The story of the Indian watch

When it comes to the final watch assembly, toothpicks are essential. Gaurav Mehta, the founder of Jaipur Watch Company, says, "Wood is actually the finest technique to get rid of the dust behind the glass casing" (JWC). There is no low dust in Germany, of course.Favouring the king

At Delhi Durbar 1911, Francesca's great-grandfather, Jacques Cartier, opened boxes of glistening gems only to find that the maharajas desired something simpler, Cartier's silver pocket watch.Cartier, however, isn't the only luxury watch brand to mark its 135th anniversary in India, as Longines and Jaeger LeCoultre also have a strong presence in the nation, with Longines holding a competition to find the country's oldest Longines watch in 2013.

A country with a long history of luxury timepieces may question how mechanical watchmaking has faded from the public consciousness. Indian middle class never got into the artistic side because our first mechanical watchmakers, HMT, sourced their movements from citizens to mass-produce. ' Later, in the 1980s, the proliferation of quartz movements meant Titan could sell watches for a fraction of the price of mechanical ones, phasing out mechanical watches. When Swatch and other companies ruled the market in the late 1990s and early 2000s, no one had the time to learn about horology when cheaper, more efficient options were available. Swiss manufacturers are taking the lead in today's Indian market, where mechanical movements are becoming more popular.

One of the reasons India's watch culture isn't as ubiquitous as it is in other countries is our dependence on Japanese brands, according to Teerath Doshi, Director of Helvetica, a Swiss watch company. According to him, "We have good jewellers but not watchmakers." However, more people recognize fine watchmaking. There are many similarities between jewelers and watchmakers, and it was, in fact, a jeweler, Louis Cartier, who first developed the wristwatch. Traditional jewelers are selling the most gold watches here since Indians have a fondness for metal. According to Doshi, the Swiss watch sector in India is worth between 1,000 and 1,200 crores now. Tourbillons and minute repeaters may not excite the typical watch buyer, but value for money and the opportunity to stand to outdo.

Boldness is superior.According to a trade publication, India's local brand market is projected to be over 6,500 crores, which could explain a lot about the country's current watch-buying culture. Charan believes that Indians are drawn to timepieces with a strong presence. Even though Swiss watchmakers make fresh designs, all of the significant complications have already been established.As an example, Hublot and Patek Philippe, two of the most exclusive watch brands globally, are only accessible to those who have a strong interest in mechanical watches and a significant financial budget. Even for the most affluent fan, things have gotten a little more complicated. There is a general tightening of purse strings due to the recent GST mess, demonetization, and restrictions on cash purchases without PAN cards.

Taking a step back in time.Michael Foley, Titan's former design director, offers a different perspective. To him, it's natural that the average individual will want something more concrete in this age of technology. There are several Watch Company in India.