First Impressions Of The Bamford x G-Shock Triple Blue DW-6900BWD
The G-Shock DW-6900 is too big for me. I know this from having the all-white Stormtrooper version for two days before selling it. And for such a huge watch, the screen is woefully small, so what’s the big (pun not intended) deal? This Bamford x G-Shock Triple Blue DW-6900BWD is no review sample. I bought it after penning my release story on it, an inherent danger of writing about watches. But for €178, what risk was I taking?
The Bamford x G-Shock Triple Blue DW-6900BWD turns out to be a textbook example of black being a slimming color. Either that or I’ve typed so much over the last six months alongside gym sessions that my wrists are beefed up. Whatever the reason, it fits, even with its massively long lug span. But for my loose-fit summer watch preference, it’s just cool. Thankfully, this is a crazy-hot summer, so it doesn’t matter that shirts will not accommodate the lovable beast.
Black and blue photogenic cool for the summer
For Instagram fiends like me, the color combo is seriously photogenic. George Bamford has a razor-sharp eye for details, no question. And just like his first G-Shock collab, this is a studied case of sports-watch cool. Plus, for less than €200, it’s serious value for money. You will notice the underside of the resin strap, the print, and the screen details in three shades of Bamford aqua blue. These subtle tweaks transform a matte black everyday tool into the finishing touch for your summer outfit. I know, it’s a tool watch, but I’m not going to strap this on for abseiling down a cliff face. Now, that’s probably because I’m too urban for a Norwegian, as this is a perfectly good sports watch. I’m also prone to babying my watches, so sue me. It might only cost €178, but I appreciate the limited-production cool quota of the tough resin.
The hype train of limited-edition affordable watches
Let’s take a moment to address the mad hype train that spoiled this release for many G-lovers. When these were launched at the London G-Shock store, things took a turn for the worse. When baying crowds of watch scalpers pushed G-Shock fans aside to get in, eventually, the cops shut the shop down. Organized groups of buyers bragged on Instagram the same day, and eBay UK filled up with overpriced Bamford G’s from €450 to €1,200. Unfortunately, this is just an effect of what most of us have wanted — watches are cool again. It’s as simple as that. And considering the worldwide MoonSwatch madness a couple of months ago, this pales in comparison.
Yes, I’m holding my hammer (photo pun intended).
A hot drop by design
I bought my Bamford x G-Shock Triple Blue DW-6900BWD online where it sold out in 90 seconds. Honestly, the design is cool enough to warrant the madness. Limited, low-priced, hot collab watches are a commodity just like Supreme hoodies and Nike hot sneaker drops, a fact of life in 2022. Out of curiosity, I just checked Chrono24 for G-Shock collabs, and yes, this one is available between €700 and €1000. This has nothing to do with Bamford but rather the fact that watches are smashing their way back into the limelight.
So ignore the scalpers. If you miss out, just wait a while and don’t perpetuate the gray-market madness.
Any limited-edition product can enter this scenario, from racing bicycles to baseball caps. You’ll find the same Hodinkee × John Mayer G-Shock DW-6900 for €800 and the epitome of un-cool collabs, a McDonald’s Big Mac G-Shock, for over €1,000. So ignore the scalpers. If you miss out, just wait a while and don’t perpetuate the gray-market madness. George Bamford has got plenty of sharp designs up his sleeve, I can assure you.
My Bamford x G-Shock DW-6900BWD is a keeper
All sales and scalping philosophies aside, for me this is a keeper, for sure. The only drawback with a sub-€200 G-Shock is no Bluetooth, solar power, or radio time sync, but who cares? The battery will last a few years, after which I’ll spend a fiver on a new one and fit it myself. Yes, it’s a sports watch by nature, and it will time, “lap time”, and count down whatever you require without the unnecessary frills of GPS or notifications. Thank God. The reverse display is not as clear as on my metal G or cheap-as-beans F-91W. It is, however, a hell of a lot more fun. Is it comfortable? Well, for 50mm across with a mad 53.7mm lug-to-lug, it sure is, even with the stiff resin construction.
The three cool, fairly useless sub-dials at the top are mesmerizing in their LCD-synchronized dance of segmental seconds. Do we need two five-second counters and a totalizing 10-second segment register at the top? Absolutely not; the seconds are shown in the main display. But that flight-instrument-like ’80s futurism is worth €178 on its own. It’s as distracting and neat as a Casio keyboard with 30 drum beats and pastel-colored keys. God, I love being an ’80s kid and reliving the small joys of my childhood for such a small outlay. Bravo, George! This is a keeper, and I love the plastic-resin beast. Stay tuned to Bamford London for the next drop. This one just got released in Japan, and air travel is back!
Are limited-edition G-Shocks like the Bamford x G-Shock Triple Blue DW-6900BWD worth queueing up for? Or maybe you’re used to staying up until 2:00 AM for an online hot drop on the other side of the world. Let me know your thoughts, Fratelli, in the comments below.
