A new collaboration has emerged from a trio of names, each a heavyweight in its own domain: Bamford London, Selfridges, and Disney. This partnership has culminated in a 50-piece limited-edition timepiece, the Selfridges X Disney X Bamford London Limited-Edition Steel GMT. The watch is a central piece of a broader festive collaboration at the department store titled "A Most Magical Christmas," blending high-end watchmaking with a powerful dose of cultural nostalgia.
The story of Bamford London is essential to understanding the design. Founded by George Bamford, the brand's identity was first forged in the world of high-end watch customization. Bamford Watch Department (BWD) became famous, or perhaps infamous, for taking iconic luxury watches and applying its signature blacked-out aesthetic and bold colorways, offering a level of personalization that the traditional Swiss industry had long avoided.
Courtesy of Bamford
Over time, this passion for customization evolved into a full-fledged watch brand. Bamford London now creates its own distinct collections, moving from modifying others' work to producing its own. The brand is known for its modern, creative, and often playful spirit, frequently engaging in collaborations that tap into pop culture, from Peanuts to Popeye. This Disney project is a natural extension of that ethos.
The second partner, Selfridges, is far more than a simple retail outlet. Opened in 1909 by the American impresario Harry Gordon Selfridge, the Oxford Street store changed the face of retail by transforming shopping from a mere transaction into an experience. Selfridges has maintained this reputation, acting as a curator of modern luxury, blending the world's most coveted brands with emerging, disruptive designers.
This 2025 festive partnership with Disney is not a new venture but a revival of a long-standing relationship. Selfridges and Disney first collaborated in the 1950s, and this new "A Most Magical Christmas" campaign has reportedly been more than two years in the making. It represents a shared appreciation for heritage and craftsmanship, aiming to create an unforgettable in-store and online experience for the holiday season.
The third partner, Disney, needs no introduction. Specifically, this collaboration is with Disney Consumer Products, the division responsible for bringing the company's beloved franchises into the physical world. The choice of character for this watch is specific and meaningful: Mickey Mouse, but not in his usual form. This is the Sorcerer's Apprentice from the 1940 animated classic, Fantasia.
Courtesy of Bamford
George Bamford noted that the team "relished the challenge of commemorating that legacy" in the watch's design. The Fantasia theme provides a specific, characterful canvas, moving the watch beyond a simple character-stamped dial and into something more specific to the film's magical and artistic spirit.
Visually, the watch is immediately striking. The dial is a deep, satin navy blue, providing a rich backdrop for the main event. Mickey Mouse is depicted in his full Sorcerer's Apprentice regalia: the iconic red robe and the blue, star-spangled wizard's hat. He is shown mid-gesture, arms outstretched as if conducting the magic around him. The "Disney" and "Fantasia" logos are printed subtly below the 12 o'clock marker.
The hands are a core part of the design's integration. The main hour and minute hands are polished baton-style indicators, filled with lume for low-light visibility. The real magic, however, is in the GMT hand. Instead of a standard arrow, the fourth hand is a slim blue stick tipped with a star, directly referencing the magic wand Mickey uses in the film. This hand points to the 24-hour scale on the watch's inner bezel.
This brings us to one of the watch's key features: the internal rotating bezel. Rather than a bulky external bezel, this GMT uses a "compressor-style" dual-crown system. The crown at the 3 o'clock position controls the time and date, while a second crown at the 10 o'clock position rotates the black, 24-hour scale printed on the rehaut (the inner flange of the dial). A red triangle at the 24 mark serves as a clear orientation point.
Courtesy of Bamford
The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal, which is highly resistant to scratching. The applied hour markers are simple, polished rectangles filled with lume. According to the specifications, the dial is illuminated with a green emission lume, which should provide a bright, clear reading in the dark, contrasting nicely against the navy blue face.
The watch is housed in a 316L grade stainless steel case. This material is the industry standard for quality, offering high corrosion resistance and durability. The case finishing appears to be a functional, brushed texture across its main surfaces, fitting the tool-watch nature of a GMT.
The dimensions are a key point of consideration for any collector. The case diameter is 40mm, a versatile size that hits the sweet spot for many enthusiasts. Perhaps more importantly, the case thickness is a relatively slim 11.7mm, and the lug-to-lug length is a compact 46.5mm. This restrained lug-to-lug measurement means the watch should wear comfortably and proportionately on a wide range of wrists.
This model is a true GMT, powered by the Sellita SW330-2 automatic movement. This Swiss-made caliber is a well-regarded and robust "workhorse" movement, increasingly used by brands as a reliable alternative to ETA-produced movements. It is a self-winding mechanism with a ball-bearing rotor.
Courtesy of Bamford
The SW330-2 operates at a modern frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (Vph), which translates to a smooth 8-ticks-per-second sweep of the second hand. It features 25 jewels and provides a very capable 56-hour power reserve, an upgrade from the 42-hour reserve of its predecessor, meaning you can set it down for a weekend and it should still be running on Monday.
Functionally, the movement provides a date display, neatly positioned in a window at 3 o'clock with a quick-date setting. The central GMT hand allows for the tracking of a second time zone, which is the primary function of the watch. The caseback is solid stainless steel, and the watch is rated for a water resistance of 100 meters (10 ATM), making it perfectly suitable for everyday wear and capable of handling swimming.
The watch is presented on a strap that complements the dial's theme. It is a navy blue cordura strap, a durable and comfortable textile material that adds to the watch's casual, utilitarian feel. A subtle but thoughtful detail is the red and yellow stitching that runs along the edges of the strap, perfectly picking up the colors from Mickey's robe and the stars on his hat.
Courtesy of Bamford
The packaging is also a bespoke part of the experience. The watch comes in a unique presentation box. The inner travel case is a black, hard-shell, zippered pod that is unmistakably shaped like Mickey Mouse's head, complete with his iconic round ears. The outer box is also black and decorated with a collection of Fantasia and Bamford-themed stickers, reinforcing the playful and collectible nature of the collaboration.
This watch is a 50-piece limited edition, making it an extremely rare item from its inception. The price is £1,800.00. As part of the "A Most Magical Christmas" launch in November, the watch is initially available by special order at Selfridges stores. The brand has indicated that it will be available to purchase online "very soon." Given the three names involved and the very small edition size, this piece is likely to be highly sought after by collectors of both watches and Disney memorabilia.
Case: 316L grade stainless steel. 40 mm diameter, 11.7 mm thickness, 46.5mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug width. Sapphire Crystal glass. Stainless Steel caseback. 100m / 10 ATM water resistance.
Movement: Sellita SW330-2. Automatic GMT with self-winding mechanism. 56 hour power reserve, 25 Jewels, 28,800 Vph. 3 O’Clock date position with quick date setting. Second time zone by central hand.
Dial: Satin navy dial with green emission lume. Features Mickey Mouse in his *Fantasia* persona. Internal rotating 24-hour bezel.
Strap: Navy cordura strap with a steel buckle.
Price: £1,800.00
Notes: 50-piece limited-edition GMT. A collaboration for Selfridges and Disney’s "A Most Magical Christmas." Comes with a unique Mickey Mouse-inspired presentation box.