The Jaipur Watch Company boss lives by the philosophy ‘simple living and high thinking’.
Gaurav Mehta's wooden cabinet outside his room has hand-wound watches from around the world.
By Shashi Sunny
Gaurav Mehta, founder of the Jaipur Watch Company, likes a zero-furniture house with plenty of open spaces for his children to play around in:
Kids’ zone“When I realised I was going to be a father to twins, I removed all the clutter from my floor and made the space into one large hall. This now works as a living space and bedroom for myself, my wife Pratibha, and my two-year-old twins, son Garv and daughter Gaurvi. The twins have so much energy that they can’t be confined to a small space. So what we now have is essentially one large room, with an antique wooden bed on one side and a huge mattress on the floor, which serves as my twins’ play area as well as their bed. The idea of a kid-friendly room with almost zero furniture was designed by my wife.
“The furnishings are simple. For instance, the bedsheet on the kids’ mattress is just Jaipuri cotton. I also have a wooden cabinet outside my room, where I house my cherished watch collection. It has handwound watches from around the world.”
The room has an antique wooden bed on one side and a huge mattress on the floor.
A word for my room “If you asked me to describe my room in one word, I would say it is ‘therapeutic’. It has been my happy space, a place where I can unwind and be myself. It’s a cocoon from the world.”
Happy hours “I believe when you’re in your space, in the company of those you care about, your happiness is doubled. Having a luxurious, perfectly curated house will not have a positive effect if it doesn’t connect with your personal emotions. I love my bedroom, which is simple, minimalistic, and not overly decorative, and yet completely suited to my current needs. I ensure there are always lots of soft toys for my kids to play with.”
Gaurav Mehta's favourite place in the room is a red recliner chair.
No technology “The only furniture I would like in my room is a large desk, where I can work on my watches. But right now, I can’t have one because the kids might hurt themselves when playing around. Once they are older, I will get a large, old-fashioned wooden desk. I like my room to be bereft of technologies that distract. So, no computers and no gadgets, just watches.
“My favourite place in the room is a red recliner chair. I use it to read a book or listen to music. It helps me get into my Zen mode, giving me the inspiration to deal with life outside. It also helps me to come up with innovative ideas related to work. On my walls, I have family pictures.”
Simply put “I live by the philosophy ‘simple living and high thinking’. My space is devoid of flamboyance, frills or luxury. My family follows a traditional lifestyle, and these habits are reflected in my house in Jaipur.”
The idea of a kid-friendly room with almost zero furniture was designed by Gaurav Mehta's wife Pratibha.
Guests invited “The guests I would like to host in this space would be Rahul Dravid or the late watch designer Gerald Genta. Dravid has been my icon since childhood. It was a meeting with him, where he taught me how to remain simple despite achieving the greatest highs in one’s career, that changed my life forever.
“Genta has been an inspiration for me ever since I fell in love with the beauty and precision of watches as a teenager. I have always wanted to meet him in person because I am amazed at how a single man has changed the entire watch industry.”
Get Unlimited Access to The Economic Times
