Great lume doesn’t have to be reserved for solely practical purposes anymore, and we’re seeing it used in increasingly creative ways in recent years. From the likes of Black Badger, to more mainstream brands like TAG Heuer embracing its power to transform the aesthetic of the dial or even case in interesting ways. Bamford watches have never been shy about embracing the unorthodox (Bamford Watch Department was the first to use a fordite dial from Black Badger back in 2019), and using lume is certainly a big part of that. This week, Bamford London is introducing a new B347 monopusher chronograph with a carbon fiber case that’s been embedded with marbled super luminescence, and the effect is about as dramatic as you’d expect.
The newest watch is the B347 Glow, and while this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a lume embedded within a watch case, this execution still feels rather novel from Bamford. The B347 case is typically rendered in titanium or black forged carbon fiber, making for a featherweight experience on the wrist, while the 41.5mm diameter and 14.5mm thickness still bring plenty of presence. It’s a watch that finds a nice balance while still providing some punch with its design.
The B346 Glow retains the same dimensions, and utilizes grade 5 forged carbon material as a base, which has been impregnated with super luminescence. In the daylight, the watch will appear largely similar to the regular forged carbon B347, however it offers an entirely different experience in the dark, with the case serving as the focal point, and everything on the dial side serving as accent pieces. The dial execution reflects the goal of this watch, with a sparse layout that does away with hour markers of any kind. A set of registers housing the minute totalizer and running seconds hand are laid out at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively, and provide the only markings within the dial, helping it retain some semblance of practical utility, but that’s not really what this watch is about.
The case is the star of the show here, and the dial forces attention to its shape and texture, both in daylight and in the dark. The lume is tightly woven organically within the forged carbon fiber, and thanks to the nearly entirely black dial, the impression of the case is all that remains. What it lacks in practical legibility it makes up for in personality points. And the monopusher chronograph complication is another component of that.
Inside you’ll find a hand-wound Sellita cam operated chronograph, the SW510 MPa, operated by a single pusher at the 2 o’clock position along the case. The movement also provides a date at the 6 o’clock position on the dial, which has been color matched to the dial. A black rubber strap ties the whole thing together. This execution is likely only the first step in such usage of lume within the case, and Bamford’s propensity toward customization is any indication, I suspect we’ll see this used in a variety of ways. The B347 Glow is available now from Bamford London at the price of £2,083.33 (~$2,650). Bamford London.