“I hope HMT Watches is revived,” says Prashant Pandey, who owns 500 HMT watches.
“I remember my grandfather wearing an HMT Quartz that his company gifted him. And, now my daughter Shubhangi is equally exited about HMT watches,” Pandey says, while adding that his craze for the brand began with his purchase of the first HMT watch — a Janata with numerals in Hindi — a few years ago and started studying them. Once the word spread that he had started a collection, his friends, relatives and well-wishers also passed on a few to him. “Most watches have nostalgia attached to them. I don’t know the value of the watches I own. I can only say that the emotional value cannot be quantified,” said Mr. Pandey, who is part of HMT Watch Collectors’ Group that has over 370 members.
The collectors’ group was founded in August last year. “When I founded the group, I did not think so many people would join. The watch enthusiasts meet regularly, at least once a quarter,” he adds.
Expressing hope that HMT Watches will be revived, he says it can be done if a good business plan is in place. According to him, stores in the Tier 2 cities could be shut down, while more number of watches could be sold online and at a premium to foreigners at select showrooms in the metropolitan cities.
