category.

“We’re hugely proud to see the C1 Loco Classic recognised by the GPHG Academy, particularly in a category with such a strong field of competing watches. The fact that this recognition comes before the watch has even reached customers makes it all the more interesting. A lot of hard work has gone into creating Loco Classic, but the GPHG is about putting it alongside some of the very best watches being made today. We’re looking forward to seeing where it goes from here – and, of course, to November’s ceremony.”

Priced from £4,495/$5,995/€5,595/CHF4,775, the C1 Loco Classic represents the latest chapter in Christopher Ward’s Atelier series, continuing the brand’s pursuit of bringing the quality, creativity and emotional draw of haute horlogerie to a wider audience.

Named in recognition of its state of constant motion – and the audacity of creating a watch of this calibre at this price and at volume – the C1 Loco Classic represents a new expression of CW-003.

“The C1 Loco Classic has been the most significant project our New Product Development team has ever taken on.” says Jörg Bader, Product Director at Christopher Ward. “We’ve pushed ourselves technically and creatively at every stage, but ultimately the prize we’re looking for is the response from our customers – what they think, how they wear it and how they feel about it. That said, the GPHG is an incredible discovery tool. It puts watches in front of collectors who might never otherwise encounter them, and we hope this nomination does exactly that for the C1 Loco Classic and the people who will enjoy it all over the world.”

The winners of the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève will be announced at the awards ceremony in Geneva in November 2026.

Technical Specifications

Case diameter: 41mm

Case height: 14.10mm

Lug-to-lug: 48mm

Case material: 904L Stainless Steel

Water resistance: 3 ATM (30m)

Movement: CW-003

Winding: Manual

Power reserve: 144 hours

Jewels: 29

Frequency: 4Hz/28,800 vph

Timing tolerance: -0/+7 seconds per day

About Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward is an English-Swiss watch company and the UK’s largest watch brand. Since its inception in 2004, Christopher Ward has defied industry norms, becoming the first premium watch brand to operate exclusively online, offering exquisitely hand-crafted, Swiss-made mechanical watches at previously unheard-of prices.

In its 22nd anniversary year, Christopher Ward boasts a global customer base spanning over 100 countries. Known for its trailblazing style of watchmaking, the brand created the first commercially viable mechanical watch movement by a British brand in over five decades, the renowned Calibre CW-001 (previously SH21). In 2023, Christopher Ward’s innovative approach was honoured with the Petite Aiguille Award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) for its chiming watch, the Bel Canto. The success continued with lifestyle outlet T3 naming it Brand of the Year in 2024, before being crowned British Watch Brand of the Year for a third consecutive time at the 2025 WatchPro Awards.