In the bustling lanes of Chennai, amidst the timeless charm of Mylapore, 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 One extraordinary Person whose passion for horology forever changed the face of watchmaking in Chennai
1954 – A name that would endure : Mallick Pasha and the founding of Zenith Watch Co.
In 1954, Mallick Pasha, 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 customize, and service some of the most exquisite clocks from around the world. 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, and their commitment to completing services, 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.