Vintage HMT · Hand-Wound · Para Shock
HMT Avinash
- Hand-Wound
- 17 Jewels
- Para Shock
- Teal/blue dial
- About 36 mm
- Stainless steel
One piece · available in store
Serviced & tested Honest vintage condition Inspect in store
A vintage HMT Avinash hand-wound watch in the desirable teal/petrol-blue dial, with a red sweep seconds and a Para Shock 17-jewel movement. One original vintage HMT, serviced and tested, available to buy in store in Chennai.
At a glance
The HMT Avinash is a vintage Indian hand-wound dress watch made by Hindustan Machine Tools, known for its blue dials. This HMT Avinash has a 17-jewel Para Shock movement, a teal/petrol-blue dial with a red seconds hand, and a faceted stainless steel case, caseback-dated 1985. One original piece, available to buy in store at Clock House in north Chennai. Ask us for the price.
Specifications
- Brand
- HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools)
- Model
- Avinash
- Type
- Hand-wound mechanical dress watch
- Movement
- HMT 0231 family Para Shock, hand-wound, a licensed copy of the Citizen 0201 / 1802 (not opened or confirmed from the exterior)
- Winding
- Manual hand-wound (hand winding)
- Jewels
- 17
- Shock protection
- Para Shock, the Citizen-derived Parashock system
- Beat rate
- 18,000 A/h, about 38 hours of power reserve when freshly serviced
- Functions
- Hours, minutes, red central sweep seconds. No date.
- Dial
- Teal / petrol-blue with applied markers
- Case size
- About 36 mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Bracelet
- Expandable steel (may be a later replacement)
- Caseback
- Stainless steel, date-stamped 05-06-85 (1985)
- Condition
- Honest vintage wear, original and unrestored
More about this HMT Avinash
The movement: HMT Para Shock hand-wound
The Avinash runs HMT's 0231 hand-wound calibre, a 17-jewel manual movement that is a licensed copy of the Citizen 0201 / 1802, at 18,000 A/h with direct centre seconds, Para Shock protection and about 38 hours of power reserve, which is why the dial reads Para Shock 17 Jewels.
A blue dial worth seeking
Most HMT hand-wounds are silver, champagne or black. The Avinash is one of the references HMT made in blue, and a deep teal/petrol-blue like this, warmed by a red seconds hand, is the kind of dial collectors look for. At about 36 mm it wears as a true period dress watch.
The HMT story behind this watch
An everyday object from India's industrial age
HMT, originally Hindustan Machine Tools, was incorporated in 1953 and set up its Bangalore watch unit with Citizen Watch Co. of Japan in 1961, becoming India's first wristwatch manufacturer; the first batch was released by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
HMT made mechanical watches until 2016 and served, by its own account, over 100 million customers.
Most HMTs are silver or black; the Avinash is the one collectors chase for its blue dial.
Condition & authenticity
Honest vintage, openly described
- Honest vintage wear: the crystal is marked, the case edges have softened, and the blue dial carries age.
- The dial signature (hmt Avinash, Para Shock 17 Jewels) and the caseback are consistent with known Avinash examples, and the 05-06-85 caseback stamp gives a clear date pointer.
- The expandable steel bracelet may be a later replacement, and the movement has not been opened, so the calibre is an evidence-based reading rather than a certified fact.
- Vintage HMT is widely redialed, so we do not claim total originality from the outside and go through the caseback and movement with you in store. Water resistance on a watch this age is not to be relied upon.
In detail
Up close
Questions about the HMT Avinash
Good to know
What is the HMT Avinash watch?+
It is a vintage Indian hand-wound dress watch made by HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools), known for its blue dials. This one has a 17-jewel Para Shock movement, a teal/petrol-blue dial and a stainless steel case.
Is the HMT Avinash automatic or hand-wound?+
It is hand-wound, also called manual. You wind the crown each day. The dial reads Para Shock 17 Jewels, HMT's 0231 manual movement, not an automatic. It is a clean three-hand dial with no date.
How much is an HMT Avinash worth and what is the price?+
Value depends on condition, originality and the dial. We do not publish the price online. Message us on WhatsApp or visit the shop and we will give you the HMT Avinash price for this exact piece, with an honest quote.
Where can I buy a vintage HMT watch in Chennai?+
We sell vintage HMT and other watches in store at Clock House in Kodungaiyur, north Chennai. This HMT Avinash is in stock now. Message us on WhatsApp or visit the shop.
Can you service or restore my HMT watch?+
Yes. We service and restore vintage and antique watches, including hand-wound HMT pieces, at our Kodungaiyur workshop in north Chennai. We quote the work before we begin.
Interested in this HMT Avinash?
One piece, in store in Vyasarpadi, north Chennai. Message us and ask for a quote, or come in to see it.