By Express News Service CHENNAI: It is easy to miss the Peer & Sons Watch Repair store that is ensconced as a tiny establishment on the bustling Kutchery Road in Mylapore. The watch repair store was established in 1963, and since then has stood the test of time. It has been a p r e f e r r e d destination for anyone looking to g e t t h e i r w a t c h e s , clocks, wall c l o ck s o r grandfather clocks repaired or restored. As one steps into the store, it’s difficult to miss the chiming of clocks all around. There is a magnificent grandfather clock that is over 100 years old waiting for appropriate wheels to be fitted, table clocks of all shapes and sizes and some cuckoo clocks too. For people who are now accustomed to looking at their phones to check the time, it is refreshing to look at big dials with beautifully lettered Roman numerals. Setting time “I started working at the store as an assistant to my father in 1991 after completing my class 10 exams,” says Syed Shakil Ahmed, who runs the store now. “We have loyal customers who have been with us for over 30 years. They trusted my father, and later, trusted me because they used to feel that I worked as my father did. Clocks hold a very special place in my heart. When I see that I have managed to repair a clock and it is working well, I feel like I have given it a new lease of life. I love when people bring me clocks that other watch repair stores have said they cannot fix and then I manage to fix it.” It takes around one day to fix a simple table clock. However, bigger clocks can take close to three days. Peer & Sons specialises in repairing antique clocks, he says. “Electronic and digital clocks have taken over,” he says, somewhat wistfully. “But, there are a lot of people who love their clocks. I have people travelling from as far as Padi to get their watches and clocks fixed by me. I even have a lot of customers from the US who come down for the holidays and bring all their clocks at one go for me to repair. I see about 10- 15 customers in a day even now but the business is going down every day.” Old is gold Syed has three children who are studying in school. When asked whether they were inclined towards watch repair and if they had plans to join the family business, he says it was too soon to tell. “For now, I don’t think that will happen because they are very young,” he says with a smile. “But they do come to the shop often and ask me why I have not refurbished it and furnished it better. I feel like if I do that, the shop will lose its charm. This is an old shop that is steeped in history. It will not remain the same if I change the interiors and furnishing.” Even the lamp he uses to help with repairs at night is one that looks right out of a b l a c k - a n d - white movie. Choc-a-block with clocks Despite dwindling numbers, Syed’s shop is packed with people who drop in to chat or ask with great authority that they want the clock to be repaired by the next day. “These aren’t customers to me, they are my friends,” he says. “I have not considered doing anything else apart from watch repair yet. I like to lead a simple life and I am happy with what I have so far. Since I collect clocks and have about 100 wall clocks and 150 table clocks, many people often ask what I’m going to do with them. I don’t know! I just love clocks — having them around me and repairing them.” Watch repair has taught Syed lessons in patience. And that is also probably why he has a motivational board right next to his desk that says — ‘Tough times never last but tough peop l e do’. Good times or bad times, Peer & Sons has been setting the time right for over five decades.

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