11 DAYS OF LONDONERS: Day 9 – Dumi Oburota, the man who launched Tinie Tempah, has a collection to envy

Time+Tide

Editor’s note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was to be our first European Editor. In this series, ‘11 Days of Londoners’, Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time …

If you’re going to drop out of university, you’d hope it was for a good reason. What if that reason was launching the career of 16-year-old Tinie Tempah when you were 21? That’s exactly what Dumi Oburota did, which started his days in the music business, where he still remains with a joint venture with Warner Music in London. He’s also one of the best-dressed gents on the planet – if you’re ever wondering what to look for this season, just check out his Instagram account.

The story behind the watch you are wearing today

I am wearing a Casio G-Shock x Bamford, which was given to me on my birthday by Tinie [Tempah]. We love what the Bamford team do with their watches. George is a good friend and this is the second one Tinie has given me. The other was a classic black Sub for my 30th, which seems so far away now.

My personal style is …

Street chic. I mix streetwear and tailored classic cuts together. It’s all about how I feel on the day.

What do you love most about watches?

For me, it’s all the different styles, the movements and the fact that if you buy well they are timeless pieces. It’s all about having a different watch for different occasions.

This one time …

I was on a flight to Dubai and a guy wanted to buy my [Audemars Piguet Offshore] Skeleton off me. He was obsessing on the flight. I thought that was funny.

Other watches in your collection

I have 10 watches, including a good mix of APs and Rolex. My fave is def the Skeleton Offshore.