CONNOISSEURS Saif Ali Khan Royal indulgence In an exclusive interview, Saif Ali Khan opens up on his craze for watches BY NEHA S. BAJPAI PHOTOS: JANAK BHAT t is an unusually dark, rain-blown af- are told, is the very first time that he has ternoon in Mumbai. Just the perfect agreed to talk watches and give outsid- day to sink into a cushy couch with a ers a glimpse of his grand collection. big mug of steaming coffee, gaze into “My first watch was one that my the hot silver sky belting out raindrops father gave me in school, and I lost it. the size of olive pits and soak in memo- It was a mechanical watch with Roman ries—of a starry childhood, love, loss numerals and a leather strap,” he recalls and happy addictions. in his trademark soft, clipped way of Gearing up for a long, work trip speaking. “So then, I pretty much didn’t to Los Angeles, Saif Ali Khan is glad have a watch worth talking about till I to be at home. Even if it is just for a joined films. It was a mixture of mak- day. Lounging around in a crisp white ing a tiny bit of money and indulging in kurta-pyjama, Khan welcomes us into something in a world that valued acces- his gaily-lit apartment in Bandra. sories like watches.” As the chilly haze of rain spreads Like most impressionable 20-year- into the evening sky, we settle down olds who ape big stars and aspire for with our mugs of coffee to tickle Khan’s everything that Bollywood offers, Khan happy addiction. Films? No. Watches. was exposed to the idea of well-to-do Actually both, for it was Khan’s pas- men collecting watches in the early 90’s. sion for films that led to his obsession “When I joined films, I was influenced with watches. A reserved watch collec- by stars like Sanjay Dutt, who had a tor, Khan is hardly spotted in the much- massively amazing watch collection. He coveted luxury circles, thrived by brand used to wear big, gold Rolexes. Now ambassadors and free-loaders hoarding he is seen wearing diamond-studded anything coming their way. His love for watches, too,” says Khan. iwatches is a private affair and this, we The very first timepiece, which con- 34 WatchTime India July 2013 July 2013 WatchTime India 35 CONNOISSEURS Saif Ali Khan Saif Ali Khan’s watch collection 36 WatchTime India July 2013 July 2013 WatchTime India 37 CONNOISSEURS Saif Ali Khan tributed to Khan’s solid collection of Lange & Söhne, Patek Philippe, Jaeger- four dozen watches today, was an Ome- LeCoultre, IWC, Breitling, Chopard, SOME OF KHAn’S FAVOURITE ga Constellation. “I bought it for $1000 Ulysse Nardin, Piaget, Omega, Rolex, WATCHES HAVE BEEN at the Geneva airport while I was going Bulgari and Cartier, share a happy co- off to shoot my first film.” exsistence with humble timepieces from GIFTED TO HIM BY KAREENA That was in 1992. Over the past 20 HMT, Swatch and Casio. years, Khan feels he has sort of become “They all have their places. I wear an addict. Such is his fixation with the rugged, cool Casio G-shock to the watches that for every project he does, gym and my favourite Jaeger-LeCoul- he invests in a timepiece that comple- tre Reverso to most places. Different Khan got interested in films at the ments the film and suits the character. watches suit different occasions and age of 18. Not that he didn’t love crick- “The collection has grown with activities,” he says. “Sometimes, just sit- Saif and Kareena et, which was a probable career choice the films I have done, especially over ting at home, I change my watch three at Jaeger-LeCoul- for the son of India’s first cricketing tre Reverso’s 80th the past six to ten years. For Parinee- times a day. I like to open the box, clean anniversary bash superstar, but the idea of leaving Delhi ta, which was a period film, I bought my watches and admire them. I have a at Paris in 2011 and doing something in Mumbai fasci- a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony and few, chunky gold ones that go well with nated him. “Although I can play cricket a 1962 vintage Omega,” he says. While long hair, a dark sun tan and white pair decently, I’m not sure if I have the men- the Rolex watches are his Race memo- of shorts. But usually, I like very simple tal discipline. Moreover, if I had been Saif sporting his enamelled Vacheron rabilia, he wore Jaeger-LeCoultre in watches with leather straps.” a cricketer, my career would have been Constantin watch from 1947 Love Aaaj Kal and Cocktail. “I didn’t Besides the new-age sporty watch- over seven years ago; it is just getting get paid much for Being Cyrus, so the es, Khan also has a couple of vintage going as an actor,” says Khan, who has film’s producer, Ambika Hinduja, gifted masterpieces—a 1953 Rolex Explorer, second watch face on the strap is the also started producing films recently. me a Panerai Luminor as a token. And a 1947 enamelled Vacheron Constan- analog one. This is hard to come by As the co-owner of Illuminati Films, it was the Breitlings in Agent Vinod.” tin, his dad’s Piaget Ultra Thin and his these days. I saw the Breitling Emer- Khan has produced some hits like Love Blessed with sartorial elegance and grandfather’s Swiss-made Unviersal. gency I in a magazine during a skiing Aaj Kal, Cocktail and Agent Vinod, and an imperious charm, Khan is a prince, “While the Rolex Explorer was given trip in Switzerland. I got one from Sin- is now looking forward to taking it a of course, but not a stuck-up blue to me by someone who inherited the gapore from a dealer who just had one Jaeger-LeCoultre notch up with films that would make blood. His prized possessions from A. watch from a team member of the Ev- piece—strapped on his wrist. I took it Reverso with the it to international festivals. “I want to erest expedition in 1953, the Vacheron off him,”says Saif, with a glint in his Pataudi family make a documentary on my father and Constantin was commissioned by the eyes. crest, presented to release it internationally. As far as act- Saif in 2011 Maharaja of Kashmir in 1947. It was Khan’s bent towards classicism is ing is concerned, some people are into given to my grandfather who won a not just limited to watches. His plush films to make artistic statements. I am Polo match against England in India,” apartment, which he shares with Karee- not anymore. Anybody with a success- says Khan, who got the piece restored na, their dog Elvis and a helper, exudes ful career has done both—roles that at Vacheron Constatin’s manufacture in the typical old-world charm. A mini need to push the envelope in some way, Geneva. museum of photographs, paintings, and roles where one has the box office Some of Khan’s favourite watches books and exquisite carpets, Khan’s lit- muscle to pull off a `100 crore film. have been gifted to him by Kareena, tle abode transports you to a different That is the kind of superstar you should who isn’t a watch enthusiast but has a era. be. `100 crore is a ridiculous figure; our keen eye for unique timepieces like the “I like doing up my place with old films should make` 500 crore. And that Patek Philippe Nautilus, A. Lange & photographs and, though I don’t get the will happen soon. There will be a time Söhne’s Grand Lange 1 and the Jaeger- time to read as much as I want, I like be- a top star would charge `50 crore for a LeCoultre Valentino Rossi. ing surrounded by books. You are never film. I hope I see that time, and then I Partial to cleaner dials and classic lonely as long as you have your books can retire happily,” says Saif, with a sort designs, Khan is not a big fan of skel- with you. So I travel with them, even in of blank-eyed, pin-down stare. eton dials and tourbillons, which are the age of Kindle. New hotel rooms be- Khan’s bucket-list is full to the a rage these days. “Sleek, old-world come warmer when you unpack some brim—experimental roles, documen- designs appeal to me. As I am getting books,” says Saif, whose library in the taries, a cricket museum and a charity older, I am finding smaller faces more living room has got Byron, Tennyson, hospital in Pataudi, and, of course, some Saif likes to catch interesting than big, chunky ones. I love Jane Austen, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowl- more exclusive timepieces. “I’m desper- up on reading the IWC Portugese. At the same time, ing, Stephen Hawking, Miguel de Cer- ate to have Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Polaris in whenever his schedule permits I also like something like the Brietling vantes, Umberto Eco, Richard J Evans titanium and Audemars Piguet’s ‘End of Emergency. It is quite unique, as the and more. Days’ limited edition.” 38 WatchTime India July 2013 July 2013 WatchTime India 39 .