MICRO MONDAYS: A proper backstory to the Bamford Watch Department, the rebel modder that turned into a watch brand
Zach BlassWatch modification is now rampant throughout the watch community. From modded Seiko watches to blacked-out Rolex Milgauss pieces in Hollywood, a desire to personalise a watch and make it more of your own has always been an aspect of the watch industry. While some may opt for an engraved caseback, others have gone the route of completely overhauling the aesthetics of their watches. Like Hublot birthing the trend of rubber-strapped precious metal watches, someone has to be credited with starting the modding mayhem. Cue George Bamford, and the Bamford Watch Department.
The backstory
For George’s 18th birthday, the story goes, he was offered a Rolex Daytona as a gift. Most people would be content with the venerated watch, but while attending a dinner party, soon after receiving the watch, he noticed that half of those in attendance were wearing the exact same watch.
This got George thinking. Born from a desire to have something that would stand out and be different from the herd, George approached his family business and asked if it would be possible to change the colour of his watch.
As a result of his request, a DLC coating was applied to the case and bracelet of the Daytona – something previously unheard of in the world of watches. After the coating was applied, George got his Daytona back – the case and bracelet now finished with a cool and stealthy all-black aesthetic. Upon taking a trip to France, George was persistently asked about his unique Daytona and eventually returned to the UK with 25 orders to perform his black magic to other collectors’ watches. This was the moment the Bamford Watch Department was born.
“If you can imagine it, we can create it for you”
Initially, George worked alone in his workshop, but it became immediately clear he would need to assemble a team to help tackle the demand for him to customise clients’ watches. The Bamford team took in any watch that owners wanted to customise, providing an avenue for the ultimate form of wrist expression. The company’s motto then, and to this day, is: “If you can imagine it, we can create it for you.” Like Willy Wonka, Bamford works to bring pure imagination to the wrist – indulging in every bespoke request you could ever dream of. They worked with Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and more.
Whether to bring extra flair to a client’s watch or, as one client requested, a dial to match her shade of Chanel lipstick, the Bamford Watch Department made customisation cool and in an entirely new and forward-thinking way. Not all approved of such creativity, and to this day both brands and consumers have some qualms with what the business offers. Collectors who prefer factory purity remain disapproving of customised watches, with brands such as Rolex completely unwilling to perform after-sales service on watches the Bamford Watch Department have altered.
In 2017, watch industry genius Jean-Claude Biver recognised the value of customisation and appreciated its art form as a means to better connect with the whims and desires of his consumers. Before leaving his post as the head of the watchmaking division at LVMH, JCB approached Bamford with the idea of an exclusive partnership. The Bamford Watch Department would no longer customise Rolex or other brands, and instead exclusively customise Swiss watches from the LVMH group – specifically Bulgari, Zenith and TAG Heuer. This allowed George to customise watches sent directly from the factory to his headquarters, enabling them to perform their magic without voiding the warranties of the pieces they touched.
LVMH partnership explored
In a short span of three years, Bamford watches produced in partnership with LVMH brands have already caught the eyes of collectors around the world. Each of the three brands they customise have an incredible amount of heritage – providing classic canvases to remix into a modern skin. In many cases, the Bamford Watch department return to the roots of its founding through its use of DLC or black-out aesthetics. One of my personal favourites was Bamford’s take on the historic Monaco watch from TAG Heuer.
While you can still buy DLC-treated Monaco watches with custom dials, the Bamford Watch Department, in partnership with TAG Heuer, created a limited edition run of forged carbon-cased Monaco watches. The 500 watches featured a tough forged carbon case, paired with a black and signature Bamford blue dial that resulted in a far more youthful take on the older aesthetic of the classic watch. It brought the watch into the future, making it more Fast & Furious than Le Mans.
More recently, Bamford Watch Department collaborated with Black Badger and Zenith to introduce the El Primero Superconductor. The watch case is made of a copper-niobium superconductor – nothing less than sheer horological madness. While this move is totally out there, and previously foreign to the watch industry, it actually ties really well with the Bamford spirit. For starters, the Bamford identity has always been about reinventing the way we perceive watches and how watches themselves are made. Even more poetic, the five-floor house that serves as the Bamford HQ is affectionately referred to as the HIVE – making the honeycomb pattern of the superconductor a subtle nod to the place that houses all of the team’s creativity and passion to make watches unique and different.
The birth of the Bamford London watch brand
Today, Bamford no longer only customises other brands’ creations. They have introduced their own brand of watches that expresses aspects of their design sensibilities. Currently there are four lineups of watches, three of which are within the quartz-driven Mayfair collection and a fourth GMT collection that leverages Sellita movements to present more affordable Bamford creations to the end consumer.
Bamford London Mayfair
The first group in the lineup of Bamford London watches is the Mayfair collection. The watch is well built, with the 40mm x 15mm case made of stainless steel that is treated with a Military Grade Titanium Coating (MGTC). The watch is rated to 100 metres water resistant and is powered by a reliable Swiss quartz movement that keeps costs down while the value of the offering is high.
Bamford London Mayfair Date
The Mayfair Date is identical to the Mayfair, but with (you guessed it) a date window added into the mix. Both models have the same dimensions with a ton of colour schemes to explore – true to the Bamford way. It’s an accessibly priced watch that feels like it was built just for you, and can even be engraved with up to 10 characters to further personalise the end product.
Bamford London Mayfair Sport
Zach. We get it. Another Mayfair – but not quite. This version within the collection ditches the stainless steel used in the previous two watches, instead opting for a high-impact polymer case built around a steel core. The watch cases, as a result, have more colour options expanding the playfulness of the watch even further. It is also paired with a matching rubber strap in preference to the leather straps used with the steel-cased models.
Bamford London GMT
Bamford London’s first foray into mechanical watches can be had with its GMT range of watches. It leverages the unique colourways of the Bamford Watch Department and houses a Swiss Made self-winding Sellita SW330-1 movement with 25 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve. The Bamford GMT represents the next evolution of Bamford London, the beginning of hopefully a wide catalogue of mechanical watchmaking. As seen above, it also presentED a really cool way to get a Snoopy watch – the character seamlessly integrated into the overall aesthetic of the watch. Alas, this one too has gone the way of so many Bamford creations, and is currently sold out.
Final thoughts
It is clear that many things Bamford touches turn to baby blue, and then to sold out gold, with watches from a humble G-Shock to a classic carbon Monaco selling out almost instantly upon release. In a traditional and heritage-driven industry, it is nice to see someone try to change the status quo – bringing shock and awe to a rather homogenous industry. Whether customised or original watches, one thing is certain: his creations are anything but boring and many of us are keen to see what comes next from the Bamford Watch Department.