The HMT Janata, India's Workhorse Wristwatch

A review of an ubiquitous mechanical watch from India and it's connection to one of Japan's greatest watchmakers.

[@ShreeleshKumar]

Good news. HMT is still in service and owing to the peak in interest from the news of its (then) impending shutdown, they are now not only producing watches but also coming out with newer models, albeit all are in limited quantity. One doesn't have to depend on Franken watches anymore. You can buy from their own website as and when models become available. Not sure how the shipping would work outside India though.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

That’s not good news; that’s great news. Thanks for sharing!

[@chungamunga9898]

this is fake news

[@iana6713]

Fairly recently I picked up an HMT Jawan over here in the UK. Nice, simple, robust little watch and I must admit I'm thinking about a Janata - like you said, the people's watch. I may be wrong, but I think the word "Janata" actually means "the people" in Hindi. Happy to be corrected on that!

[@dausk6381]

You're right Janata mean Public or People

[@जयहिन्द-ढ9फ]

Thanks - very nice review and you found an interesting piece with the Indian numerals. Janata is pronounced "jun-taah" - it means "the People". The script Devanagiri is pronounced "Dave-Naa-gee-ree". The amount of research you put in your review was amazing!

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Thank you for the clarifications and for the positive feedback!

[@DipanjanPaul]

You can still get new HMT watches from their website, but only in India. I have recently bought from their website one hmt stellar 2 automatic non hacking day date 40mm watch which is made/assembled in 2022.

[@Amp1771]

I like their identity cause back when they started their company, it's like their thoughts and work-around on what and how they believe a watch was made and meant to look like without much knowledge on them. I love it!

[@vidyashankaremani5138]

Visit their website ... You can find their models and variants. They still sell watches at their factories in Bangalore, hyderabad and other cities in nothern India. They also sell them online.

[@raunaqsapra7160]

HMT did come out with a dial that you have. The indices are in "Hindi" from the "Devanagari" script. So this watch was known as the Janata Devanagari. It came only with a white dial variant with black indices and a complete steel handset. They do have a different colors that are currently being sold on their website, but the surely lack the quality. Yours however is a repainted dial, but yes the case and the caseback seem to be assembled from spares. I beleive the movement in it would also be original as they are available in the market for 10-12 US dollars. Enjoy your HMT, they surely have their own charm :)

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Thank you!

[@ajitw9757]

Janata ( Hindi language word) = People. It was a budget watch. The number are in Dev-Na-ga-ree script. The strap is not original. The original HMT strap will have HMT logo on the buckle. Your watch probably have various parts from old HMT watches. The movement (0231) used in the watch is based on Citizen 020. My father's HMT Ajeet watch is smoothly working for past 43 years. It will still work for next 25 years said one watch repairer. Please don't make any negative judgement about HMT watches based on one refurbished HMT watch. The name of the watch is mostly written below the HMT logo. HMT watch was government of India's company. Due to mismanagement and taking bribe from rival watch companies ended the HMT watch brand...

[@ronal6300]

Hmt is now again in production you can get one from their official website and even you can get one from Bangalore's jallahali abc hmt divison

[@mostlysunny4u]

Thank you for covering this. I have seen people using it for more than 40 years consistently. I have several HMT watches and the accuracy is impeccable. I know a relative who owns close to 50 HMTs 🙂 btw, the watch you have looks legit and there is a model that's out with the Devanagari script numbers on it. Good colour choice.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Thanks! I sold this one but now I want to get another. I hear HMT is selling watches again?

[@affordablewatchcollector5479]

Citizen helped the Indian Govt to setup hmt watch factories and designed the hmt020 mechanical movement for the earlier hmt watches including the Janata, it's basically a cheaper version of the citizen homer movement.

[@SHAARINGUN]

Hmt 0231 movement collaboration with citizen. HMT started making and selling watches again via thier official website. All the authentic hmt watches are shipped from banglore jalhalli factory specifically.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Good to know. I’ll check it out. Thank you!

[@DipanjanPaul]

You can still get new htm watches from their website, but only in India. I have recently bought from their website one hmt stellar 2 automatic non hacking day date 40mm watch which is made/assembled in 2022.

[@hammadnasim4518]

Many of the HMT watches have different movements as opposed to 020 found in many. There are many very beautiful versions of the watch available.

[@paddy4173]

Do you still own this watch after years?How is it working now?

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Unfortunately, I sold it. Wish I hadn’t.

[@videogamesare1]

Super informative, thanks for the review and spotlight.

[@vegtsunami]

Hmt is operating again, selling on their website,i purchased an automatic

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

I might need to get another.

[@StrongZeroPowerHour]

simplicity is beauty! what a nice little watch.

[@lucafwn]

Now I want one. Too bad HMT stopped making watches, but maybe the competition from China was too strong - at about the same price, you can get very fine items from AliExpress, so maybe a manual, angle-grinder finished watch was no longer so desirable for Indians.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

I think that assessment is exactly right. I’d like to get one of the Seiko-derived Allwyn watches now but they don’t seem to have been produced in nearly as large numbers as HMT and are, consequently, even harder to find a nice example of.

[@akashterra]

Hi there....HMT still sells watches from their official website across India. If you have few contacts/ friends in India they can buy and courier the same :)

[@omprasadmahapatra4793]

@@SuburbanPathfinder try looking out for the hmt Pilot watch series or the Jawan series. Hmt itself was setup in the 60s by the Indian govt with the express purpose of putting a watch on everyone's wrist. Problem was, post Indian independence from the Brits a lot of the manufacturing had to be restarted and not many had that amount of capital. So the govt started everything from watch manufacturing to steel industries. The purpose was to give a base and then let the pvt sector take over. Now if u go on hmt's website, they have expressly said that they do not sell it anywhere else. Just authorised stores and factory outlets.

[@omprasadmahapatra4793]

@@SuburbanPathfinder there's also an hmt watch collectors' group on facebook where they keep updating about new variants on sale or they trade hmts from their own collection. If u ever wanna feature them again.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

@@omprasadmahapatra4793 thanks for all the info!

[@pramodpatil6041]

Htm is Indian history part tq for review

[@karthikeyan.k5037]

hi sir i had so much search of this watch where did u get this at which site? and im from India please I definitely need to collet this watch sir tku😊

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

I got mine from eBay.

[@aranyakm]

HMT is back in business. New watches can be picked up at Amazon and HMT's official website.

[@blackpig52]

I've got one of these,probably a franken watch but I love it anyway

[@jayadevan5509]

This watch shall not be an original HMT time piece. Janata watches used to have back panels of screw type. This has pressing back lid. Obviously a duplicate assembled by someone in India, but looks good.

[@gantasattiraju6532]

❤

[@UsernameInvalidTHIS]

Snapback case, I assume? It's interesting how most big manufacturing countries (China, India, the US, the ex-USSR, GDR, etc.) used to make their own local wristwatches. Now post-quartz I guess people wherever they are simply buy a Casio. Bit sad but I guess it is what it is.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Yes. It's a snapback. That's one disadvantage of the HMT versus Seiko 5, Shanghai, Vostok, etc.

[@UsernameInvalidTHIS]

@@SuburbanPathfinder True. Although I kinda like it with quartz watches where you might want to open them to change a battery without tools (those Swatch coin screw things are good too). Water resistance is kind of overrated in everyday life really.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Some snapbacks are a pain though. I’m driving up to see my watchmaker this morning to get the battery changed in the Seamaster Polaris. I usually do my own battery changes but this one is impossible for me to open. I guess Omega did that to force owners back to the Omega Boutique every two years?

[@AvAcLives]

Hey can i know the seller details ? Do you have it

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

@@AvAcLives this is who I bought it from: www.ebay.com/usr/maksi-times

[@nileshbhatiaa4325]

Lot of comments are incorrect, wish some more research was put in there.

[@anubhavroy2309]

They are back in production. I just bought a HMT Pilot from their online portal. Disclaimer: absolutely hideous website, can be mistaken as something made by Communists. I would recommend the pilot and new stellar.

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Thanks for the update! I’ll check it out.

[@devarshichoudhury9304]

I have one. I have the HMT janata art deco model. Nice watch.

[@justonemovement]

Hey SP....Request you to get your facts checked about HMT and India.....HMT is still Producing excellent and accurate watches under their Auxillary Business Division....They even have two stores open for Public at Bangalore..India....also the Janta that you are holding is an original Devnagri and not a Franken....Devnagri is the script used in the national language of India....Hindi....and does not belong to any religion(Hindu as mentioned by you). The movement is 0231....and HMT started its operation in 1964...Finally India has largely moved on from its socialistic approach to business to a more capitalistic model in all businesses...In fact the motto of the present government is "Government has no business to be in business"

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Yes. My use of “Hindu” instead of “Hindi” was a regrettable slip of the tongue. Thanks for the clarification!

[@DipanjanPaul]

Janata itself means mass.

[@aarounge]

They r still producing watches and i have the original

[@sharathramachandran]

Sir, can I get a link to the Shanghai watch?

[@SuburbanPathfinder]

Sure. I bought mine here: www.good-stuffs.com/SHANGHAI_c_13.html

[@Anirudh.Kachwaya]

Bhai ye watch mujhe chahiye kaise mil sakti hai

[@Watchcult]

There are many sellers i ordered one yesterday

[@pravinvinbros]

There are lot more watches from HMT

[@dileeppmenon189]

You can buy remaining stock from their website www.hmtwatches.in/

[@santoshchoubey7193]

This is original

[@Sumit-fv6mp]

HMT official website- hmtwatches.in Bought one Pilot watch last week.

[@MrPleers]

That dial looks so weird. 3 at 3 o'clock. (Nothing strange there). But a 4 at 5 O'clock. And the 9 at 9 o'clock in in mirror image. And some number looking like 2, 20, and 22.(I know they are not Arabic numbers. But still.)

[@akashterra]

It’s in Devanagari script ... of which languages like Hindi are based of. The numbers there hence bear no resemblance to Arabic numerals whatsoever ...

[@ankitmaurya9820]

That's not a 4. It's how a '5' is written in Hindi numerals. Google it, you would know what I am talking about. 😂😂

[@indianangel6774]

The modern Arabic numbers were derived from this style

[@omprasadmahapatra4793]

The Janata is literally a workman's watch. So you can find the dial of an hmt Janata written in any of the scripts of the major Indian languages. Currently their website has the hmt Janata with a Devanagari script dial as well as one with a Kannadda script dial.

[@xoy1913]

Original is always better than the copy

[@prasadprasad9173]

This dial is fake ....

[@rumatadestora]

This is certainly weird. I wouldn't want that in my collection hahaha