Jaipur Watch Company, ISRO Ink MoU, To Launch 'Missions Of ISRO' Watches

Jaipur Watch Company (JWC), an 11-year-old luxury Indian watch brand, has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The agreement marks a significant collaboration to create a series of watches celebrating ISRO’s space exploration milestones.

Source : ISRO/X

Jaipur Watch Company (JWC), an 11-year-old luxury Indian watch brand, has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the media has reported. The agreement marks a significant collaboration to create a series of watches celebrating ISRO’s space exploration milestones, including the Chandrayaan mission that successfully landed and operated a rover on the moon, says a report by MoneyControl.

JWC founder, Gaurav Mehta was quoted by MoneyControl as saying, “ISRO has provided us with satellite imagery and other design elements that we can incorporate into our watches. Once the designs are complete, they will be reviewed and approved by ISRO before we move into production.” The upcoming collection is expected to draw inspiration from the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which recently achieved global recognition. The watches will target a premium segment, priced between Rs 35,000 and Rs 10 lakh.

Smartwatches Vs. Mechanical Watches

Despite competition from premium smartwatches, Mehta expressed confidence in the future of mechanical watches. He noted a growing trend of "double-wristing," where individuals wear different watches on each wrist. Demonstrating the practice, Mehta himself wore a prototype of the Chandrayaan-inspired watch on his right wrist. In an interview, he also revealed that his personal collection of timepieces has grown to 400, up from the 300 he owned during his appearance on Season 2 of Shark Tank India in 2023. He recently added a nurse’s watch, a clip-on piece meant for medical professionals, to his collection—a purchase he described as “weird.”

JWC’s Rise After Shark Tank India

Gaurav Mehta's decision to feature JWC on Shark Tank India came after a LinkedIn message from the show’s team, inviting him to apply. While Mehta had seen Shark Tank in the US and was unsure if his company would be selected among many startups, the appearance proved to be pivotal. Despite not securing investment from any of the Sharks, JWC has experienced significant growth. Mehta said that the company's revenue is now 12 times higher than it was in FY 2021-22, when he shared a turnover of Rs 1.07 crore on the show for the financial year 2022.

“The exposure from Shark Tank helped us gain visibility, not only in India but globally,” Mehta was quoted as saying. Following the show, JWC expanded its retail footprint, opening multiple stores and seeing a dramatic shift in its sales model. Currently, 60 percent of the company’s sales come from physical stores, compared to 65 percent online at the time of his Shark Tank appearance. The company now sells around 250 watches a month, with 95 percent of sales in India and the remaining 5 percent in international markets such as the UAE, the US, and Australia.

JWC initially launched in 2013, and its coin watch, a timepiece featuring rare coins, remains one of its most popular offerings. With the upcoming ISRO collaboration, the company is poised to capture the interest of space enthusiasts and watch collectors alike.