Lawrence Watch Co

Lawrence watch Co

While on the way to RINA offices I was chatting away with Mishra and Bob in the car and suddenly Mishras attention turned to Bob's wrist watch. It was an Indian HMT Bhavan Janata clock. A very simple watch that shows the time but according to my friends a very accurate timepiece. 

Bob explained that he had repaired his old Rolex but it did not have more spare parts manufactured in Switzerland so the watch smith had recommended to keep the watch nicely in the drawer. So then Bob was forced to find himself a new watch and he had gone to this shop at the Fort. He had quickly spotted the Indian watch. It is also not spoiled with price, 550Rs for one with a leather strap. Bob said that a metal strap would have cost more than the watch itself. 

I asked for the address and on the way back and Bob actually pointed it out for me near the VT station. The next day I was out provisioning with Richard at Crawford Market so I decided to visit the watch shop. 

I walked along the road opposite the Victoria train station to Empire building and found the Lawrence Watch Co shop, a small standard shop you find all over Asia. It was small but packed with watches as one usually sees. I greeted the staff and asked for the Indian wind up watches and was showed to a variety of HMT watches. 

The Sona and Janata models

Without not too much hesitation I chose a Janata and Sona model for purchasing. The Janata was 550Rs and the Sona 1200Rs. The Sona is a bit snazzier as it is gold plated with a metal strap but basically same machinery as the Janata model. As both models are wind up watches it means they will work without batteries and even after an electro magnetic pulse (as might occur in an atomic explosion). 

The famous Victoria station with its Gothic trimmings

As the staff was filling up guarantee cards and writing out the invoice I chatted with the shopkeeper about his services. The shop had been founded in 1942 and they serviced and repaired all kind of clocks, even ship chronometers. Always nice to come across professional people. A shop I can recommend.