Bamford Watch Department
Bamford Watch Department is a London watch customisation house founded by George Bamford. It personalises luxury watches with coatings and bespoke dials and also sells its own watches under the Bamford London name.
| Founder | George Bamford |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | The Hive, Mayfair, London |
| Official customiser | TAG Heuer, Zenith, Bulgari (since 2017) |
| Own brand | Bamford London |
| Website | bamfordwatchdepartment.com |
What is Bamford Watch Department?
Bamford Watch Department is a British company that customises luxury watches. It was founded by George Bamford, a collector of vintage cars and sports watches, after he had his own Rolex Daytona coated in black DLC. Its motto is "if you can imagine it, we can create it for you".
Products and positioning
The work is cosmetic: case coatings and dial designs, while the movement is never altered. Alongside DLC, the company has developed its own processes, MGTC (Military Grade Titanium Coating) and GPC (Graphite Particle Coating). Customers work from The Hive, a five storey house in Mayfair that combines client rooms, offices and workshops.
Since 2017 it has been the official customiser of TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari, following a partnership with LVMH. Limited editions include:
- The TAG Heuer Monaco Bamford
- A Zenith Heritage edition sold via Mr Porter
- Mayfair editions with The Peanuts Global Artist Collective
- A GMT edition for Selfridges
Under the Bamford London brand it also sells its own watches, including the quartz Mayfair and the mechanical GMT.
Why it matters
Bamford turned aftermarket modification, once outside the official watch trade, into a sanctioned service for major maisons. It shows how personalisation can become a licensed revenue line for heritage brands.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Bamford Watch Department?
It was founded by George Bamford, a London based collector of vintage cars and sports watches.
What does Bamford Watch Department do?
It customises luxury watches with coatings and bespoke dials without altering the movement, and sells its own Bamford London watches.