Project भारत:

Project भारत: 

 (From Inception to Execution)

(Time Keepers of Bharat)

It's been quite sometime having been posted on various HMT watches. There has been many such posts that are pipeline but did not publish and the list has increased now. 

For past year and a half I have tried to consolidate my collection and also stopped buying from HMT website itself. The reason being the quality of the product being substandard (my personal opinion only). I even think; no thought process went in during the design phase of the dials. Price of these watches has also been jacked up to an extent that buying these watches would mean a big crater in one's pocket.

Meanwhile, I have been introduced to this group named TKB (Time Keepers of Bharat) which essentially is an ensemble of like minded people from Karnataka. There was an idea running in my mind to do a project watch just to up the curiosity of the group members. The answer was an yes from the group which laid the foundation to the concept 'भारत:'.

To go ahead with the project we required a team for the inputs and someone had to take care of logistics. The first step was to put together a team which also included the admins TKB. The ball started to roll once this team was set.

The first major decisions that were taken were to keep the concept simple, try to keep the cost as minimal as possible (people are going to curse me for this!) and also try to improvise the design of a known concept of HMT Pilot. The reason of selecting the Pilot was to bask in the glory of the legendary HMT Pilot and also do a slightly better job on the dial design. These decisions resulted in selecting the dial, case and hands. It also necessary to say once the watch was decided to be cost effective the movement was automatically selected as a HMT 0231.

After this a the TKB group was given a logo and it was decided to use the logo for the same concept.

Logo of TKB Group

The attempt was now to make a Pilot type watch for which the case was a domed case similar to that of Janata and hands that suited the same. Since the domed case is used the dial is a pie-pan dial of 29-30 mm size (Typically HMT Janata size). Some brain storming sessions happened over all communication means which led to some discussions and constructive arguments related the design and selection of spares for the concept watch. The end of the brainstorming session led to one decision, that was to develop a concept watch and not a group watch. The concept would meant to have all the desirable qualities of the project except there will be critical review by the team later on whether to continue or not. It meant the prototype watch was in the making first.

To start with the design the restrictions that we were facing were simple design and only printed dials. Various design features were suggested including Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, Devanagari, quazi Devanagari  etc... Finally it was decided to use Arabic numerals due to the reason that applying hand lume would be easy and look modest when compared to other designs.

The design was explained using a simple sketch by one of the team members.

Sample Sketch 😀

This was followed by making a sample design on CAD this would essentially be given to make a die for pad printing the dials. The name was selected to be 'भारत: - १ ' signifying one Bharat (Akhand Bharat). Once the drawing was made it was announced that the prototype watch would be released for scrutiny on 1st November 2018 (Karnataka Rajyotsava). There was another big release on that day too which was the ಕನ್ನಡ ಜನತಾ. Coming back to the developments the next was the selection of hands it was suggested to use sword hands or dauphine hands. It was a very simple selection since it was based on Pilot Arabic it was now clear it would be dauphine lumed hands (Pilot hands). 
Some of the hands inspected for the prototype

Hands in Consideration

Selected Lumed Dauphine Hands (aka Pilot Hands)

Center Second Hands Inspection

Then came the decision of the case, with two options in front of us whether to use a exhibition case back or traditional thread/push type case. The TBC craze going on at that movement resulted in picking the exhibition case back. It was also decided to etch the case back too with TKB logo. A new process of UV baking was used to bake the case back with colored logo.

UV Baked Exhibition Case Back

A the same time the dial also came into being and was shipped to us. Immediately the prototype assembled. 

Developed Dial

First Assembled Prototype

Lume Tested

The prototype developed was given to all team members and asked for their opinion on the prototype and also further released on ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ and asked for the members to scrutinize the prototype. It was on the day of the launch of prototype we knew we have done a good job in making a prototype and the response was the indication.

Since this was the prototype watch suggestion that were given were incorporated to make the final version even better. One being let the name be just भारतः and increase the font size of the numerals. This would improve the aesthetics of the concept  भारतः. The team went back to the drawing board and started to redo the design of the dial. We also limited the numbers to 75 (would eventually be seen on the dial).

Final भारतः Dials

We tried to customize the case too this time by manufacturing the case ourselves and tried to etch the case back.

Press Back Case Manufactured

 An attempt was made to perfect the etch on a sheet then have a offset made then tried to etch the case back.

Logo Test Etching on SS Sheet

 

Case Back Etching

Custom knurled crown was used for the watch.

Knurled Crown (In the same lines of ADSL series)

Now dials were selected such that it fits the case and the 0231 movement and we went dial shopping for the same.

Dials for भारतः

The amalgamation of all these resulted in a development of concept भारतः which was liked by many and appreciated by all.

Concept भारतः

भारतः  Lume Test

This watch was given on the next TKB meet to the members who had booked earlier and they had to wait patiently for a period of 4-5 months for the same. We also presented the भारतः to one of the ex-TITAN employees Mr. P.S. Bhat (person involved in making the thinnest TITAN edge movement) who graced the TKB meet.

Mr. Pathy RVC presenting भारतः to Mr. P.S. Bhat

Finally the watch reached other enthusiasts.

Picture Courtesy Mr. Rajesh Bafna

This ended our concept watch for the TKB group and credits goes to the members of TKB. Special thanks to भारतः team.

This project for TKB also ended up in more people asking for the भारतः 😃😃

Something for this great nation Bharat.

उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।

वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।

"The country (varṣam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bhāratam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."

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 ॥