I spend a lot of my time pursuing very varied and abstract interests. Took up cigar smoking a couple of years ago, and sourcing good cigars has become a fulfilling passtime. Then I went the audiophile way with a pair of IEM's and a DAC and an apple music subscription for lossless streaming music. All in the name of doing things right, and doing the right things. At least those things that brought me pleasure.
This year I started obsessing over one particular mechanical hand-winding wrist watch manufactured nearly 3 decades earlier by HMT, a now defunct state-owned watch maker. The mere realisation that there was such a device named after my dearly departed friend and brother Sunil had me dreaming of getting my hands on it. The search began through several instagram handles, and subreddit's until I found good ole facebook to have a post with this watch by a Mr Das based in Kolkata. I wasted no time and reached out to the gentleman, who was kind enough to video call with me to display the watch, its functions and fit-for-purpose nature. He agreed to part with it for a meager sum and shipping costs which I readily transferred. The watch was delivered 4 days later and I was beaming all day in the office eager for the day to end and for me to get back home to Sunil. I remember unpacking the box and ripping apart all the tape to get the watch out.
As soon as I picked up the watch from the box, it was immediately apparent that the metal bracelet was several sizes too small for my wrist and not properly attached to the spring bar hole on one end. I carefully took the bracelet off, and proceeded to wind for the first time my HMT Sunil. 36 clockwise turns later the crown showed resistance and I knew the main spring was fully wound and would now gradually unwind to power the movement. The rhythmic ticking of the escapement mechanism was a sound that brought me untold joy! It was now time to observe the watch for 24 hours until the next morning at 8:30 am when it would be time for another winding and accuracy check. Come the next morning I was pleased to note there was no loss in accuracy and the watch showed 8:30 am as I leaned back to wind it once again revelling in the magnificent mechanical design in my hands!
I then set about trawling reddit for a Nato strap in the 16mm dimension. After falling through several rabbit holes I finally found khisa.in an Indian leather goods maker who made 16mm nato straps. I immediately ordered this excellent strap and in 2 days it was delivered. To my annoyance, at first it seemed to be too thick to fit the gap between the case and the spring bar hole and the spring bar would keep popping out instead of staying firmly in place. Cursing my misfortune, I wrote to khisa.in explaining how much I loved the strap and how sad I was that it just wouldnt fit. I sent this email at 11 am on Sunday morning. At 12 pm Mr. Sudip the proprietor of Khisa.in called me on the phone and inquired about the problem I was facing. As I did my best to explain what was happening, he immediately understood he is speaking with an amateur hobbyist with little to no idea of what he is doing, and immediately offered to come home at 5:30 pm and check it out himself! I was floored at this response from Sudip and couldnt believe how my luck had turned! That evening, a couple of friends also came over as meeting Sudip (who is a watch afficionado and connoisseur himself with upwards of 2000 watches in his collection) was too enticing to pass up on.
So the clock strikes 5:30 then 5:45 then finally Sudip walks into my place, a pleasant middle aged gentleman wearing a Seiko 5 automatic, true to form. He meets us and takes his place at my work table where the watch is laid out on a small microfiber cloth alongside his khisa.in strap and the included spring bar removal tool and two spring bars which he insists on sending along with his straps to encourage customers to install their straps themselves, and forming a better bond with their watches. He repeats, he is not a trader, he is a hobbyist and is constantly fighting the extinction of the species of vintage mechanical watch collectors. So he takes a good long look at my HMT, fits one spring bar, and while fitting the second one observes the obstruction in the hole in the case. He asks me to take it to a proper watchmaker, there are two near the house, to clear the obstruction and maybe also service the watch if required. I immediately agree and we spend the next 20 minute talking about watches, my father walks over with his Actus Seiko, a gift from my uncle for dad's wedding 50 years ago! And we swap stories about our hunts for watches and he gives us an insight into his world where he is dismayed with the number of fake and painted vintage watches in the market but is simultaneously happy that guys like me are getting interested in these mechanical wonders and getting into the hobby.
That was how my Sunday evening was spent! In the company of an excellent and distinguished gentleman, with the stories about great watches, great hunts for watches and great memories. These are the strange and abstract occasions which create great memories. For now, I will leave you with a few pictures of my HMT Sunil and the HMT Janata I just bought from Mr. Das.
HMT Sunil
Khisa strap:
HMT Janata
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