I perfectly understand your point of view, maybe I would had the same few years ago.
Please, let me be more specific :
For this project we had 3 options :
1) Valjoux clone, like Sellita SW300 (2892 clone), with a complication plate : everyone would have said (including you) : "why using a such common caliber, with this ultra-rare material ?!?"
You have to consider here, that 2892 clones are used in 200$ fakes... This is a reliable an cheap movement, but where is the exclusivity ?
2) Vaucher, the VMF3000, but the caliber is outerly expensive and I'am not sure that he can produce enough torque to drag the jumping hour.
Cost was also a criteria, we intend to keep a low price range, to democratize the unique meteoritic experience...
3) The SH21 from Synhor (later C.Ward). That was the obvious choice : because the had the complication plate ready, and the good big caliber (33.3mm (14.3/4 lines), in a 37mm case, old school).
When you launch a new watch brand, is really necessary to have only one interlocutor when you speak about aftermarket services.
In this version SH21 + jumping hour, this is really an exclusive development for us. Even better, with this decoration who reproduce the pattern of the octahedrite.
The SH21, is today, mainly use, by C.Ward, Meistersinger, and of course us. That's more exclusive than all the other generics calibers on the market.
I understand that your image of C.Ward is bad, because their firsts series was only cheap clones of market hits... But they had improved quality, caliber, design, you should check just their actual best watch, IMO : the C1 Moonglow. I speak about this watch, because I would probably buy one in the next few weeks...
And last thing, from the business point of view, M. Bader, the boss of the caliber factory in Bienne (ex-synhor), helped us a lot, probably we wouldn't make it without him.
If you have any question, just ask please.
Cheers.
M.