Solid Mechanical Watches . Review on HMT Watches

I cannot comment on the HMT Quartz watches since I have never owned them. But my first watch - an HMT Ajeet - mechanical with no day/date - purchased probably 20 or more yrs back, worked flawlessly till I graduated to a ''hippier'' casio watch after 8 yrs. That Casio rotted off in a mere 5 yrs in Indian humidity. While in grad school, I went back to India and got that old watch of mine back. I wear it occasionally. It still ticks along w/o missing a beat and is very accurate for a mechanical. Never been serviced or oiled. The face is a bit scratched up, the hefty stainless steel band is the original one. Its taken many a knocks while I was a kid and playing soccer - but it goes on and on. I wonder how many battery changes a quartz gizmo would have needed by now. I am surprised that the oil in the mechanism hasn't gummed up by now.

Then about 8 yrs back - on a trip to India and just for kicks (and fact that affordability was not a problem any more ) got myself an HMT automatic - - white dial and everything else is stainless. Its looks quite nice actually finish was good - and the band too was definitely good looking. I don't know why another reviewer found HMT watches to be poorly finished. This one too is surprisingly accurate and I find nothing to complain about it - except that the face of the watch is hard plastic instead of being made of tough glass. I wore this watch continuously for a year - and occasionally thereafter. Even co-workers in the US have been curious and had good comments about this watch. Some were very surprised to learn about a ''mechanical automatic''. I have quite a few watches - far pricier and feature laden - but I seem to like these mechanical HMT's the most.

If HMT is not doing as well, its partly because of Indian peoples fascination with goods that are ''foreign'' and the fact that HMT - being a government run concern - has exceptionally poor and pathetic marketing arrangements. If you want value, these watches are still pretty good. I might get myself a ''Sona'' model now - if I can still find em. Heck - why not?