India's Tryst With Japanese Watchmakers

Seven decades is a long time to set up a legacy. Fortunately for Indian watch lovers, Japan has thoroughly infiltrated the desi watch world-leaving behind its storied traditions in watch boutiques, Instagram accounts and family drawers across the nation

- Sharan Sanil

Growing up, my fascination with Japanese watches was sparked by the stories and timepieces passed down through my family. My earliest memories of a mechanical watch came quite early-I recall playing with the transparent caseback of my father's Seiko Kinetic SQ50, having just graduated from diapers. These watches, treasured and carefully maintained, were more than just timekeeping devices. They were heirlooms that connected us across generations. When I snagged my own Orient Bambino earlier this year, it felt like I was adding a new chapter to a family tradition that had been ticking away since the late seventies.

This became very apparent after I inherited an old Seiko 5 from my late grandfather last year, and I found myself running across Mumbai searching for a vintage watchmaker to carry out some refurbishing work. The surprisingly spotless dial, well-worn bracelet and unique ArabicEnglish day-date display told a story not just about the man who passed it down, but also about a certain heritage and steadfastness that has captivated Indian watch owners for generations. Despite many of these watches gathering dust in drawers, Japanese watchmaking holds a special place in the annals of Indian horological history; a legacy that has steadily evolved across nearly seven decades.

The global watchmaking landscape underwent a seismic shift with the advent of the quartz revolution. This era marked a pivotal change as quartz technology offered unprecedented accuracy and affordability, challenging the dominance of traditional mechanical watches. In India, this revolution found a significant foothold through the collaboration between Hindustan Mechanical Tools (HMT) and Citizen Watch Co., in the early 1960s.

This partnership marked the beginning of Japanese watchmaking influence in the country, introducing reliable and affordable timepieces to the Indian market.