Why so sloppy Kalā? 😐
It's been such a topsey turvey ride with Kalā Watches.
The Good:
Their dials are undeniably the most beautifully crafted of any Indian microbrands, if not anywhere. The choice of colours, the attention to detail in the dial, all of it is top notch. The mineral glass done does a fine job of showcasing the star of the watch, the aforementioned dial. The indices are crisp and the markers are very well done too. The case and the case back too are very well put together. The strap is far from perfect though and looks much like the cheap generic straps available in the market.
The Sloppy:
Just when I thought all was perfect and they'd finally managed to take care of all the QC issues reported by users, your eye meets what's staring at you right in the face. The chronograph hand is off by a bit, but it's the trailing end that is more of an eye sore for me (look at the first image). The pointed end at the back is slightly bent and it's hard to miss once you spot it.
I understand that each piece is hand put together, but when you make your customer wait in line to get one, and then wait some more (no thanks to the joke of a delivery partner that Delhivery is!) and then also get an email about how they are overbooked and will only be able to ship the rest of the order 3 weeks late (despite being done with the order within the first 30 seconds of the lines opening!) the least you expect is for basic QC to be done. Unlike the complaints about edges not being polished and scratches reported near the lugs by users, which can be hidden, this is simply not acceptable. You can and definitely ought to do better.
Yes, it's a new and upcoming microbrand and is a small team, but that's all the more reason to ensure that the basics are done well. It's hard not to compare it with DWC which has had its own issues but surely has learnt its lessons.
None of that though takes always from such a brilliantly simple, yet unmissably beautiful watch unlike any other. As much as I would like to have this fixed, I don't trust their delivery partner and simply can't bear to part with this little piece of art.
P.S. - I think the reverse panda is an absolute understated beauty that is overshadowed by its more popular siblings.
Kalā, please don't be so sloppy?!