ONLY 133 examples of the Michelin x Bamford B347 Pilot Sport chronograph will be made. This number is significant for the France-headquartered tiremaker as it was founded in 1889 — 133 years ago. Featuring a strap made from recycled Michelin Pilot Sport 5 test tires, the watch is said to “perfectly fuse the two brands and takes its collaboration to the next level.”
Bamford London had launched the Swiss-made Bamford B347 model last year. Now, the Michelin x Bamford B347 Pilot Sport employs new materials and design choices.
“What started out as a light-bulb moment, (as I) stood next to a lineup of Porsches at a car event with a friend who works at Michelin, has developed into this stunning display of two pioneering brands. The racing-inspired design, lightweight carbon body, integrating the recycled tire rubber and marking this by adding the tread pattern from their latest tire — it all works,” said Bamford London Founder George Bamford.
The timepiece is an automatic monopusher chronograph with a 41.5-mm black cutting-edge forged carbon case housing a Sellita SW510 automatic movement. The single push-button at two o’clock provides the start-stop-reset function. The racing-inspired tachymeter sports a checkered pattern representing a start/finish flag. The signature Michelin yellow is present on the seconds and sub-dial hands.
The black dial bears white accents as well as luminous hour and minute hands. The white sub-dials are a nod to Michelin’s latest brand campaign showing tires on vehicles as white, cartoon-style circles. It must be recalled that tires used to be white. The Michelin yellow is also featured as a unique colored fleck on the strap. The material is from Michelin’s research and development campus, Ladoux, based in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The strap features a real tread pattern, taken from the Pilot Sport 5 — specifically, a 225/40 ZR18 (92Y) tire. This size would be used on cars like the retro BMW E36 and E46 M3, and the British-built Lotus Evora and 3-Eleven Models, plus the Morgan Aero 8, and various iterations of the Volkswagen Golf GTI hot hatch.
Partnering with Bamford London and Michelin to create the unique watch strap, Greenology, a specialist in full circle, sustainable solutions for end-of-life tires, used the recycled tires sourced from Michelin’s research and development campus. Said Greenology Director Laura Hepburn, “It has been a privilege to work in collaboration with Michelin and Bamford, who are fellow innovative forward-thinking companies, to responsibly deal with tires in a whole new way. This collaboration is an excellent example of working together to help create a transition to net zero and a greener, cleaner tire industry.”
Adding to the special elements of this timepiece, the caseback and custom box feature a heritage “race winner” Bibendum (or the Michelin Man) which is usually reserved for Michelin’s own use. The watch costs £2,500, available from Bamford London (www.bamfordlondon.com).
