[fatehbajwa]

Ladies & Gents...I present to you "THE HMT THREAD". I have been benifiting from this forum for quite a while and for some time also contributing information & pictures of HMT watches. Being form India and having easier access to HMT watches than most people here on WUS, I have often replied to new to HMT folks queries,doubts,questions,what should I buy type of questions. I have also been able to give info regarding parts availibilty.

One thing that comes up agaion and again in my mind is the lack of a common place for all this information to be pooled for the benifit of all present and future HMT afficiandos. All threads on HMT watches have a rider of one kind or the other......What HMT RUW, My HMT, My Collection, Photos, Which HMT should I buy, parts availibility, repairs etc . I realize that the chances of an independent HMT forum are impossible (at least in the forseeable future). To help solve this issue, I am starting this thread in the hope that eventually it will become a one stop pit stop kind of place for anything and everything related to HMT, maybe even a sticky someday. All my learned friends are requested to kindly contribute generously whatever information they think is relevant to anything and everything HMT. I also encourage everyone with queries,doubts,info needed etc about HMT to post them her, so it becomes a WiKi of HMT. I myself with try to cull whatever information I feel should be available here from other threads here(of course with the Thread owners permisssions).

I start this thread with pictures of a Pocket Skeleton HMT that I got for a friend here....

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[hari317]

I think your idea of an one stop online repository of HMT related information can be fulfilled only if you or someone else opens a website dedicated to HMT with properly organised and categorised contents. Re posting the information already available in several older threads in a one new thread will be a repetitive exercise, IMO. and the difficulty will still remain in wading through all the information posted in a linear thread format.

Anyway good luck with this endeavor. I am happy to see any HMT related content.

Hari

 

[fatehbajwa]

I think your idea of an one stop online repository of HMT related information can be fulfilled only if you or someone else opens a website dedicated to HMT with properly organised and categorised contents. Re posting the information already available in several older threads in a one new thread will be a repetitive exercise, IMO. and the difficulty will still remain in wading through all the information posted in a linear thread format.

Anyway good luck with this endeavor. I am happy to see any HMT related content.

Hari

IMHO and belief it sure is worth a shot as long as learned friends like you contribute, which I am sure you will.

 

[DPflaumer]

I'll start with a question for you.

What do you know about the HMT that looks rather a bit like the Rado Original? Oval case, sloping sides, etc...

 

[a salaam alaikum]

I recently got hooked on HMT, at it has been a quick slippery slope with me messaging fatehbajwa frequently for watch after watch.

I'm sure this has been asked and answered before but I haven't been able to find the answer (maybe I haven't looked hard enough). I've seen a photo of this watch a few times:

What is the story behind it? Is it fairly rare? I've been lusting after it for some time now.

 

[demag]

Well done Fateh let's hope we get some good info here. Just a quick question. How long have Hmt been making pocket watches, are there vintage ones available or is this a fairly new venture?

Drew in answer to your question, you might be referring to the Hmt Kanchan. Gold plated lozenge shaped case looking very similar to the Rado.

 

[Slow*Jim]

Does HMT use child laborers in their factories? Honest question.

 

[demag]

Jim from a purely personal point of view and I am only guessing here. Hmt is a huge corporation with ties to the Indian Government so I would have thought it is run within certain strict guidelines. But as I say I don't know the correct answer. Surely the same could be asked of Sea-Gull or Beijing.

 

[fatehbajwa]

Does HMT use child laborers in their factories? Honest question.

Jim,

I quote from Wikipedia and this time Wikipedia is on the button "HMT Limited, formerly Hindustan Machine Tools Limited, is a state-owned manufacturing company under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in India".

No Government organisation in India has any connection with child labour.

 

[fatehbajwa]

I'll start with a question for you.

What do you know about the HMT that looks rather a bit like the Rado Original? Oval case, sloping sides, etc...

What demag said, though now there are a couple of other models similar to that too. Will try to put up pictures soon.

Here you go.....

 

[hari317]

Does HMT use child laborers in their factories? Honest question.

No. HMT is a "Public Sector Undertaking" company also known as the quasi government organisations. The min age at which you can seek employment is 18 and you have to be atleast 12th class pass for even the class IV posts.

 

[rjasonf]

I like HMT watches, I like the history behind them and the looks of them. My problem is that the ones I've seen are just too small for my wrist. I had a Janata and recently gave it away because I never wore it. Are there any larger (40mm+) HMT watches available? Thanks for the info and for starting this thread.

 

[hari317]

My problem is that the ones I've seen are just too small for my wrist. I had a Janata and recently gave it away because I never wore it. Are there any larger (40mm+) HMT watches available? Thanks for the info and for starting this thread.

Nothing in handwound. But they do make large automatics. Have a look at the NASL, NASS and the Supreme series.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f71/my-hmt-watches-380228-11.html#post6152047

https://www.watchuseek.com/f71/my-hmt-watches-380228-11.html#post6154726

https://www.watchuseek.com/f71/new-hmt-nass-06-a-640549.html

 

[rjasonf]

Thanks so much

 

[DPflaumer]

This is one seriously beautiful watch.

View attachment 1035838

 

[hari317]

How long have Hmt been making pocket watches, are there vintage ones available or is this a fairly new venture?

The earliest catalog in my possession that dates from the late 80s shows the Pocket watch. You have a copy of it. I don't know when they started the manufacture however. BTW do items, which were begun to be made as late as 1962, qualify to be called vintage?

 

[gborzi]

Hi all,
just out of curiosity, what about the movement in the HMT hand wound with date complication (Ravi and Tareeq AFAIK)? On my Ravi I can read "India 1809-6" in the lower part of the dial. Is it the movement identifier, like in Janata/Pilot/etc.? Is it a Citizen movement built under license in India or is it imported straight from Japan?

 

[demag]

Hari I only used the term "vintage" loosely but in the watch world I would say that the 60's could be classed as vintage. After all we are talking 50 years of age. When you consider how intricate a watch movement is and how many knocks and bangs it receives in a lifetime to last even ten years is doing well but to last fifty years is surely an impressive achievement. I see one or two ten year old cars where I live. I don't see any fifteen year old cars except on very rare occasions and they are either falling apart or treasured gems. In my collection I have several 30 and 40 year old watches in nice condition I also own a few from the 50's and they are my treasured gems!

 

[fatehbajwa]

One of the largest online shopping sites eBay......they class Vintage as upto 1983....just a thought.

 

[hari317]

Hi all,
just out of curiosity, what about the movement in the HMT hand wound with date complication (Ravi and Tareeq AFAIK)? On my Ravi I can read "India 1809-6" in the lower part of the dial. Is it the movement identifier, like in Janata/Pilot/etc.? Is it a Citizen movement built under license in India or is it imported straight from Japan?

1809 is the movement identifier. Pls check this post for all details:

https://www.watchuseek.com/f71/my-hmt-watches-380228-6.html#post5832229

Hari I only used the term "vintage" loosely but in the watch world I would say that the 60's could be classed as vintage. After all we are talking 50 years of age. When you consider how intricate a watch movement is and how many knocks and bangs it receives in a lifetime to last even ten years is doing well but to last fifty years is surely an impressive achievement. I see one or two ten year old cars where I live. I don't see any fifteen year old cars except on very rare occasions and they are either falling apart or treasured gems. In my collection I have several 30 and 40 year old watches in nice condition I also own a few from the 50's and they are my treasured gems!

Thank you for replying.

One of the largest online shopping sites eBay......they class Vintage as upto 1983....just a thought.

Can you pls post the link to this, My search yielded no good results...