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May 2019

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Shenzhen by Range Rover Sport PHEV | A first drive in the new Range Rover Evoque | Mid-century modernist architecture in Germany | George Bamford on what makes true luxury | Meet moon-walker Charlie Duke | Carnival subculture in Brazil

“LUXURY ISN’T ALL

“LUXURY ISN’T ALL ABOUT THE PRICE. IT HAS TO BE BESPOKE, IT HAS TO HAVE PERSONALISATION. THEY GO HAND IN HAND”

CRAFTSMANSHIP Left: George Bamford with some of his horological creations, and out in his lovingly restored Land Rover 110 tow truck at his estate in the Cotswolds To say that George Bamford likes Land Rovers would be something of an understatement. He really likes Land Rovers. In garages scattered across his Cotswolds estate he has 14, among them a Defender, several ex-military Wolf models, a vertiginous off-road creation nicknamed ‘The Beast’, and his latest restoration, a 1972 110 tow truck. So it’s little surprise that we’re here, on Bamford’s very own soggy off-road course, talking about his custom-made watch business, rather than in the somewhat plusher confines of ‘The Hive’, Bamford Watch Department’s headquarters in Mayfair, London. The epicentre of a business that Bamford started 16 years ago, after deciding to not join the family firm – JCB, of bright yellow digger fame and one of Britain’s wealthiest dynasties – The Hive’s consulting room is where customers can create their very own personalised watch, poring over the smallest details, choosing colours, hands, dial options. Bamford thrives on these details, his obsession with watches going back to his childhood. “I come from an engineering family,” he explains as we slither down a slippery incline in the tow-truck. “It’s in my blood. When I was small I’d take the TV or the juicer to bits, which my parents found quite annoying,” he smiles. “When I was 16 they gave me a Breitling Navitimer and I took that to bits as well, which annoyed them further.” But that Navitimer was to be Bamford’s lightning bolt with watches. He spent the following years, while studying photography at the Parsons School of Design in New York, visiting flea markets buying up cheap old timepieces, disassembling and re-assembling their movements, learning what made them tick. While the inner workings fascinated Bamford, many watch designs left him cold. “I realised that so many mass market luxury products were the same – the same black dial, the same steel case,” he says. “So, in 2003, I decided to personalise a Tag Heuer Monaco I’d been given. I had the whole watch black-coated – the dial, case, everything. That was my first customised watch.” Once he started wearing the black Monaco, friends started to notice, and wanted one too, so Bamford had more produced. Bamford Watch Department was born. Early signature projects from BWD were heavily customised Rolexes – most notably the all-black Cosmograph Daytona. But Rolex took a dim view of Bamford’s interpretations of their classic designs. Indeed, Bamford’s unique take on these famous timepieces – black-coating them, adding different colourways to the dials and hands – was invalidating their warranties, a major problem when it came to after-sales servicing. Nevertheless, the personalisation business continued to grow, so Bamford kept going, even creating his own in-house service department on the top floor of The Hive. BWD soon became known as the world’s premier customiser of Rolex watches. Everything changed in 2016, however, when multinational luxury goods group LVMH threw its full weight behind BWD. “That deal put us in a very good place,” he says, as we negotiate a near-impossible incline in the Land Rover. “Getting approval was one of the best things ever because we could now offer a manufacturer warranty with our products.” Abandoning Rolex, BWD focussed its efforts on LVMH’s three premium watch brands – Tag Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari. Bamford’s huge range of customisation options was now fully legitimate, allowing customers to spec a watch to their own personal taste, choosing from a total combination of over a billion options. BWD also started producing its own range of watches at the same time, the Bamford London Mayfair and GMT Auto offering a way into the brand at a more affordable price point. “The Mayfair comes in 49 colours,” he enthuses. “And we can customise it further for a small fee. But luxury isn’t all about the price. It has to be bespoke, it has to have personalisation. They go hand in hand. As with my cars, my focus is on individuality. Purists may not approve, but I love it. I want people to have what they want.” It’s a philosophy which is paying dividends. With boutiques and dealers worldwide and a demanding market for his wares in Asia and the US, Bamford has created his own mini empire to go alongside the family dynasty. There’s also a line of grooming products and accessories to add to the portfolio. So, where next for the Bamford brand? Custommade cars? Bespoke private jets? Bamford smiles wryly as he pulls the Land Rover into his gravelled driveway. “Well, short-term we’re launching a new watch just before the summer and we have new collaborations happening – totally apart from LVMH,” he explains. “But if you’d asked me ten years ago, I don’t think I would have envisaged this business where it is today. I still constantly think ‘is it going to die tomorrow?’ he laughs. “But now, being embraced by the brands I’m working with, I have the sun beating down on me. I can safely say I love where I’m sitting.” And you can bet that applies to the now mud-caked Land Rover as well. Visit bamfordwatchdepartment.com for more information on BWD 61

 

Land Rover Magazine

 

Land Rover Magazine showcases stories from around the world that celebrate inner strength and the drive to go Above and Beyond.

In this issue, New Defender is put through its paces by two inspirational young adventurers as they prepare for an expedition to the South Pole. We also celebrate 50 years of Range Rover by taking a journey of discovery to Dubai. As well as looking back, we look to future as a group of visionaries explain the technologies that could change the future for all of us.

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