Taking another look at the TAG Heuer Monaco Bamford

Editor's note: Whether we like to admit it or not, professional watch modifiers are here to stay. And we can almost understand why — if you want to be an individualist in a sea of ostensible regularity, imparting your own touch on an otherwise middle of the road item can be enjoyable. But what about when watchmakers collaborate with the vicarious modifiers? What then? Some would argue that it's the best of both worlds, ergo, a modified and therefore unique piece, which retains important things like a factory warranty backing and better resale values. This TAG Heuer Monaco Bamford is a prime example of modifier meeting manufacturer, and these were our initial impressions of the oddity.  In many ways, you could say that few people have had as significant an impact on the watch industry from a design standpoint in recent years than George Bamford. Beloved by many, despised by a good few at least, Bamford is single-handedly the reason why watch customisation is now so prevalent in offerings directly from watch manufacturers. After many years on his own, his recent collaborations with LVMH, selling brand-authorised custom offerings from the TAG Heuer, Zenith, and Bulgari catalogues, further legitimised his efforts,… Read More