Breadcrumbs [Home](/index%2Ephp/) > [Lockdown Diary: George Bamford](/index%2Ephp/markdownify/node/894) ![Lockdown Diary: George Bamford](https://media.slman.com/b2M0uO6zIat3MOrGHxHG2N_Dmic=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fslman.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2020%2F06%2Fgeorge-bamford-thumb.jpg) [Style](/index%2Ephp/style) / 08 June 2020 # Lockdown Diary: George Bamford George Bamford is founder of Bamford Watch Department, a personalisation house that started out customising sports watches from major international brands. Today, it collaborates officially with the likes of TAG Heuer, and George has launched his own range, including a boldly coloured Mayfair Sport collection. He tells SLMan about how the last couple of months has been treating him… ![](https://media.slman.com/ZsXF-3yrrbwBgBD88Oze0C7MMhg=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fslman.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2020%2F06%2Fgeorge-bamford-headshot.jpg) **So, George, where does this find you? Holed up at home?** I’m with my family and working from home. I’m desperate to be in the office but working from home has been good in some ways – especially the being with my family bit. **How has lockdown changed things for you day to day?** I’m missing seeing people, but I’m still managing to exercise – I’m an avid runner and cyclist. **You've got kids… How’s the home-schooling been going?** I’ve got a rock star of a wife. She is amazing. I'm very lucky that she’s on that – ‘home-schooling’ is a bit of terminology I never thought I'd have in my life. **Business wise, how are you getting on?** We’re still going. [Bamford Watch Department](https://www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com/) is still doing what it does. We’ve got an A-team on the case. **Noticing any upsides to lockdown? Anything you might do differently once this is over?** Our weekly meetings now have become daily virtuals thanks to various technologies. That’s actually been great because we’re having more conversations. **What about lifestyle wise?** I spent a long time going through a lot of stuff realising that I don’t need to buy a new pair of trainers or anything new yet, so shopping wise things have definitely changed. Spending time with my family is paramount. **When venues start to reopen, where are you looking forward to going to?** I'm wanting some good sushi, so I’ll be happy when [Zuma](https://zumarestaurant.com/locations/london/) opens up. And [Coya](https://www.coyarestaurant.com/) – I love what they do there. The chef is great and the salad is unreal. There’s also [Amazonico](https://amazonicorestaurant.com/), as I think it is such an experience, so I can’t wait to go there. ![Berlin](https://media.slman.com/WWtQVVomCOm77GARQTEJkXD53sA=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fslman.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2020%2F06%2Fberlin.jpg) Berlin [ ![Amazonico](https://media.slman.com/o1IThlWjDOsO6WfFv0yFB8s2uaE=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fslman.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2020%2F06%2Famazonico-r.jpg) ](https://amazonicorestaurant.com/) Amazonico **What's your favourite thing about London?** I love the architecture. I think we have some of the most beautiful buildings. I'm gobsmacked – from the [Brompton Oratory](https://www.bromptonoratory.co.uk/) to some of the modern buildings, we’ve got such history in one city. To see so much life in one city is absolutely amazing. **Where are your favourite holiday destinations?** New York. I also think Berlin is awesome, and Tokyo I’m obsessed with. Right now, it would be amazing to be having a gelato in Italy somewhere – of course I love Italian food. **You’ve sworn off shopping for a bit, but where do you usually go for clothes** [Private White](https://www.privatewhitevc.com/) is my go-to. I've also been going to [Mr Porter](https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100l4JRj/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mrporter.com%2Fen-gb%2F) quite a lot, and [Budd](https://www.buddshirts.co.uk/) for shirts. **For watches, there’s probably only one place, but what about the other brands you like?** Of course there *is* only one place. Actually there are some amazing watch brands out there and I go to a few watch houses. I love [TAG Heuer](https://www.tagheuer.com/gb/en/) and what [Zenith](https://www.zenith-watches.com/en_us/) is doing at the moment is unreal – it’s got some amazing watches coming out. At [Bremont](https://www.bremont.com/), the guys are really pushing boundaries and they’re becoming a super brand figure. For ultra-ultra-luxury, it’s [Audemars Piguet](https://www.audemarspiguet.com/en/), of course, and [IWC](https://www.iwc.com/gb/en/iwc-universe.html). I just love what IWC does. [Ulysse Nardin](https://www.ulysse-nardin.com/) and [Girard-Perregaux](https://www.girard-perregaux.com/en) are also unreal, but the thing I would say is go and look at great magazines and online to see what’s out there. You can find some great write-ups on some amazing watches – there’s no excuse for following the herd! [ ![](https://media.slman.com/UKvXqErM8OJr0LbY-aNd8cKpvV0=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fslman.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2020%2F06%2Fbamford-watch-department1.jpg) ](https://www.instagram.com/bamfordwatchdepartment/) **We’re big fans of your Mayfair Sport rubber watches. Which colour is the most popular?** [The Mayfair Sport Blue](https://bamfordlondon.com/products/bamford-mayfair-sport-navy), and I'm so pleased you like it. I think for the summer the brighter colours – the red, yellow and green – will hopefully be coming forward again. **Finally, other than seeing all the friends and family you’re missing, what's the first thing you plan to do post-lockdown?** I'd love to travel. When it’s safe, I’d love to just get on a plane. Travelling is one of the biggest luxuries, but also the biggest thing to inspire. *To see the Mayfair Sport range in full, visit [BamfordLondon.com](https://bamfordlondon.com/collections/mayfair-sport)* DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at .