§1What this business is
Two skilled workers open, clean, repair and re-fit watches and wall or table clocks using hand tools, a small grinding and buffing machine and a cell tester. Most of the turnover comes from parts fitted or sold over the counter: cells, glasses, straps, dials, springs, coils and wheels. The profile puts yearly capacity at ₹2,47,500 of repair charges plus ₹10,72,500 of spare-part sales, on which it assumes a 10% margin.
Capacity: Single shift, 300 days a year: repair and servicing worth ₹2,47,500 and spare-part sales of ₹10,72,500, total ₹13,20,000 a year.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A trained watch mechanic who can get a counter in a main market or near a bus stand.
Who it is not for
Someone without watch-repair training; the skill cannot be hired cheaply.
Advantages
- Very low tool cost, about ₹44,000
- Cells, straps and glasses sell every day
- Needs only a small counter in a busy market
Drawbacks
- Mobile phones have cut the use of cheap watches
- Margin on parts is thin, about 10% in the profile
- Fine work that strains the eyes
Skills you need
- Quartz and mechanical movement repair
- Fitting glasses, straps and cells
- Knowing part numbers and brands
- Honest handling of customers' watches
Why difficulty 2/5: Cheap to start, but it depends fully on the owner's repair skill.
§3Market
Who buys
- Office-goers, students and workers who wear wrist watches
- Households with wall and table clocks
How it sells
- Walk-in customers at the shop counter
Good to know
- The profile assumes a 10% margin on spare parts.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Grinding and buffing machine | 1 | ₹1,760 |
| Soldering gun set in wooden box (5 nozzles) | 1 | ₹1,100 |
| Punch box with 80 riveting punches and 10 stakes | 2 | ₹2,750 |
| Watchmaker's hand tools (cell tester, calipers, eye glass, pliers, screwdrivers, case opener, glass fitting machine) | — | ₹38,500 |
From: Ganjam district (Government of Odisha) sample project profile — Watch repairing & servicing
- Watch spare parts — wheels, balance, springs, coils, dials, hands, glasses₹71,500 a month in the profile
- Cells and strapssold over the counter
From: Ganjam district (Government of Odisha) sample project profile — Watch repairing & servicing
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- Trade licence / Shop and Establishment registration
- GST registration once turnover crosses the limit
Start it in your state
Pick your state: today’s cost, central + state subsidy, raw material, land and help, on one page.
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
A small project like this fits a MUDRA loan (Shishu up to ₹50,000, Kishore up to ₹5 lakh). PMEGP can give a subsidy on service units up to ₹20 lakh, and CGTMSE lets the bank lend without collateral.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Tools and machines ₹44,110 + electrification and furniture ₹22,000 + contingencies ₹3,300 + pre-operative ₹5,500 = ₹74,910 fixed; plus working capital for 3 months ₹2,65,650 (mostly spare-parts stock) = ₹3,40,560. Shop is rented.
Working capital: Monthly working capital ₹88,550, of which ₹71,500 is spare parts; the project carries 3 months, ₹2,65,650.
Year not printed on the profile; its text cites 2009-10 figures, so the prices are old — check current costs.
§8Export potential
A local service; there is no goods export in this business.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Falling demand for repair of low-priced watches
- Loss or damage of a customer's costly watch
- Dead stock of parts for old models
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working watch and clock repair shop unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, Trade licence / Shop and Establishment registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Watch and Clock Repair Shop?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.