Popeye returns to Bamford London
Russell Sheldrake- Bamford London brings back the spinach-eating hero, Popeye, for the second time.
- The character features on the dial of Bamford’s GMT model, with his iconic can of spinach on the seconds hand.
- Coming on a stainless steel bracelet and internal rotating bezel, it’s priced at £1,700.
Character watches grab attention whenever they pop up. And so when the master of character watches, George Bamford, drops a new one, we have to sit up and take notice. Bamford has featured the spinach-eating sailor on this exact model in the past, but now we have an updated dial and a running, central seconds hand. It’s no secret we’ve been a fan of the Bamford London GMT, seeing as it was the first Time+Tide collaboration we launched just four years ago. So what do you need to know about this second coming of Popeye on a Bamford GMT?
The dial has seen an upgrade from the 2021 model. Now with a grained texture and gradient colour that changes from a light blue centre to a dark navy as it meets the rotating inner bezel, it gives a spotlight effect on the man in the middle, Popeye. The standard minute and hour hands are still his bulging arms, with an arrow-shaped GMT hand and a new addition to this model, a seconds hand tipped with Popeye’s iconic can of spinach. However, this design choice feels rather cruel to me, as our iron-deficient friend will always be out of reach from his favourite, invigorating snack.
Inside we find the trusted Sellita SW330-2 movement that keeps the date window at 3, and acts as a caller or office GMT, which means that the GMT hand can be set independently of the other hands. This is handy for all those who need to keep track of another time zone somewhere else in the world with very little effort.
Finally, we have a new steel bracelet for this limited edition that fits nicely between the short lugs, with the brushed finish continuing from the case. For those who still love the 95-year-old character of Popeye, this is another watch they will have to add to their collection, and the increased functionality and aesthetics of this model over the original are just a bonus.
Bamford London “Popeye” Steel GMT pricing and availability
The Bamford London “Popeye” Steel GMT is limited to just 100 pieces and available now directly from the brand. Price: £1,700 (~US$2,300)
| Brand | Bamford London |
| Model | Popeye Steel GMT |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 11.7mm (T) x 46.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire with anti-reflective coating |
| Dial | Blue grained |
| Strap | Stainless steel three link |
| Movement | Sellita SW330-2, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 56 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, caller GMT |
| Availability | Now, limited to 100 pieces |
| Price | £1,700 (inc VAT) |