HMT Hindustan Machine Tools - how old is my watch?
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What is HMT?
- HMT = Hindustan Machine Tools Ltd. , founded in 1953 in India.
- From 1961 onwards, close cooperation with Citizen Watch Co. (Japan) → India manufactured watches under license.
- First HMT wristwatches 1961: Model Janata
- Production continued until approximately 2016 (officially discontinued, but the collector scene remains active).
Production sites:
Bangalore, Tumkur, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Ajmer (each with its own serial number series).
Movement types and calibers
HMT watches are almost always based on the Citizen Caliber 0201 / 0231 / 0301 / 6501 / 8602 / 8203 etc.
The formal name of each HMT caliber is:
| HMT designation | Citizen template | type | Years of construction (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMT 020 (or 0201) | Citizen 0201 | manual winding | 1961 – 1975 |
| HMT 023 | Citizen 0231 | Manual winding date | 1970 – 1985 |
| HMT 650 | Citizen 6501 | vending machine | 1975 – 1990 |
| HMT 820 | Citizen 8203 | Automatic / Day-Date | 1990s – 2000s |
| HMT 860 / 970 etc. | own derivations | Mechanical – late series | 2000 – 2016 |
Understanding the factory number / serial number
HMT numbers are stamped on:
- Clockwork mechanism (back of the circuit board) and/or
- Inside of the base of the watch.
These are internal batch or factory serial numbers , not a continuously unique global register.
But you can roughly determine the year of manufacture based on the first digits and the model :
| Series start (typical) | Production period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1xxxxx | early series (1961 – 1970) | Manual winding, usually Janata , Sona |
| 2xxxxx – 4xxxxx | 1970s | Date models ( Pilot , Kohinoor ) |
| 5xxxxx – 8xxxxx | 1980s–1990s | Automatic models ( Kanchan , Rajat ) |
| 9xxxxx – 1 2xxxxx or higher | 2000–2016 | Late productions, new logos, quartz content |
Further characteristics for dating
| feature | Time range |
|---|---|
| "HMT Janata" without a logo or with a rectangular logo | 1960–1970 |
| HMT logo in block letters, “Made in India” | 1970–1985 |
| HMT logo in italics with "Quartz" | 1985–2000 |
| Plastic crown, luminous hands, day-date | 1990–2000+ |
| Back cover engraved with “HMT Limited” | after 2000 |
Factory identification number
Some works or covers have a letter or abbreviation on them:
- B = Bangalore (oldest factory, mostly hand-wound)
- T = Tumkur (many automatic models)
- S = Srinagar (late expansion)
- A = Ajmer (late 1990s, mostly quartz)
Source: Watchwiki, AI
