Bangalore Watch Company Raises $1.4M Seed Round to Expand Global Luxury Watch Presence

Bangalore Watch Company (BWC), an Indian luxury watch brand focused on mechanical watches inspired by modern Indian stories, has raised $1.4 million in a seed round from a group of its customers, including family office principals and high-net-worth individuals from India and overseas.

The company plans to use the fresh capital to expand its presence in the global independent watch market, with a focus on markets that have established communities of watch collectors.

Expanding into global watch markets

Founded in 2018 by Nirupesh Joshi and Mercy Amalraj, Bangalore Watch Company designs and manufactures mechanical watches in India and exports them to more than 30 countries.

The company currently operates one flagship boutique in Bengaluru and sells watches priced between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.

Following the latest funding, BWC plans to focus on two to three strategic overseas locations. These markets are expected to have established watch collector communities. The company is also considering opening one additional location in India.

The expansion reflects BWC's focus on building an independent Indian watch brand with an international customer base.

Building watches around Indian stories

BWC differentiates its collections through themes including aviation, space, cricket and the outdoors.

Rather than relying solely on traditional luxury watch themes, the company builds collections around modern Indian stories and experiences.

Its product development has also involved unconventional materials.

BWC has developed watches using recovered fighter-plane aluminium and materials sourced from aircraft carriers. The company has also developed its own Cerasteel material.

The brand has additionally created a watch that qualified for spaceflight.

Increasing production capacity

BWC currently has an annual production capacity of around 1,500 watches.

The company plans to increase this capacity fourfold over the next three to five years.

That would allow BWC to significantly increase production while pursuing expansion into additional international markets.

The company's watches are currently exported to more than 30 countries, giving it an existing international distribution footprint before the planned overseas expansion.

Growing presence in the global watch community

Bangalore Watch Company has participated in international watch events including Dubai Watch Week 2025 and Geneva Watch Days 2026.

Its watches have also been listed for the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Awards three times.

These activities have placed the brand within the broader international independent watch ecosystem while it continues to develop its identity around Indian design themes and mechanical watchmaking.

A customer-backed funding round

One notable aspect of the latest round is the composition of its investor group.

Instead of being backed solely by traditional venture capital investors, BWC raised the $1.4 million from its customers, including family office principals and HNIs from India and overseas.

The funding provides capital for international expansion while also coming from individuals who are already customers of the brand.

The next phase for Bangalore Watch Company

BWC's immediate strategy is centered on expanding its global presence, increasing production capacity and reaching established watch collector communities in selected overseas markets.

With its existing exports to more than 30 countries, a Bengaluru flagship boutique and plans to increase annual production from around 1,500 watches to roughly four times that level, the company is preparing for a larger international footprint.

The key question for the brand will be how effectively it can translate its India-focused storytelling and mechanical watchmaking into demand across established global luxury watch markets.