While there is no doubt that Indian watchmaking’s been on an upward trajectory, it is not often that an Indian watch goes viral. This is what happened last week, following the sale of Delhi Watch Company’s Terra on Dec 29, 2025. The watch soon started appearing on social feeds of not just Indian watch enthusiasts, but international collectors and publications as well. Delhi Watch Company’s founder Anish Dandwani insists that the brand did no marketing activations around the launch and all the buzz the watch has generated is organic.
Terra is undoubtedly a unique looking watch, and commemorates the brand’s fifth anniversary. Its design is inspired by a carabiner or climbing clip – to this effect, the case is lugless, and instead employs grooves that support its parachute straps. A 32 mm x 44 mm piece crafted in grade 2 titanium, its monobloc case features angular edges, a design that’s further supported by slots on the case. Its military dial and syringe hands feature vintage Japanese lume, and at 6 o’clock is seemingly the only typography on the dial – ‘Terra’. However, a look closer reveals a miniscule ‘Delhi Watch Co’ branding on the minute ring at 12.
The watch runs on a Miyota quartz movement that’s hidden behind a 316 stainless steel caseback, A limited edition of 5555 pieces, the caseback mentions the number of the watch as well. These details sit behind the parachute strap that loops all the way behind the case, and straps onto the wrist with the help of a polished clasp that boasts DWC’s logo (also seen on the crown). All of this, at a price tag of Rs 4,000.
Dandwani tells us that the watch sold out in two mins when its sale went live. Not just that, the brand had initially listed 1700 pieces for sale, but had to produce 56 more because a larger number got sold; at one point it had to be delisted from the site because there was such a large number of people trying to purchase it. The remaining number of watches will go on sale in April, after a second production cycle.
The draw of Terra is easy to see - an unconventional design in titanium at a price point that is bound to make any watch enthusiast drool. This was always the aim, says independent product designer Ishaan Vajpai, who designed the watch and collaborated with Dandwani on the project. “The brief which I got from Anish was two lines. A unique design and something that was under Rs 5,000, so that everybody could afford it. Often, where price points are concerned, the product ends up being the sum of its limitations. We did not want to do that. We wanted Terra to be designed so thoroughly and meticulously that it appears to be five, six times the price,” says Vajpai. “We wanted the watch to be an Everyday Carry” adds Dandwani. “It’s our fifth anniversary, and we wanted to give back to the community.”
How the duo managed this was by using grade 2 titanium sheets sourced in India, and hydro-cutting the case through an 80,000 PSI stream of water. “It cuts it like a saw, but is much more economical than machining. This gave us the edge to do the product design justice.” To further keep costs down, the watch was executed on rented CNC machines. Terra’s case is also devoid of any brushing or finishing, which creates an industrial-futuristic aesthetic. And since the titanium is pure and unalloyed, each case features a natural colour fading including some blemishes that may appear. Therefore, each case is different from the other.
Not all components of Terra are made in India. The sapphire is the German Schott glass, and the dial, hands, and straps are imported. However, with the overwhelming success of the first batch, Dandwani and Vajpai are looking to shift to local manufacturing as much as possible for the second batch.
I wore Terra for nearly a week. The watch wears much smaller than its 44 mm length, and inspite of its block-y design, sits quite ergonomically on the wrist. This is largely due to the strap wrapping through its grooves and under the case, because of which the case, caseback, and angular edges don’t actually touch the wrist at all. The parachute strap, though comfortable, take a little getting used to, but you can get to a point where you can actually just slip the wrist into the watch much like a bracelet. The elastic also ensures a snug fit for both big and small wrists, with interchangeability with a NATO strap being an easy option. One could also just sling it on like a carabiner. Pet peeves: The seconds hand doesn’t fully align with its markers, and the faceted crown isn’t the easiest to access and manoeuvre. The duo says that the second batch will address both these issues.
The Collaboration
Dandwani, 28, started Delhi Watch Company fuelled by a love for watches that began when he was 14. Over the past five years, the brand has unveiled a range of watches – chronos, tool, dress watches – all with a focus on quality and affordability. Vajpai, also 28, and a watch enthusiast, designs watches under his brand Quest. The two were introduced by a mutual friend, and eventually decided to collaborate on Terra. “Ishaan hates lugs,” says Dandwani laughing. “His entire design philosophy is so different from mine and Delhi Watch Company’s. So we decided we’d do one watch which kind of features his philosophy, and is also a field watch because I wanted that. We went the minimalist route. Where our synergies came about is that he had the overall picture of what the project was going to be, and I just came in and tweaked in a few things.”
Terra is undoubtedly a design that’s pushed the boundaries of Delhi Watch Company’s repertoire, and at the same time has revealed the demand for designs such as these in the Indian market. The brand hopes to use this as an example to further strengthen its offerings.
Images: Delhi Watch Company
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