A shop as old as P. Orr & Sons would naturally have its share of loyal customers. It comes as no surprise that quite a few of them have returned repeatedly to buy watches for their loved ones, family and even employees.
S. Gopalakrishnan, an advocate living in Adyar, first visited the shop with his father in 1980. “He bought me a watch because I had scored 80 per cent in Class X. Then in 1995, for my wedding, I bought another watch from here. I still use that watch,” he said. “Even now I buy watches for friends from P. Orr & Sons.”
For others it is the familiarity that they have established with the service personnel that brings them back.
R. Venkatachari, 47, is a third generation customer at the shop. His 93-year-old grandfather, also known as Venkatachari, has fond memories of the shop. Said the 47-year-old's father, V.R. Chari: “My father would often describe to us his first visit to the shop. When he finished his secondary grade teacher training, he came to Madras. He was staying at his uncle's home. His uncle took him to P. Orr & Sons and bought him a watch. I am 67 now and I always bought my watches from there.”
Anil Pandey, a neurosurgeon, first stepped into the shop with his father as an eight-year-old. His father bought a Favre Leuba during a visit to London and when it developed a problem, he took it to P. Orr & Sons.
“My father was an automobile engineer and was very particular that it should be repaired properly. Over the years it became difficult to find parking space, but I still come to the shop,” he said. “Buildings such as these should be preserved.”
