Team-BHP - Which watch do you own?

Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

- Shifting gears (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/)

- - Which watch do you own? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/5927-watch-do-you-own-283.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinetic (Post 4786412)

And Rolex seldom does much with colors, so that blue is an excellent way to go.

On the contrary - Rolex Datejusts and Oyster Perpetuals have a huge variety of colours. It is actually mind boggling to see the number of dial finish- color-bezel combinations that Rolex has in these ranges. Other ranges, not so much.

My HMT Mechanical Watch Collection

The Collection so far has JANATA, PILOT, SONA, TRISHNA & CHIRAG Models. One more KOHINOOR is on its way.

HMT shut down its watch operations in 2016 after decades of losses. However HMT resartated selling watches though it Website/Online (www.hmtwatches.in) from last year (2019).

Quote:

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz (Post 4759541)

My Jhalak YD TBC (1st new HMT)
Attachment 1974605

My Blue Kohinoor (2nd HMT)
Attachment 1974607

"Come , Discover Watches. It will change the way you look at TIME." from hmt website

Keep them tickin'
--surjaonwheelz

Amazing collection. I particularly like the way you have modified the Jhalak with the brown leather strap. I'm still looking for my Jhalak.

I have placed my orders for my blue Kohinoor and Black Dial Saathi.

You have some great Nato straps. Can you please let us know where to buy those?

Quote:

Originally Posted by payeng (Post 4789283)

My HMT Mechanical Watch Collection

The Collection so far has JANATA, PILOT, SONA, TRISHNA & CHIRAG Models. One more KOHINOOR is on its way.

Nice collection. My blue Kohinoor is on order and stuck with HMT due to the present circumstances. Waiting eagerly for courier services to start so that I get hold of it. Looks gorgeous in the pics and videos that I have seen thus far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arindambasu13 (Post 4789340)

The Blue Sunburst Dial on the Kohinoor does look beautiful. Am awaiting for mine to be shipped as well.

Another beautiful watch according to me is the NISHAT - Black Dial with Statinless Steel Strap. The image on the Website doesn't do justice to what a few recent YouTube videos shows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by K a s h (Post 4789312)

Thank you, the first thing I do with HMT watches is change the strap. I get the leather straps from local watch shop. I've all the stock straps and belts, may be I should consider putting them up for sale!

I came across this nato strap dealer from Delhi mooistraps
They have nice options but the web buying experience is a bit primitive, you place the order from their website then make payments externally and inform them. They'll ship it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by payeng (Post 4789343)

Nishat was available last week! I gave it a miss.

Just before lockdown I got the Karna.

Just when I think I'm done another beauty comes up!
--surjaonwheelz

Quote:

Originally Posted by ringoism (Post 4771740)

Will PM you with more info, but for the benefit of all will say these were ALL found in India, where I figure the number of collectors (and demand) will continue to increase as the merits and characteristics of mechanical watches, and levels of disposable income / nostalgia / hobbyist interest increase.

As an added note, would like to suggest that watchmaking might be a very reasonable career path to pursue in the coming days. In my observation, all the old-timers who used to work on them before the "Quartz Revolution" are retiring / dying off, and as the skilled trades were always considered a bit low-status by most in society, practically none of their children have gone into this traditionally generational trade. All at the same time that - for the first time in a couple decades - larger numbers of people are starting to buy mechanical watches again - low/mid/high-end.

-Eric

Thanks Eric and apologies for the delayed response. Please do PM me more details. I am interested to learn more.

I think the establishment of new private brands in India like Jaipur Watch Company and Bangalore Watch Company support your view that watchmaking might be a very reasonable career path to pursue in the coming days. Also the sheer increase in sales of luxury mechanical time pieces year on year the world over shows that the smart watch will not eat into the luxury mechanical time piece market and that both will create their own markets going forward.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridhu (Post 4772743)

Folks

I am thinking of buying a new watch around ₹ 3-5 lakhs

What would be your pick?

I want automatic, chronograph or some other interesting complication, < 40mm width.

What options do I have?

Thanks

Have you looked at the Omega Speedmaster Racing series? I have been looking into it a bit more in detail recently and find it quite good. Take note however that it does not have the legacy of being a moonwatch and the dial is smaller in diameter (one of its main attractions to me personally). It also uses a heavily modified Valjoux movement so is not completely in house. However, it does use a silicon balance spring and is a co-axial escapement. Last i checked it was around Rupees 2.8 lakhs on Ethos and has multiple dial variants. With some discount I think it is a great deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_himan (Post 4786441)

Here's one i particularly keep going back to in my collection of predominantly affordable watches

Powered by a Miyota 8215, no hacking seconds, double dome mineral glass. The dial is breathtaking - two different finishes lead to a Quadrant effect where they meet..

The watch looks beautiful! clap: It also kind of reminds me of the Junghans Max Bill series (maybe because of the dome).

Quote:

Originally Posted by payeng (Post 4789283)

Nice collection! clap:

I was on the lookout for a Janata with roman numbers for a long time - because I remember my father had one like it.

Never found it in stock though.

Below is my watch/ fitness tracker collection: Suunto Ambit Peak 3, Garmin Fenix 3 HR and a FitBit Charge 3.

I wear the Garmin most often and the FitBit very rarely.

Suunto Ambit Peak 3

What you'll like:
- Has ABC, GPS/GLONASS, sport modes, step tracker
- Can be used as a torch at night
- Sturdy build and good battery life

What you won't:
- No inbuilt HR tracker
- Poor graphics/ no watch faces
- Can't scroll mobile alerts on the watch face

Garmin Fenix 3 HR

What you'll like:
- Looks, build and scratch resistant sapphire glass
- ABC, GPS/GLONASS, Sports modes, step & sleep tracker, in built HR tracker
- Graphics, watch faces, mobile connectivity support

What you won't:
- Heavy
- Altitude function showed negative readings during a mountain trek!
- Storm alert is incorrect many times

FitBit is with me as a result of my mother not taking a liking to the thought of wearing a tracker. I too wear it rarely.

I pinged Ethos in Bangalore since they are going around advertising that there is some major (upto 50% off etc) sale on their watches.

The person who responded to me offered me a lesser discount on the Omega (10% vs 15%) than was offered to me a month ago and said Rolex has so discounts. And not only that, he gave me the wrong quote for the DateJust.

He also claimed that "Discount are not applicable for omega, Longines, Rado and tissot and even in Tag Heuer"

Does any one have any contacts I can use in Bangalore to talk some sense into them? I interacted with a guy called Mohammed Fairoz.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridhu (Post 4794931)

The person who responded to me offered me a lesser discount on the Omega (10% vs 15%) than was offered to me a month ago and said Rolex has so discounts. And not only that, he gave me the wrong quote for the DateJust.

He also claimed that "Discount are not applicable for omega, Longines, Rado and tissot and even in Tag Heuer".

If you don't mind sharing, How much discount did they offer you on Omega last month? And was it on a particular model or the entire range in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tjax (Post 4795062)

If you don't mind sharing, How much discount did they offer you on Omega last month? And was it on a particular model or the entire range in general?

They offered 15%. I think it was for the entire range but I was talking about the Aqua Terra & the Moonwatch

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridhu (Post 4794931)

I pinged Ethos in Bangalore ..

Does any one have any contacts I can use in Bangalore to talk some sense into them? I interacted with a guy called Mohammed Fairoz.

Leave aside discounts, I don't even know the availability of Rolex sport models with them. Did they give you any visibility on what steel sports models are available at their store?

Quote:

Originally Posted by arindambasu13 (Post 4795204)

Leave aside discounts, I don't even know the availability of Rolex sport models with them. Did they give you any visibility on what steel sports models are available at their store?

One day before lockdown, they had OP 39 in black and DJ 36 in grape. They had a DJ 41 with yellow gold which I did not like.

Did not have the Omega moonwatch or FOIS nor did they have Grand Seikos. They claimed they had it in the UB City store and will get it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz (Post 4789457)

Just before lockdown I got the Karna.
Attachment 1994739

Correct me if I am wrong, Karna is similar looking to the white pilot watch?

thanks,
Arvind