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It's time for India to find its original timekeepers again!

HMT

There was once a watch our nation called its own. An iconic timekeeper for a young nation. Made for the people, by the people. That kept time for all... from the heads of state to the uncommon common.

Imagine a company that started out making tools in 1953 and ended up being India's "go-to" manufacturer. That's HMT for you! Born as Hindustan Machine Tools, this government-owned company didn't just stick to its toolbox. It branched out faster than a kid in a candy store, making everything from watches that tick to tractors that plow. HMT became famous for stuff that lasts longer than your grandma's stories and gives you more bang for your buck. Their machines are the unsung heroes in factories across India, working hard in important industries. From simple tools to fancy computer-controlled systems, HMT has done it all. It's like the Swiss Army knife of Indian manufacturing – always ready with the right tool for the job!

Brief history of HMT’s time. The making of a mechanical legend

First Generation Classics Time doesn’t change classics

Pilot

Made for aviation, a timepiece that lights up in the darkest hour.

Janata

The timekeeper for the uncommon common.

Kanchan

A quintessential at weddings, a memento to celebrate bonds.

Read a selection of nostalgic posts that its fans have written about what HMT meant to them.

What kept HMT ticking and tocking? That led it to become the timekeeper to the nation.

Since 1953
A YOUNG NATION'S HOPE
A National Need
Citizen
A JAPANESE COLLABORATION
Cal.0201 mvmt.
Watch Factory Bangalore 1
DEPENDABLE ENGINEERING
Ministry of Industry
Everyday Branding
DIVERSITY IN DESIGN
Functional Design
INR 1050 onwards
HONEST PRICING
Affordable
Shock Proof
DURABLE PRODUCTS
Water Proof

Precise to the second,

it was second to none.

Till the time it died,

a slow death by quartz

The near death of HMT How could a household brand that graced the hands of 90% of Indians just disappear?

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What killed HMT? The very same reasons that can be inverted to reimagine and bring it alive.

GOVERNMENT INDIFERENCE |
STATIC DESIGN |
POOR COMMUNICATION |
OVERPOWERED BY A TITAN |

OVERPOWERED BY A TITAN |
POOR COMMUNICATION |
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STATIC DESIGN |
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The birth and demise of a legend. The watch timeline in and around India

1878

Longines exported to India

1914

“West End” was manufacturing watches marked C.S. for the Civil Service in India and Indian Military that were under the British control.

1931

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso that was created for the British Polo players in India.

1947

India’s Independence

1953

HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) was set up to boost India’s manufacturing prowess

1954

Indian watch market was run by swiss majors like Favre Leuba (India didn’t have a watch brand) who set shop in Bombay

1961

Birth of HMT, a made in India venture envisioned by Nehru in partnership\ with Citizen (The foundation stone was laid by Mr. Manubhai Shah, the then Minister for Industry.)

1963

The factory was completed by 1963 and was inaugurated on 15th August 1963 by then Chairman Mr. M.K. Mathulla. This factory was named as 'Watch Factory-I' or WFB-I (Watch Factory Bangalore 1) and the first batch of hand-winding mechanical wristwatches was manufactured here. The first batch of watches that were produced was 500 numbers of 'HMT Citizen' for men and 300 numbers of 'HMT Sujata' for ladies but with 17 jewels based on 020 movements as per HMT requirement.

1969

Birth of Quartz watches in the world (Seiko Astron), an alternative battery operated tech

1970-1975

HMT was India’s largest supplier of watches with Kashmir’s HMT Chinar factory launched in 1970 (which launched the HMT Jawan). These HMT Jawan were issued to NCOs (Non Commissioned Officers) of Indian Army

1974

HMT launched first day date watch and watches with bi-directional movement (HMT Rajat)

1975

HMT became a 100% made in India watch and the Modified hacking movement for Indian Air Force issued Pilot's watch with sterile dial around 1975 Indo-Pak war

1975-1983

HMT was a Household name and launched the first automatic day date watch, the first Braille watch, the first ana-digi watch so on and so forth. With two factories in Bangalore and one each in Tumkur, Srinagar and Ranikhet.

1984

Titan a quartz based brand was launched by the Tatas in a JV with the Tamil Nadu Government TIDCO when import duties on quartz was reduced

1989

Titan made 1.5 million quartz watches of the 2.5 million made in India.

1990

HMT had 90% market share but too complacent

1994

HMT made losses of 90 Cr while Titan made profits of 20 Cr

1995-2013

Losing share rapidly in a quartz market with diversity of design and modern communication

2013-2014

Accumulated losses of INR 2500 Crores (The paucity of working capital, erosion of trade channel and high cost of borrowings affected it the worst.)

2013

HMT Fan communities

2016

HMT's last plant and a few divisions were closed down by the government'

2020s–THIS DAY

Large buyer community still looking for their good old classics.

Current Decade

While the market has been proliferated by fakes.

Today... You wonder where my timekeeper is at a time, which is India’s time. Hence as fans of the genre we reimagined the comeback in a new avatar of India’s original timekeeper.

The revival. A new sunrise.

A design adventure to bring India's original timekeeper back. Click below to go through why the legend has to come back.

HMT

HMT Reimagined

HMT