Zenith Bamford Watch Department Partnership

Zenith will announce today a new partnership with famous watch customiser Bamford Watch Department, famous for its individual takes on Rolex (and other high end) watches with PVD treated cases, fresh dial colours and further individualisations.



Founded by George Bamford, the homonymous individualiser had to work always as an aftermarket service provider with no access to technical drawings, parts and the like, with the consequence that Bamford modified watches we no longer accepted as authentic by the original manufacturer, with all the negative consequences such as waived warranties and the like.

This will end today, as Bamford will be officially recognised through a partnership with Zenith, spearheaded by nobody else than industry mover & shaker Jean-Claude Biver, who is always striving to uplift innovation*. Under the new partnership, Bamford get officially access to Zenith watches (Chronomaster, Pilot, but not Defys), spare parts gets also access to the techncial drawings, abolshing the need for Bamford to reingeneer stuff. This makes things much easier for Bramford to exectute, a welcome fact which reduces the surcharge to Bramford customisations tremendously.



Furthermore, all watches will be officially double branded as 'Zenith Bramford' and will come with an official Zenith warranty. Order can be taken via the Bramford website (www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com) as well as through Zenith retailers. For Bamford, this also means a fundamental change - henceforth, the customiser will only work together with brands who officially recognise the firm.

I for one am aesthetically not that much interested in the Bramford watches (so far!), but I can see tremendous value in this new endeavour. For once, this is a partnership which really adds direct value to Zentih customers: straight forward access to offically recognised and vetted individualisation, reasonable prices and - yep!- warranty stays intact. As a customer, I can get exactly what I want without trusting that one day 'my' model will be presented, in the second worst case in a patnership with a company or celebrity I cannot stand.



My question is how this will impact the industry as a whole. Once more, Jean-Claude Biver has demonstrated his unique visonary view on the watch world. From now one, limited editions, boutique exclusives and partnership watches will be seen differently. Zenith has also put the end customers and his/her desires and needs directly and visible in the center of its attention. Will others follow?

Are you interested in one of the new Zenith Bamford watches?

Cheers,
Magnus
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*) It might have helped that George Bamford is the son of Anthony Bamford - the Chairman of the family-run construction company named JCB... ;-)
This message has been edited by andrewluff on 2017-06-30 01:59:55