Time to Bid Adieu to the Country's Timekeeper "HMT"

BANGALORE:  HMT, India’s native, government-backed watch brand was set up in 1962, with aid from Japan’s Citizen. Even though the company produced mechanically strong watches, flaunting clean and elegant designs, they made their debut at a time when household incomes ran low. Now HMT, announced that it would be shutting shop after over fifty years in business reports TNN.
 
Running in losses for over a decade, the iconic brand which carved a niche for itself in several Indian hearts and houses is on its way out after 53 years. There is no revival in store for the brand that flaunted the ‘Desh ki Dhadkan’ punchline and prided itself on being the timekeeper of the nation.  But with new announcement done by the new Prime Minister of the country Narendra Modi about 'Make In India' couldn't come at a juncture more ironic.

"My first HMT was a classic white Janata," says Mathias Uslar, 36, an electrical engineer from Germany. "I have been collecting watches, including HMT, for about five years. It started out as a hobby in finding the cheapest, solid mechanical watch around. HMT caught my attention at a German watch forum; they are rather small compared to 'new' ones, so they look classic."

Englishman Paul Barlow, 52, has a similar story. "I first encountered HMT less than a year ago when I started looking for an affordable mechanical watch on the Internet. I found a new HMT Sona on eBy for £30 and was smitten when it arrived. My father passed away two years ago and the HMT reminded me so much of the gold-plated, mechanical one he wore. Also, the workmanship on it was superb."

"One of the key reasons I maintain the fan page on Facebook is to build awareness on the authenticity of an HMT," Pandey says. The group, which started in 2013 with a base of 10 members, has grown to over 400 within a year. While Pandey himself is extremely proud of his personal collection of close to 500 HMT watches, including the rare HMT Rakhi, with its handcrafted Bidari work, and the G06 that shows off a 999-carat gold biscuit on its dial, as group administrator, he maintains a strict no-trading policy within the group.