Introducing The New Bamford × Revolution GMT “Joe Cool” Limited Edition
The world needs fun watches! I’m sure we’ve all seen that guy who’s become part of internet meme legend, the guy with a sign? I feel that my first sentence would fit nicely on one of his signs. It’s true, though. While I love this industry dearly, sometimes it does like to take itself a bit too seriously, and we need fun watches to bring things back down to Earth. Well, how about this for one such fun watch? Introducing the new Bamford × Revolution GMT Joe Cool!
Who is Joe Cool? And why is Snoopy on the dial?
Well, my eagle-eyed readers, you are correct that it is Snoopy on the dial. The cartoon beagle we all know and love so well. For fans of the Peanuts comic strips, you may well know that Joe Cool is one of Snoopy’s alter-egos, which first appeared in the Peanuts comic strip from May 27, 1971.
When living his Joe Cool persona, Snoopy pretends to be a beatnik college student. To morph into Joe Cool, the beagle simply puts on a pair of sunglasses, leans against a wall, and says his name is Joe Cool. It’s as simple as that; he is transformed! If superheroes can just put on a different costume and say they are who they say they are, why can’t our canine friend do the same?!
Knowing our friends over at Revolution, I have to say that Joe Cool is the perfect representation of them in Snoopy/Peanuts form. They are a bunch of cool cats (or should that be dogs?), and they know how to have fun. A cursory glance at the Bamford × Revolution GMT Joe Cool quickly made me realize how much of a perfect match-up this was!
Bamford is no stranger to Peanuts
Now Snoopy is no stranger to Bamford Watch Department. George and the team first incorporated the legendary Peanuts character into a special edition Bamford GMT watch last year (now sold out!). It seemed to be a great fit, as he chose the GMT watch for the Revolution collaborative timepiece. But, of course, it also helps that the watch is very accessibly priced, making the fun open to everyone. Fun should be inclusive, after all.
The watch’s size is a very wearable 40mm by 11.7mm — that means it’s likely to fit everyone’s wrist. The stainless steel case has been enhanced with a luminous internal rotating bezel. A Sellita SW330-1 runs the show inside, providing 42 hours of power reserve. You can easily read the second time zone off of the centrally mounted GMT hand, and if you want to check another time in another zone, you simply turn the crown at 10 o’clock to set the internal rotating bezel. It’s not a new concept but a tried-and-tested one that just works. We’re not trying to break new ground here. The key was always to have a fun and functional watch. Well, I think that’s definitely a check in that box, wouldn’t you say?
The watch comes on a black Cordura strap with a pin buckle. Looking at the press images, the combination works well. I love Cordura straps; in fact, I am wearing one right now. They’re super comfortable and quite strong. The white contrast stitching complements the white dial too.
Show me how cool you are!
Now talking about the dial. Taking Joe Cool into the night reveals a generous dose of lume. The rotating bezel, the Joe Cool character, and hands, plus the Woodstock GMT hand tip wall glow brightly for complete legibility. Why be cool if you can’t see it in the dark?
And just because Snoopy would be incomplete without his iconic doghouse, the Bamford × Revolution GMT Joe Cool is housed in a box that’s the shape of Joe Cool’s dwelling place. What’s more, the box is fully lumed. Yup, you read that right, Bamford has coated the entire box is glowing goodness — not just the watch! I mean, the watch is cool, but is the watch box even cooler? I don’t know, but I can’t say I’ve even considered that question before. Watch boxes all too often end up in cupboards, tucked away. I can’t imagine too many owners shoving this box to the back of a cupboard!
Limited to just 100 pieces
Therefore, if you’re sold on owning a slice of Joe Cool and the gang, then head on over to Revolution’s official website. The watch is priced at $1,900 and is limited to just 100 pieces. Bamford’s Peanuts limited edition watches don’t tend to hang around for very long, and I can’t say I expect this one to be any different. By the way, did I mention the fully-lumed box?…
Follow me on Instagram: @davesergeant
