George Bamford is a man with a passion for all things mechanical, be they vintage watches, cars, or anything else with a set of gears that move. In something of a coming together of the Englishman’s enthusiasms, his watch brand Bamford London has linked with Land Rover to create the LR001 limited edition timepiece celebrating the British automaker’s iconic Defender.
As a member of a family of successful entrepreneurs (his father Anthony is the Chairperson of the JCB empire, George Bamford has never been afraid of mixing business with pleasure and is the brains behind Bamford Watch Department, Bamford London and Bamford Auto Department. While the limited edition LR001 timepiece is his first horological involvement with Land Rover, it isn’t his first automotive interaction after Devon 4×4 and Bamford Auto Department collaborated on one of the coolest custom Defenders you’ll have seen in a long time.
The Land Rover x Bamford London LR001 arrives with a 40mm sandblasted titanium case that sets the almost minimalist tone of the rest of the watch, offering a subtle visual impression that makes a quiet statement. At 13.25mm thick, it isn’t the kind of svelte dress watch you might hope to slip under the cuff of your dinner jacket, instead delivering the robust versatility of a timepiece that can do all the same things as the go-anywhere Land Rover.
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The dial of the LR001 is the same titanium-grey tone as the case, featuring cut-away hour markers that reveal hidden luminescence beneath and Bamford’s signature aqua blue for the name of the watch at 6 o’clock. Powering the LR001 is the automatic Sellita SW200-1b calibre, which is a premium movement manufactured in Switzerland and guarantees 41 hours of power reserve when fully wound.
In a quiet nod to the extremely hard-wearing military watches from the middle of last century, the lugs are closed off, requiring the use of an 18mm NATO strap to secure the watch to your wrist. With 100m of water resistance guaranteed, Bamford has created a proper adventure watch that should be able to handle anything your Defender can.
As a limited edition of just 100 pieces, the Land Rover x Bamford London LR001 is currently available online with an RRP of £1,125 (AU$1,974)
