Bengaluru student finds inspiration for watch from Channapatna, bags global patent for design | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: At a time when smartwatches dominate the market with tech-laden features, a 21-year-old design student from NIFT Bengaluru turned to heritage and craftsmanship to create something truly timeless. Prithwiraj Chaudhuri, a final-year student of fashion and lifestyle accessories at NIFT, designed a wristwatch — that combines recycled aluminium from automobile waste with wooden dials inspired by Karnataka’s Channapatna craft — and has now received an international design patent for his innovation.The watch, titled Olavu, a Kannada word meaning love and affection, seeks to strike a balance between contemporary precision and traditional warmth. Hailing from Singur, a town on the outskirts of Kolkata, Prithwiraj grew up hearing stories about art and culture from his father, a Bengali literature professor and a folk researcher.Prithwiraj chose to work with Channapatna craft, the age-old wooden toy-making tradition of Karnataka, for his classroom project. “For weeks I visited the artisans there and worked with them to understand the process and that’s how the watch was born with deep significance to Channapatna’s legacy.”Wood as base and natural colours The watch dial is made from the same lacquered wood used in Channapatna toys and is entirely handcrafted. The colours used in the dial are extracted from natural sources and are unique to the region’s craft style. “There’s a specific red I used in my design that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s not industrial—it’s from the soil and can only be seen in the toys,” he said.The metal case of the watch is made from recycled aluminium—collected from discarded engine and machinery parts from the automobile industry. “It’s a reminder that sustainability is not just about being eco-friendly — it’s about longevity and reuse,” he said.The design includes a modular dial mechanism, allowing wearers to swap wooden dials. “You can collect different designs and just switch them. It’s like wearing a new watch every time. The idea is not to make disposable fashion. It’s a collectible—something to wear, own, pass on. Like my grandfather’s timeless watch, which I still wear. That’s true sustainability.”The watch is also waterproof, with a 10-bar rating, making it safe up to 200 metres underwater. “People worry about wood swelling in rain—but in Channapatna, they lacquer the grains, sealing them and preventing expansion or contraction. That keeps the precision at 0.5 mm.”The idea was born in his fifth semester while working on project under the theme ‘Sustainable Future: Innovation with Indigenous Knowledge’ under the guidance of Dr Shipra Roy, associate professor at NIFT. Prithwiraj has achieved the patent rights from govt of India for his unique design. “The first prototype was developed this Feb and in April 2024 I started my process for a patent, which I got four days back,” he said.In a world chasing digital convenience, Prithwiraj believes analogue watches still hold emotional significance. “A smartwatch may last five or six years, and then it’s gone. There’s no sentimental value attached to it. But a handmade watch — especially one inspired by heritage — can be passed on, lived with, and cherished.”