In the bustling lanes of Chennai, amidst the timeless charm of Mylapore and the vibrant culture of Pondy Bazaar, there lives a legacy, one that spans generations, ticks with purpose, and continues to inspire awe. Zenith Watch Co. is more than a name, it is a monument of memory, craftsmanship, and heritage built by three extraordinary brothers whose passion for horology forever changed the face of watchmaking in Chennai.
1944 – Where it all begins : Basheer Ahmed and the birth of a legacy
In the year 1944, when most fifteen-year-olds were barely aware of their ambitions, Basheer Ahmed, the eldest of three brothers, laid the cornerstone of a legacy that would span over eight decades. With a sharp eye for detail and an innate understanding of mechanical intricacies, he founded Basheer & Son’s, a humble shop in Pondy Bazaar, Chennai, that quickly earned a reputation for being one of the finest establishments for clocks and watches.
From the very beginning, Basheer displayed an unmatched ability to restore and repair intricate timepieces with precision. He didn’t work alone, he mentored and led a skilled team of five seasoned mechanics, each trained to value perfection in every tick and to treat every watch with reverence. Whether it was a simple wall clock or a complex mechanical wristwatch, customers flocked to his store, knowing they were placing their time in trustworthy hands. His shop wasn’t just a repair center; it was a haven where generations of families returned, decade after decade, knowing that their heirlooms would be handled with the care of a craftsman and the heart of a guardian.
His name became synonymous with trust, and his passion sowed the seeds for a greater legacy that was about to unfold.
1947 – The builder of precision : Zahoor Ahmed and the rise of Anser & Son’s
Just three years after his elder brother, Zahoor Ahmed, too, embraced the horology profession with equal dedication and excellence. At just 15 years of age, Zahoor stepped into the same world of gears and movements, driven by his brother’s success but determined to carve a name of his own. In 1947, he launched Anser & Son’s, also in Pondy Bazaar, and soon transformed it into a powerhouse of precision, service, and manufacturing brilliance.
Zahoor wasn’t just a repairman, he was an inventor at heart. He possessed a sharp engineering mind and an instinctive feel for machinery. He led a highly competent team of four mechanics, each trained under his expertise and guided by his leadership. But what made Zahoor stand out was his vision to manufacture clocks, a bold move in post-independence India. His factory was filled with hand-assembled pieces, original clock faces, and hand-tuned pendulums, a testament to Indian ingenuity.
With over 30 years of technical experience under his belt, Zahoor diversified his services to include all types of timepieces, grandfather clocks, table clocks, wristwatches, and ornate decorative pieces. His business didn’t just grow, it thrived. Customers valued the reliability of Anser & Son’s and the personal pride Zahoor took in every single unit that left his store. He gave Chennai not just clocks, but confidence in Indian craftsmanship.
1958 – A name that would endure : Mallick Pasha and the founding of Zenith Watch Co.
In 1958, Mallick Pasha, the youngest of the three brothers, stepped into the horology world with a powerful vision of his own. At the age of 22, he opened Zenith Watch Co. in Mylapore, Chennai, a locality renowned for its tradition, culture, and deep-rooted history. It was here that Mallick built what would eventually become one of the most respected and enduring names in South Indian horology.
Zenith Watch Co. was unlike any other store in the city. It was a sanctuary of ticking wonders, home to some of the finest vintage clocks, handcrafted pieces, and intricate timekeeping mechanisms of the time. Mallick, a master technician, led a team of six highly trained mechanics, each with over a decade of specialized experience. Zenith was known for its department-style approach, with every mechanic focused on a specific category, three for wristwatches, two for wall clocks, and one dedicated to pendulum clocks and antique timepieces.
What set Zenith apart was its ability to import, customize, and service some of the most exquisite clocks from around the world. Mallick was especially known for importing French Odoo Chiming Clocks, which he would lovingly assemble and tune to perfection. His attention to detail, his intimate knowledge of both Western and Indian timekeeping traditions, and his devotion to customer satisfaction made Zenith a destination for connoisseurs.
Even today, customers walk into Zenith Watch Co. and fondly recount how their fathers and grandfathers would speak of Mallick Pasha’s craftsmanship with admiration and respect. He didn’t just fix watches, he preserved moments, memories, and family legacies.
1999 – Legacy Reinvented : Mahaboob Pasha leads Zenith into the modern era
In 1999, Mahaboob Pasha, son of Mallick Pasha, officially took charge of Zenith Watch Co. after completing his degrees in M.Com and B.L. Armed with academic intelligence and deep-rooted practical knowledge, he transformed the business for the 21st century while preserving the values of his father and uncles. Mahaboob brought both business acumen and legal clarity to the operations of Zenith Watch Co., ensuring that the brand would not only survive but thrive in a competitive and globalized era.
Mahaboob has carried forward the torch of excellence with utmost grace and dedication. With over 26 years of active leadership, he has transformed Zenith into a household name that spans generations of loyal customers across Chennai and beyond. He leads a core team of five expert mechanics, each of whom brings over three decades of specialized experience, making Zenith one of the very few shops in India still retaining true mechanical craftsmanship.
His contribution to the shop is not just managerial, Mahaboob believes that every clock has a story to tell, and it is his responsibility to listen to that story through its tick. Under his leadership, Zenith Watch Co. has become particularly well-known for its ability to restore rare and antique clocks, many of which are more than a century old. Customers regularly bring in vintage British chiming clocks, pre-independence Indian mechanical clocks, old Swiss pocket watches, and even rare pendulum clocks from France and Germany. In nearly all cases, Zenith’s team has delivered results that preserve both the mechanism and emotional value.
A Timeless Recognition – Featured in The Hindu as “The Timekeeper of Mylapore”
The significance of Zenith Watch Co. was further cemented when it was featured in The Hindu, one of India’s most respected newspapers. The article highlighted the store’s unmatched expertise in handling all types of timepieces from carrier clocks, cuckoo clocks, winding clocks, to grandfather clocks and chiming pendulums.
The article emphasized Zenith’s ability to either stock or procure rare spares within two days, and their commitment to completing servicing within four days, a rarity in the world of antique and mechanical repair. It also noted Zenith’s expertise in repairing wristwatches of all major global brands, further reaffirming their position as a premier destination for watch lovers and collectors.
The feature was a public acknowledgment of a lifetime of dedication and excellence, passed down from father to son, gear to gear, tick to tick.
A Timeless Journey Still in Motion
The story of Zenith Watch Co. is not bound by four walls or ticking hands. It lives in the homes of those who pass down clocks as family treasures. It lives in the smiles of customers who rediscover the chimes of a grandfather clock that once fell silent. It lives in the dedicated hearts a family that refused to let a tradition die in the age of digital speed.
From Basheer Ahmed’s first repair bench in 1944, to Zahoor Ahmed’s clock manufacturing unit, to Mallick Pasha’s golden age of horological mastery, and now Mahaboob Pasha’s era of expertise and innovation, Zenith has never lost its soul. Even in today’s fast-paced, disposable world, Zenith remains a beacon of lasting quality, a place where time is still treated as sacred.
Customers don’t just visit Zenith for repairs, they come back to reconnect with their memories. They bring clocks that ticked during weddings, gifts given at anniversaries, and heirlooms from grandparents. Every tick that leaves the workshop tells a tale of revival and care. Every customer walks away with more than a working clock, they take home a restored story.
“When you walk into Zenith, you don’t just hear clocks ticking—you hear stories whispering through the hands of time.”
And as time marches on, so does Zenith Watch Co., forever ticking forward, honoring the past, serving the present, and preparing for generations to come.
