Rare stamps, photographs, paintings and architecture… Jaipur Watch Company explores bespoke luxury watches
Rare stamps, photographs, paintings and architecture… Jaipur Watch Company explores bespoke luxury watches
The craftsmen of Jaipur Watch Company took eight months to make a handmade watch with the image of Hanuman on the dial. The artisans of Jaipur are not traditional watchmakers; His specialty is carved on swords and weapons. Another custom-made watch with a dial of mother of pearl used 200-year-old coins and an image of Shiva, with the hands of the dial designed like a trident. The divinity-themed watches are one of the exclusive watches of Jaipur Watch Company. Rare coins, stamps, motifs, insignia and images that range from personal photographs to architecture are incorporated into bespoke watches made from precious and semi-precious metals.
“When we launched our first collection in 2013, I learned that there was no other Indian watchmaker specializing in the luxury bespoke segment. Watch retailers would be hesitant to showcase Indian-made watches alongside the Swiss collection, as they felt that the quality and aesthetics would not match. “To an extent, we have managed to break that barrier,” says Gaurav Mehta, Founder-Designer, Jaipur Watch Company.
Hanuman Clock | photo credit: special arrangement
Gaurav, a first-generation entrepreneur, saw watchmaking as a possibility to bring together his two hobbies – numismatics and horoscopes: “As a pre-teen, I used to crack open a few watches to see how they worked and Lets put them back together with the compound. Result. One day while I was at my desk, I found a courier of a coin from British India that I had ordered. There was a hole in the coin and it struck me that I could include it on the dial. It was a crude experiment; Using an adhesive I affixed the coin to the dial.” The watch gained him attention among friends and family.
A commerce graduate who then pursued risk management in the UK, Gaurav worked with an insurance firm in London. When his interest in watchmaking grew, he realized there was scope for custom-made watches in India and returned to his hometown: “My father is a chartered accountant and many members of my family are lecturers and doctors. Trading was a new field but I wanted to try it.
Jaipur Watch Company was founded in 2013 and the first collection was promoted through a Facebook page: “At that time very few players had explored social media marketing. A gentleman from Delhi approached and wanted to buy two watches. Were. That was the beginning.”
A peacock-themed watch that uses a genuine, fallen peacock feather in the dial. photo credit: special arrangement
The design terminology expanded over time. Couples came up with requests for made-to-order watches to mark special occasions, with a picture or their name/initials engraved on a date (wedding, anniversary) against a precious or semi-precious metal background. Think of a diamond-studded gold watch and a mother of pearl dial with a personalized image or text.
There were other requests that posed design challenges, such as incorporating a small idol of Ganesha on the dial and designing the hands of the dial without piercing the idol.
There were also design inspirations from Arts and Crafts. Artists specializing in miniature Pichwai paintings helped render similar imagery on watch dials for the brand’s Pichwai watch collection.
For a pendant watch, the company used a British India time stamp.
Requests also came from government bodies: “The Uttarakhand government wanted specially designed clocks for the Kedarnath and Badrinath temple boards. For the Kedarnath collection, we used a mother of pearl background to reflect the snowy terrain and for Badrinath, the design was inspired by the colorful facade of the temple. Many of our watches are rooted in tradition and are pieces of art.”
Gaurav Mehta, Founder, Jaipur Watch Company | photo credit: special arrangement
Online orders through the company’s website (jaipur.watch) and social media pages continue to drive the business. In addition to recently partnering online with Nykaa and TataCliq, the brand has stores in Jaipur and Delhi and retails through nine five-star hotels across India.
Custom watches in precious metals cost upwards of ₹2.5 lakh, while stainless steel made-to-order watches start at ₹20,000. Gaurav says, “We plan to launch the concept of designing our own watch in 15 minutes.” Starting from Dubai, plans are on to launch in the Middle East as well.
Taking stock of the last two years, Gaurav shared that there has been a tendency to retaliate after the initial stages of the pandemic: “Sales are better than in pre-pandemic years. We launched the Bagh collection in May this year and by mid-July, 75% of the collection was sold out. A watch reflects the personality of the wearer and it is good to see the growing possibilities of luxury custom watches.”