The World's Most Sophisticated Elephant Gets His Own Watch
Babar? Bamford? Rowing Blazers? Yes, Please.
Rowing Blazers and Bamford just dropped one of the most playful watch collabs of the season, the Rowing Blazers x Bamford Babar GMT. Limited to just 99 pieces, this jet-set-ready stunner puts the original globetrotting elephant on your wrist, complete with a proper, travel-friendly GMT function.
If you’re new here, Rowing Blazers is like prep school fashion reimagined by a culturally savvy art director with a meme account.
Founded by, yep, a former Oxford-educated rower, the New York-based brand is known for its heritage-infused aesthetic, tongue-in-cheek collaborations, and deep ties to Ivy League and British sporting culture.
The other half of the collab comes courtesy of Bamford Watch Department. Often dubbed the cool-kid design lab of the watch world, Bamford blends Swiss craftsmanship with pop culture deep cuts, working with everyone from BAPE to Bvlgari, and even our own Highsnobiety team.
The Rowing Blazers x Bamford Babar GMT pairs a dual-time zone layout with a healthy dose of nostalgia. That second time zone feels fitting for a watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while the cushion case leans into a school blazer vibe common to vintage dress watches. Think early Ralph Lauren timepieces or the new wave prep pages of Aimé Leon Dore. At $2,348 USD, it’s a solid price to top off your prep-school rotation.
As for Babar? He makes more sense than you'd think. Who better to grace a luxury timepiece than the original elephant-in-chief, forever jet-setting in that iconic green suit? He’s handled family drama, state matters, and royal feasts, all in style.
That energy carries into the details, like with an internal rotating bezel in dual green tones mirrors his look, while his arms serve as the hour and minute hands. It’s charming, wearable, and just the right amount of conversation-starting.
And honestly, if I’m checking my wrist every few hours, I might as well be reminded of the guy who first sparked my taste for the high life as a kid. Babar’s always been that guy.
