HMT Jawan

HMT Times (Jawan forever and ever)

Watches that have a military connect has always fascinated me.  Few years back I was working on a research project where I got to see a HMT Pilot with a certain person (would not like to take his name). I enquired the person about the watch he was wearing (I knew it was a Pilot) and came to know that it was given to him by his father who was working for HMT Bulbs and Tubes division that existed some time back (now closed) and also educated me on the existence of the watch which I consider to be a distant cousin brother of Pilot it was called HMT Jawan. He also showed me the pictures of the Jawan that he owned. I did some research myself and was startled by the looks of the watch especially the dial. Thus made a resolve to some how get this watch. This watch also made such an impact on mind that is very hand to explain. The HMT Jawan went on to become the best watch in my inventory. 

HMT Jawan (First Edition Manufactured in Bangalore) - photo courtesy mazzsgp

From my study on the HMT Jawan I came to know that the first edition Jawan was manufactured in HMT WFT 01/02 (Bangalore - Jalahalli Factory). Initially it had luminous sword hands and later shifted to boat hands. Used a HMT 0231 movement which is considered the time proven workhorse from HMT stable in 17J movement category. The initial edition used a screw type case back but later shifted to a press fit one in late 90s and early 2000s. Existence of 020 citizen movement or other variants are still not confirmed for this watch. I had also seen few Jawan dials (pics) with a broad arrow which also mentioned Jawan. The case back had an etching that stated that these were used by the defence and part of military inventory. I had some few friends in the defence who categorically rejected this theory and also told me few things:

1. Watches were never issued to Indian army from the inventory.
2. None other than Indian military are authorized to used the broad arrow.
3. Even if the watches were issued then if  these has to given then it has to   decommissioned meaning the military etched inventory numbers need to be removed which was not the case.
4. HMT watches were sold in defence canteens and also some were certified by a certifying agency (and these were same as other normal watches except for some testing conducted for shock proof and quality control).

 With this knowledge I started my search for the HMT Jawan. Those days the social media was still booming and concept of HMT Brotherhood and HMT Watch Collectors were still not conceptualized and I was all alone in the hunt not knowing were to start. My first few watches were easy as my source was a local shop but now the owner of the shop had told me that he cannot help me anymore with respect to HMTs. Finally my instincts told me to search in central Bangalore. One evening I was back from work early and immediately went in search of HMTs. There is no place in central Bangalore that I have not gone for this watch. All along, the market was filled with Janata art decos, Janata inserted indices, SONAs, Avinash and Kohinoors and I was not interested in any of those. My research guide always used to emphasize on focused approach to solve a problem thus my focus was just Jawan Jawan and only Jawan. That day I was very sad and drew a blank. In a few days frustration crept in and thought of giving up the Jawan hunt also was doing rounds in my mind. I later became busy with my official work and Jawan went into the stack memory of my mind for a fortnight. Few days later I met my friend who was also my senior at masters. We had a casual talk and sometime during the talk he mentioned Mumbai. I don't know why but my instincts asked me to tell him about HMT Jawan. I told him about my HMT story and my friend also later said he was going to Mumbai on some official visit. I requested him whether he (a Kannada speaking person from Mumbai settled in Bangalore - interesting right) can ask search or ask someone in Mumbai to find a HMT Jawan. He simply did not give me any hope and also discouraged me saying you are collecting junk. I simply lost hope and in the mean time accumulated other HMT models but the Jawan was always pricking my conscience and had become a mental torture (even though my conscience was saying no but I was willing to pay a premium. I did not find one I think destiny had something else in store). I waited for 2 to 3 months with a hope of finding a Jawan  on my own and if I get it from my friend it would bonus. One fine morning I got a call from the same friend of mine saying he had picked up a Jawan for me. This was the happiest day the wait and frustration that I went through was immense though it was worth it. I immediately applied leave to pick up the watch. I inspected the case back and came to know it was now Ranibhag (WFT-05) made watch produced in 2005 the watch came with proper bill and warranty. That night I could not sleep and kept my most cherished watch beside my pillow looking at it the whole night (I even got hear a word or two from my grandmother saying what is so special about the watch to which I promptly told my story like a kid to which she started laughing and also encouraged me further). This find ended the mental torture that I had underwent to get the most cherished watch in my inventory. But I was wrong I became mesmerized something more beautiful Jawan full lume.

One of my professor always says you need to have patience, perseverance and persistence to reach any goal this became the mantra for future watch hunting endeavors.

HMT Jawan on the day of unboxing

My HMT Jawan wrist shot (my personal favorite and cherished )

Dedicated to the great nation Bharat. A vedic national anthem

आ ब्रह्मन् ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मवर्चसी जायतामा राष्ट्रे राजन्यः
शूर इषवयोऽअतिव्याधी महारथो जायतां दोग्ध्री धेनुर्वाढानड्वानाशुः
सप्तिः पुरन्धिर्योषा जिष्णू रथेष्ठाः सभेयो युवास्य यजमानस्य वीरो जायतां निकामे निकामे नः
पर्जन्यो वर्षतु फलवत्यो न आषधयः पच्यन्तां योगक्षेमो नः कल्पताम् ॥