Lockdown Diary: George Bamford
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 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 opens up. And Coya – I love what they do there. The chef is great and the salad is unreal. There’s also Amazonico, as I think it is such an experience, so I can’t wait to go there.
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 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 is my go-to. I've also been going to Mr Porter quite a lot, and Budd 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 and what Zenith is doing at the moment is unreal – it’s got some amazing watches coming out. At Bremont, the guys are really pushing boundaries and they’re becoming a super brand figure. For ultra-ultra-luxury, it’s Audemars Piguet, of course, and IWC. I just love what IWC does. Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux 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!
We’re big fans of your Mayfair Sport rubber watches. Which colour is the most popular?
The Mayfair Sport Blue, 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
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