The Designer Behind a Series of Hit Watch Collaborations Is at it Again

Jack Carlson may be the most unlikely success story in the fashion industry. He became an archaeologist after rowing for and graduating from Georgetown University as an undergraduate and Oxford University as a postgraduate, respectively.

But in 2014, between publishing academic papers, he collaborated with photographer F. E. Castleberry on a book about the unique culture surrounding the colorful jackets worn by rowing teams. Fittingly titled Rowing Blazers, it was a surprise hit, leading both Carlson and Castleberry to start their own clothing brands.

Carlson kept the book’s title for his clothing brand, and his cheeky approach to Ivy style breathed new life into the stale genre.

J. Press

Collaborations were the backbone of the brand while Carlson ran it, and some of the most successful were watches. Rowing Blazers releases from Seiko, Zodiac and Tudor were all hits.

Carlson sold Rowing Blazers in 2024 and became the Creative Director for J. Press in late 2025. The spring 2026 collection features the archeologist-turned-designer’s most adventurous watch collaboration yet.

J. Press

Carlson teamed up with George Bamford, founder of indie watchmaker Bamford London, to reinvent the watch dial inspired by vintage university pennants.

It follows a motif of repurposed pennants that appeared in Carlson’s debut collection with a tote bag and a couple of umbrellas.

J. Press

In this case, the hour markers are replaced with a dozen pennant-shaped slices, with the hours spelled out, except for 9:00, which is replaced by a J. Press logo.

The colors are inspired by the eight Ivy League schools, plus Stanford University, the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago. The colors of the J. Press segment match those of both of Carlson’s alma maters, Georgetown and Oxford.

School colors

While the dial is pure Carlson and fits perfectly into the J. Press aesthetic, the remainder of the watch meets Bamford’s exacting standards. The 39mm case is made from sandblasted titanium, and the dial is capped with a sapphire crystal.

J. Press

The hour and minute hands are obelisk-shaped with lume inlays that make them look like actual obelisks, while the seconds hand is a red arrow. A black-and-white ruler-minute track encircles the dial’s rim, with Bamford printed at 6:00.

A blue Bamford “B” is placed on the crown, while the full J. Press coat of arms is etched into the titanium screw-in caseback.

J. Press

The time-only watch is powered by a respectable Sellita Caliber SW300-1 automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and offers a 56-hour power reserve.

Availability and pricing

The J. Press x Bamford London B80 Watch admittedly has very niche appeal, but it will certainly be a hit with its target audience. It speaks to Carlson’s integrity that the adventurous dial is backed by Bamford’s reputation and housed in a titanium case with a robust Sellita movement.

This wild collegiate pennant dial is a limited production of just 100 pieces, which is likely the right amount. It is priced at $1,595, and Bamford will begin production after the order window closes on March 26, 2026.

J. Press

J. Press x Bamford London B80 Watch

Specs

Case Size	39mm
Movement	Sellita Caliber SW300-1 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $1,595 at J.Press

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