In the year 1967, the first Kapoor Watch Co. store was established in the upcoming tony neighbourhood of South Extension, New Delhi. The 50s was an era when the first generation of post-independence Delhiites was just beginning their tryst with conspicuous consumption. An era of consumerism was finding its feet and a watch was one of the first tools that many aspired to. A service centre to cater to the care of such a device was the logical extension and Kapoor Watch Co. was setup up with precisely that premise in mind. The timing was early, but poised perfect.
Generations of the Kapoor clan have, since then, been dedicated to the fine art of watches – from repairs to retail, each vertical has been painstakingly built over time. One never just buys a watch, it is an investment into what grows into a very personal relationship between a person and their wristpiece. At the same time then, where one buys the watch from is an equally important association, equally important as the watch one chooses, if not more. Like with jewellery buying, this transaction too involves a lot of trust and faith, so the relationship blossoms and blooms with time.
The tiny service centre which was started in 1967 soon grew beyond its ambitions and ventured into sales in 1975. Thereafter, the entire setup – service and retail – found a new home, just across the road, at the current location, where it has stood since then. The new outlet housed many top brands and allowed for more people to visit and engage at leisure.
Approaching the Flagship
As one parks and alights from their vehicle, one is greeted by an expanse of an edifice. The design elements are all there, two entrances flanked by very clearly defined showcase windows that tower high. The left side greets the eye with the classic recessed bay window layout with Rolex watches while the other side showcases a few brands with their individual identities in tact.
The doors feature the iconic and now very nostalgic door handles which are specially fashioned in brass to give us a tactile experience of the “KWC” logo. It feels reassuringly solid – durable and reliable – in the hand, a great yet subtle way to remind us of Kapoor Watch Co.’s underlying philosophy.
The Left Side
Walk through and one is greeted by Cartier on the left and Bulgari on the right, each display dressed up in their house colours and elaborate livery. The next thing one notices is a small waiting lounge to accommodate people if they need to wait, or just wish to have a moment to themselves. Right across them is a spiral staircase, something that is reminiscent of the very first Kapoor Watch Co. store. A winding staircase has many elements in common with an hourglass, cascading down and up, while going nowhere, a lovely poterie allusion to the passage of time. Even when one stands still.
A small passageway tucked away right next to it allows one to shuttle between the two sides of the store.
Beyond this area lies a space reserved for Rolex, an elongated island-shaped display centrepiece with the counter brandishing the iconic fluted pattern, a very recognisable visual identity defining the central space. This is flanked by more wall displays with the iconic wave pattern Rolex backwall serving as a backdrop to punctuate the entire space. The area is symmetrical and on both sides, just behind the emerald green wave wall, there are cosy lounges, bedecked with plush sofas and coffee tables, to allow clients to interact with the exquisite pieces in peace and in complete privacy.
The Right Side
If we retrace our steps and enter to the right this time, we are first greeted by a little expanse of a space, an urban meadow done up in warm hugs of beige stone punctuated with smoked walnut columns and frames, with a lovely foliage scene depicted in-between. The diamond-pattern checkered stone layout which carpets the foyer is another recurring element of Kapoor Watch Co.stores, one that instills a sense of familiarity and a grand welcome.
A stately grandfather clock keeps time a few flights up to the right, a timed pause on yet another flowing staircase leading to the mezzanine. A chandelier highlights the stairwell as one stands beneath it, evoking, once again, elements of a sandglass.
Back on the ground floor, as one lets the eye wander further down the store, one sees the multiple soft store setups from some of the most sought after names in the mechanical watch industry. All are neatly lined up on two sides, proudly displaying their brand identities, framed within the Kapoor Watch Co. accents.
The Mezzanine
Either flight of stairs will take us to the upper floor which, as some may find curious, is not a space that sells watches. Instead, think of it as an ode to time itself. Two tall library units welcome those who make their way up from the right side. Beyond the landing area the flooring changes to an intricate herringbone pattern, upon which are set many gilded display cases. These line the walls on two sides with a large display LED on the head wall. The area is an exhibition-first space, cosy yet comprehensive. The massive windows which form the facade of the entire structure let natural light flood the space while also providing a view of the bustling road outside. It almost felt like standing inside an installation, one which is an intended diametrically opposed juxtaposition – as one is standing inside this calm haven where time seems to stand still but also gazing outwards into the bustling world just beyond the glass, as it rushes past outside.
Walk through an elegant archway and one finds themselves on the other side of the mezzanine. This is lined with an undulating sectional sofa that sits along 2 sides and faces the third side which is composed of a flowing bar counter. The walls highlight art with one theme – timekeeping – with ancient timekeeping instruments, vintage adverts, Kapoor Watch Co. archival historic pieces. This area is also event-led but it is also a lounge space for clients to comfortably relax and take in time, on their own time.
Another chandelier adds an artistic element which embellishes the spiral stairwell. Another elaborate wall marks the backdrop here, adding some texture encore. Making our way down would lead us into the first space we had visited upon arrival.
The Service Centre
A floor above this entire unit is a floor dedicated to watch repair. A trained team of highly skilled technicians occupy the space and the space is divided into several labs for watch servicing specifics depending on the brand, the model and the repair requirement. The entire layout, in spite of being extremely sterile and functional in nature, still manages to exude a certain warmth and it is palpably noticeable right through the front doors. A professionally-run service centre in the heart of a city and possibly the only one sharing a location with the brand retail spaces is definitely a worthy USP.
The Soft Touches
The new Kappor Watch Co. flagship is decidedly build to help people choose watches better. A visitor here will be catered to with not just a plethora of top brands being explained by some very able and trained sales staff but will also be afforded a space to interact, explore and experience the watches at leisure. And then this space, with its lounges and one-stop repair facilities, ups the ante and converts a touch-and-go transactional exchange into something which can bloom into a fostered, long-lasting, generational relationship.
In an era when everything seems poised to win on efficiency and speed, the Kapoor Watch Co. store is a noble cry for a time forgotten, not merely for its optic value or a vain attempt to be seen as swimming against the tide.
The values which govern the legacy business are rooted in tradition and timelessness, essences which resonate through the store and remain unchanged over time. They aren’t here changing anything about how they conduct their business; this is merely a call to adapt and keep in step with the times. Because time never stops, coming to the reimagined flagship is the closest thing to allowing one to believe that maybe, just maybe we can slow it down.
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