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CWC vs MWC Test Aug 2010

CWC GS2000 vs MWC 100m Water Resistant G10



MWC 100m Water Resistant G10
Taking G10 models to a new level

I received a call from Dieter Kessler at MWC in Switzerland who asked me if I would like to make a comparison test between the MWC 100m G10 and the CWC GS2000. Having previously compared the 50m MWC G10 against the CWC G10 which is also 50m water resistant I asked Dieter whether the 100m water resistant model was significantly different to the 50m variant and he informed me that it was. On this basis I told him to ship me one over and I would take a look. Five days later the watch arrived and when I unpacked it I was a bit baffled because at first impressions it looked much the same as a 50m variant but when looked at more closely it was clearly very different but I could not put my fingers on exactly why. Looking back the larger tin might have been a clue but I had failed to pick up on it.


CWC GS2000
A tried and tested old favourite but only a 50m water resistance rating

The Review:

I first of all decided to measure the new MWC and discovered it was much larger than the CWC. Below are the dimensions:

CWC GS 2000 50m Water resistant
  • Case Diameter: 36mm Excluding the crown
  • Case Diameter: 38mm Including the crown
  • Lug to Lug: 42mm
  • Thickness: 10mm

MWC 100m Screw Crown G10
  • Case Diameter: 40mm Excluding the crown
  • Case Diameter: 42mm Including the crown
  • Lug to Lug: 46mm
  • Thickness: 13mm
Once I had the measurements it was clear that one of the main differences between this new MWC and the 50 meter version they have made before is the size. Oddly the increase in dimensions was not immediately apparent but when the watch is placed next to the CWC and a standard 50m MWC is looked a great deal more substantial. The next thing I did was examine the finish of the cases. The CWC had a satin finish and was very consistent in appearance and well made the MWC was equally well made and had a dull matt sand blasted finish which I haven't seen recently on a military watch. Once I actually started to check the features I confirmed that the MWC has a screw down crown as opposed to the push in winder on the CWC, the MWC also has a screw caseback, the CWC has push on caseback but clearly these increases in spcification by MWC were needed to meet the 100m water resistance requirement. I next removed the caseback of the MWC and found it uses a Ronda 715li movement with Lithium battery. My guess is that the CWC or MWC will run for at least 7 years between battery changes although Ronda quote 10 years  and that might be correct although I consider it theoretical.

I tested both watches over a period of two weeks and both were accurate to within a couple of seconds. It was interesting down the local pub that most ex military friends preferred the MWC but could not say why and I am of the same opinion but in reality it comes down to the dull matt finish and the increase in size. The popularity of larger watches means the MWC looks much more contemporary and meets current market requirements but it goes further than that because the other benefit is that the MWC is much easier to to read. The CWC uses white paint which is slightly sharper compared to the light green paint of the MWC but the extra size of the MWC dial more than compensates and the MWC wins overall. The final test was to pressure test the MWC and I was surprised to find it held until 145m which is 45 metres beyond the claimed water resistance of 100m.

Conclusion:

This is a difficult one because I like the GS 2000 from CWC and it is one of the watches in my collection which I use regularly. If the question is which do I prefer between the MWC G10 50m variant and the CWC equivalent I have to say it is hard to make a decision because they are very similar in basic specification although the 50m MWC retains the battery hatch which is a big plus. Of all the MWC 50m models my favourite is the black PVD 50m Self Luminous model. Of course the new 100m variant from MWC can't be fitted with a battery hatch whilst also meeting the 100m water resistance rating hence the upgrade to the high quality 715li movement with 10 year battery life. Regardless in my opinion I think that the addition of a screw caseback more than makes up for the loss of the battery hatch anyway.

It dawned on me which testing the MWC that it was actually closer in some ways to the PRS-10 Precista which I also own and a lot of friends in the military have purchased. The finish of the two watches is slightly similar with the PRS-10 being bead blasted and the MWC 100m G10 being sand blasted and having a slightly coarser finish.

The dimensions of the Precista PRS-10 case are as follows: Diameter 38.6mm, Lug to Lug 42.4, thickness 11.25mm. This means the Precista falls right in the middle between the CWC and MWC models. The MWC in fact shares some characteristics with the Precista such as the screw down crown and screw caseback. The CWC and MWC share the same movements as does the Precista and I have outlined the details of the movement below:

Precista PRS-10 (a personal favourite)


Ronda 715Li movement specification:

  • Diameter: 26.20 mm
  • Movement height: 4.60 mm
  • Jewels: 5 
  • Date: Quickset
  • Finish: Gilt
  • Battery: CR2016 Lithium
  • Battery voltage: 3V
  • Battery Life: >10 Years
  • Instantaneous rate (T=25°C): -10/ +20 sec/month
  • Resistance to magnetic fields: 18,8 Oe
  • Resistance to shock: NIHS 91-10

So I guess it comes down to which watch would I buy if I was looking to get one tomorrow? As a collector it must be kept in mind I own both a CWC and Presista already and that I have ordered a MWC 100m G10 after writing off the test model in the pressure test. For me the increased size of the MWC is a big plus because I have always felt that the other two look a little small on a large male wrist although I wear both on a regular basis. Having said that some people might prefer the smaller size so that is a personal preference. The other factor is that both the Precista and the MWC are 100m water resistant and both are cheaper than the CWC so if I was buying a watch it would be the MWC, closely followed by the Precista, the CWC would be a distant third because it is just not in the same league as far as specification goes when compared to the MWC and the Precista. This is because you just can't compare a watch with 100m water resistance, screw caseback and screw down crown with a watch that lacks these features. I think this watch takes the MWC G10 range to an entirely new level I am just hoping they introduce GTLS tritium variants at some future date. I haven't seen the PVD version of this watch but received the pictures below and have been informed it has the same same blasted finish as the stainless steel model and from the pictures it looks very appealing. Overall I would definately recommend this latest MWC model and give it 5 out of 5.
MWC G10 100 Metre Water Resistant Variant with Screw Caseback and screw down crown



Copyright 2006 Ian Crowley. All rights reserved.