Christopher Ward’s $62 Million Secret

When I first entered the watch industry as a Tourneau salesperson, Rolex was all I knew. Within months, I was redirecting Rolex-seeking customers toward under-the-radar brands they’d never heard of but immediately wanted once I wrapped the right model around their wrist.

Twenty years later, one of those under-the-radar brands has become the UK’s biggest watchmaker with 80% sales growth and $62 million in revenue, all without the heritage or marketing budget of established luxury houses.

My Forbes exploration of Christopher Ward’s rise reveals how a British internet-only brand succeeded by doing something radical: listening to customers instead of dictating to them.

Christopher Ward’s Home Grown Research

“It’s not about dictating to our customers. It’s about listening,” Mike France, Christopher Ward’s co-founder and CEO, told me during our interview. “They own the brand more than we do.”

This philosophy shaped a customer-centric approach turning passionate enthusiasts into co-creators, transforming how luxury brands think about community engagement.

The podcast breaks down how Christopher Ward built systems to systematically collect and act on customer insights, creating a two-way street essential to their growth and relevance.

A Forum That Built a Business

In 2005, Christopher Ward fans launched an independent customer forum where members could discuss—and criticize—the brand without fear of repercussion. When the company acquired the platform in 2014, they maintained its autonomy, understanding authentic feedback was worth more than curated marketing.

Forum members collaborated to design the C6 Kingfisher, which became the catalyst for Christopher Ward’s now-iconic C60 Trident series. Later, community input helped refine the C60 Trident Pro 300 through the “NPD T4 Project”—a full production model shaped by informed customer feedback.

One forum member, Kip McEwen, built a personal collection of 150 Christopher Ward watches and created the CW Archive—a comprehensive database documenting every model the company ever made. When passionate customers become brand historians, you know community engagement has transcended traditional marketing.

The Transparency Revolution

Christopher Ward’s pricing philosophy directly challenges luxury industry norms. While some watch brands mark up products 30-34 times production cost, Christopher Ward commits to no more than three times markup. “We don’t believe a high price equates to high value,” France explained.

This transparency was tested early when watch expert Dave Malone bought a Christopher Ward timepiece specifically to expose what he suspected was industry smoke-and-mirrors. Instead, he discovered exceptional quality and posted a glowing review titled “I have discovered the best value mechanical watch the world has ever known.” That single authentic endorsement quadrupled global sales.

The Direct Connection Strategy

Christopher Ward avoids traditional retailers, maintaining complete control over customer experience, pricing, and brand narrative. This direct-to-consumer approach enables deeper relationships while keeping prices accessible—models range from $200 to $4,000, with the sweet spot around $1,000.

The strategy extends to their booming bespoke business, creating custom timepieces for groups from Google’s internal watch club to Netflix. Led by Peter France (Mike’s nephew), this segment has seen tenfold revenue growth in three years, contributing $5 million annually.

Seven Strategic Insights

My analysis reveals seven actionable lessons from Christopher Ward’s success:

• Customer-centric innovation through systematic feedback collection
• Value transparency over mystique
• Leveraging authentic word-of-mouth advocacy
• Maintaining direct customer relationships
• Building inclusive long-term connections
• Offering meaningful customization, and
• Treating community as a collaborative think tank.

Mike France’s email address appears on the company website,  personally responding to customer inquiries, complaints, and praise. In an industry built on opacity, transparency proves to be the better gamble.