A Special Timepiece - Vintage Icons : A Collector’s Quest With Amol Nayak - Part 2

In our previous discussion, we delved into the evolution of India’s watch industry, and no conversation about this journey is complete without Titan—a name that has become synonymous with Indian horology. More than just a watchmaker, Titan has been a trailblazer, redefining the country’s luxury watch landscape.

Founded in 1984 as a joint venture between the Tata Group and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), Titan revolutionized the Indian market with its precision quartz timepieces, challenging the dominance of traditional mechanical watches. Over the decades, the brand has evolved beyond affordability and accessibility, making a mark in the premium and luxury segments through collections like Nebula, Xylys, and Edge.
Let’s take a closer look at how Titan continues to push boundaries, shaping not just Indian horology but also making waves on the global stage.
To begin with,  Amol Nayak had a special story to share with us about a timepiece gifted to his uncle by JRD Tata during his tenure with Telco. This was then inherited by his father and now forms part of Amol’s collection. “This watch is very special and I rarely wear it as I don’t want it to be scratched. It’s always packed in a case. I’ve collected several Titan watches and it’s going in the right direction even today. They need to connect more with collectors and design pieces accordingly as they will become more desirable to the audience too.” he shared.

Today collectors are gravitating and picking up on trends to diversify their collections. There was a trend to collect Cartier timepieces amongst the youth and another trend is vintage timepieces. Sharing his thoughts on the vintage market he said, “Gregory Selch is way ahead of me in the vintage watch collecting journey and he inspired me to get a vintage Zenith Defy. Nobody knew that there was a Movado timepiece with an El Primero movement. There’s somebody ahead of you who’s path you follow until you start building on your own story.”

You need to collect knowledge before collecting watches. Watch collectors and collectors of other things like motor cars also need to find a niche and then build their own story around it. “Vintage watches are not for everyone. I bought watches 15 years ago which are being restored today with parts from across the country. I bought a Girard Perregaux back then which didn’t have an original crown but is being restored with one today. Watches are little pieces of history and only if that interests you and you want to dive deeper into it then vintage is for you”, he explained.

If there was one watch that Amol would like to add to his collection he said, “I like designer watches and buy them for their uniqueness. The Titan Tiger eye dial is definitely on my horizon and I’ll work towards it. As a collector you have to be comfortable that things may not happen tomorrow but it will. I am also on the lookout for a gold watch but one which is different unique - who knows Piaget or Patek Philippe may come out with a different gold watch which is not just a re-iteration? Just like I progressed from buying a Mercedes Benz to a Cadillac Coupe my watch collection is also slowly taking its turns” he shared.

As much as Amol Nayak is passionate about watches, his love for motorsports runs just as deep. The connection between high-performance engineering in cars and precision in watchmaking is undeniable—both demand craftsmanship, innovation, and an appreciation for mechanical excellence. Just as vintage cars tell stories of speed and evolution, timepieces capture the history of horology in every tick. 

In our next conversation, Amol delves into the synergies between motorsports and luxury watches, uncovering why collectors of one often find themselves drawn to the other. Stay tuned!