When it opened shop in 1952, Kismet started off as a retailer for the then coveted HMT Watches. Later, under the second-generation owner, Pankaj Parekh, Kismet went on to become an authorised service centre for luxury brands like Seiko, Longines, Rado, and Tag Huer (this continues till date). But ten years ago, when a customer walked in with a cuckoo clock, Kismet’s kismet turned. Intrigued, Parekh took on the new challenge and enjoyed repairing the clock so much that, today, Kismet Watch Company is the sole authorised service centre for Black Forest (where it first developed) Cuckoo Clocks in India.
You can expect the real deal at Kismet. Their clocks come certified by the Black Forest Clock Association and are sourced from the region. A visit to the compact store in Majestic (right next to the Upparapet Police Station), will surely charm the socks off you. All across the walls, you’ll spot clocks in all sizes — some of them as big as your palm while others can be spotted from a mile away. And on one corner there are the traditional clocks featuring hand-carved motifs like leaves, grapes, and birds.
But if you like a touch of the quaint, check out the chalet-style clocks that recreate scenes from rural life in Germany and come dotted with miniature figurines. In one clock, you’ll spot a strapping young man enjoying a glass of beer while in another a man plays the accordion while a dog obediently sits nearby. Then there’s another one where the woodcutter works while a water wheel gently spins close by. Of course, the charm quotient goes through the roof when the clock strikes and the miniatures break into a jig or the aforementioned young lad takes a sip of his frothy beer. You can also pick between mechanical (where you will have to tug at the weights from time to time for the clock to work) and the quartz versions that run on battery.