A shared love for watches. That’s what brought TimeGrapher together.
What began as conversations among enthusiasts in Kerala has since grown into a global collective bound by a fascination for timepieces and a deep-rooted connection to ‘home’.
Founded in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019, TimeGrapher is a community that believes watches are more than instruments of precision. For its members, they are objects of memory, culture and identity.
“We wanted to create a common platform where watch collectors could come together,” says Sohan Balachandran, founder of TimeGrapher. “One thing we kept constant was a connection to Kerala. Everyone in the group either lives in Kerala or has roots here.”
In a world where watches increasingly compete on speed, scale and smart features, TimeGrapher chose a slower, more reflective path. The collective believes time should mirror where it is lived — an idea that has shaped both its growing community and the watches it creates.
From Thiruvananthapuram, the group expanded steadily over the past six years. Today, TimeGrapher has multiple chapters.
“In Kerala, we have chapters in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. Outside the state, we are present in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Dubai, Qatar, the US, the UK and Australia,” says Sohan, an IITian who works as an entrepreneur in residence at the Founder’s Office in Masai School.
“All chapter heads are Malayalis. As of now, we have more than 14,000 members across these regions. Even though we started as a small community in Kerala, we have grown into one of the largest watch-collecting communities in the world.”
Inclusivity remains central to TimeGrapher’s identity. Members range from 18 to 75 years old, with men and women from various backgrounds participating equally. Price, pedigree or brand value do not matter here. Only the quiet joy of checking out and collecting watches.
“Some collect affordable watches, others collect only luxury watches,” says Sohan. “There is no segregation within the group. A Rs-1,000 watch and a Rs-1-crore piece will be viewed with the same appreciation. The idea has always been to stay open.”
The community comes alive through monthly meet-ups across chapters, where members exchange watches, share stories and learn from one another. “We also have watchmakers within the group who conduct workshops,” says Sohan. “Philanthropic and student-support activities, too, are taken up on a regular basis.”
Over the years, TimeGrapher has hosted brand collaborations and events with companies such as Omega and Longines, and holds annual meets in Kerala and Dubai.
The collective’s philosophy is reflected in its watches. ‘Nazhika’, its first series, explored indigenous concepts of time using Malayalam numerals. Olam followed, inspired by Kerala’s boat races and backwaters. Both limited-edition watches, which got sold out in a jiffy, were lauded by horology buffs for their concepts and quality.
Now, TimeGrapher has released ‘Tithi’, its most ambitious collection to date. And it has already stirred a buzz among watch collectors.
Created in collaboration with the enthusiast-driven microbrand Delhi Watch Company, Tithi takes its name from the Sanskrit word for a lunar day.
It draws inspiration from Tamil and Malayalam cultures that continue to follow the lunar calendar for festivals, rituals and agricultural practices.
“Time, in this sense, is cyclical and deeply observed,” says Sohan, who conceptualised the watch with TimeGrapher core team members Nishad S N and Dilip Maniyappan.
‘Tithi’ brings this understanding into contemporary watch design. It features a moon-phase display paired with numerals in Malayalam and Tamil scripts. “There are plans to expand to Telugu, Kannada, Gurmukhi, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali as well,” says Sohan.
The design remains minimal and modern, allowing the script and complication to take centre stage. Colours, of course, play a defining role.
“The Malayalam edition appears in salmon and sky blue, representing Kerala’s skies at dusk and dawn,” says Sohan. “The Tamil edition uses yellow and green, inspired by harvest, farming and fertile land.”
Priced at Rs 5,499, ‘Tithi’ features a 39mm unisex case, sapphire crystal and a Japanese Miyota moon-phase movement. “The watches will be available only until April. Each production lot will have 750 units per colour,” Sohan adds.
He adds that Tithi’s philosophy is meant to remind people that watches can do more than tell time — and unlike smartwatches, they can unite. “Many people don’t realise that festivals like Navami, Diwali, Ugadi or Eid are all marked by the lunar calendar,” he says.
“Despite cultural differences, the moon is a shared reference point. That sense of unity is what we wanted the watch to reflect.”
Made in India and powered by a Miyota movement — a subsidiary of Citizen Watches Japan — Tithi is designed for everyday wear.
“Watchmaking may look simple, but it involves deep material engineering,” says Sohan. “Our goal has always been to create something from Kerala that can stand at a global benchmark.”
The collaboration with Delhi Watch Company made this possible. “Instead of viewing Timegrapher as a competitor, they were open to working together. The partnership was built on a clear division of strengths,” says Sohan.
“We brought the concept, cultural grounding and design. They brought manufacturing expertise and supply-chain access.”
For Sohan and his team, ‘Tithi’ represents something larger than a product. “This watch is for anyone who believes time is more than seconds, minutes, and hours. It is memory, place and experience,” he says.
“Many people living abroad have told us that our watches make them feel connected to home. It’s like carrying a piece of your land and culture with you.”