Meet IST 1947, the Indian watch brand turning culture into timepieces
IST 1947 is a new Indian watch brand founded by Karan Vaidya that aims to reflect Indian cultural experiences rather than Western themes like diving or aviation. The brand draws its name from the date of Indian independence to emphasize a unique, localized perspective on time.
Why it matters
It represents a shift in the luxury goods market toward cultural localization and identity-driven branding in emerging economies.
For Mumbai-based Karan Vaidya, the problem with most watches is not that they fail to tell time, but that they rarely have much to say about the people wearing them.
After a decade in the luxury watch business, Karan had become increasingly aware of how much of modern watchmaking is built around stories of diving, sailing, aviation, motorsport and exploration. These are compelling histories, but they do not necessarily reflect the experiences of the majority of Indian watch buyers. “No watches really tell Indian stories,” he says. “We wear sports watches that celebrate games that none of us grew up playing — diving, sailing, flying, which is available to 1% of 1% of India.”
Rain check from Arka | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
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