The Bamford x Time+Tide GMT2 Watch

In addition to new models designed and launched directly by brands, one of the growing trends in the watchmaking industry (but also in the luxury industry in general) is the concept of collaborations. It can be with the involvement of a sportsman, an external designer, a brand from another field and, as you’ve probably seen with Revolution, Fratello or Hodinkee, a collaboration between a watch brand and a magazine. Latest in line are our Australian friends of Time+Tide – which you might remember from their great WATCH & ACT! initiative. And for their first self-designed watches, they’ve decided to team up with Bamford.

I say watches because the Aussie magazine has launched two different watches, the GMT1 and GMT2. However, the first model was limited to 50 pieces and is already sold out. So today, we’ll focus only on the one that is available and that you’ll be able to order, the Bamford x Time+Tide GMT2 Watch.

The watch in question should be no stranger to you as it is based on the cool, rugged and accessible Bamford GMT watch, already available in multiple editions – see here and here. Bamford is the brainchild of a well-known personality from the watch industry, George Bamford, the irreverent watch customiser who created the Bamford Watch Department. This watch, however, is different; it is not a personalisation of an existing model but a watch designed and built specifically for George’s second brand, Bamford London. Launched in 2017, it has now two collections with fairly priced models, including this GMT watch.

Before we talk about what makes this Time+Tide GMT2 watch special, let’s talk about Bamford and the watch that serves as a base. This piece is a cool, sporty take on the traveller’s watch. It comes in a stainless steel cushion case, with a 40mm diameter and height of 11.7mm. It balances a mix of retro and modern design elements with a classic case and contemporary dial. A crown at 10 o’clock rotates an internal bezel for the GMT function, giving it a 1970s dive watch vibe. This bezel has a 24h scale, meaning that in conjunction with the central GMT hand, this watch can display three time zones. It features a sapphire crystal and is water-resistant to 100m. Inside is a robust movement, a Sellita SW330-1 (and alternative to the ETA 2893).

The Bamford x Time+Tide GMT2 is all about dark tones, yet the Australians have dissipated the stealth look with a fair amount of bright colours. The watch comes with a brushed steel case with full DLC black coating. The main update concerns the dial, which is black in its centre with a two-tone black and grey GMT bezel. The most striking elements are the light blue hour markers and seconds hand (luminous, of course) and the red accents on the H-M hands, the tip of the GMT hand and the date. Finally, the nautical logo of Time+Tide is also found, in red, at 6 o’clock. Playful and contrasted.

This collaboration watch is delivered with a DLC-coated stainless steel bracelet as well as a Cordura strap with light blue stitching.

The Bamford x Time+Tide GMT2 is not a limited edition but will only be produced for one year, until December 2021. It is priced at AUD 2,150 (about EUR 1,365 at the time of publishing). First deliveries are expected in February 2021, and the watch can now be ordered here, from Time+Tide online boutique.