P.Orr & sons opens its fully refurbished new showroom in the Heritage 1873 premise on Anna Salai in the year of 2009. Mr Bhaskar Bhat Managing Direct of Titan along with CEO’s of Citizen ,Seiko and Timex honoured the occasion. Coinciding with the inauguration is a spectacular month long exhibition of old and Vintage Swiss Watches and locks of various makes collected during the last century. This is the first event of its kind in India and was a must visit for watch lovers.
Quality in manufacturing and service were part of Orr’s philosophy. For the first in India P.Orr & sons developed a hallmark of their own “Orr Lion “ Every piece of gold or silver including Clocks and watches carried this hallmark. Orr Lion hallmark was recognised as global hallmark logo all over the world.
In 1967, the late “Kalaithanthai” Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar, doyen of the South Indian Textile Industry, purchased
P.Orr & Sons. It is now being managed by a professional Board of Directors.
By 1932, five years after its global launch, P.Orr & Sons Madras was already advertising Rolex Oyester watches for sale in India. You, of course cannot miss out the fact that 18 carat Gold watches were sold for Rs.198/- only.
In the history of horology, 1927 is the very special year. English Channel was crossed for the 1st time by Mercedes Gleitze, a lady swimmer wearing a Rolex Oyester Watch. Oyester became the first water proof in the history of Horology along with its legendary screw on crown called Coller system. It is not surprising that the basics of Rolex Oyester, including the same has remained unchanged during the past 82 years.Rolex Oyster Perpetual, the best selling Watch in the world, sold over 2 billion $ a year making it a single largest brand in the world.
In 1885 by special warrant of appointment certificate issued for manufacturing Jewellers, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths.
By 1880‘s P.Orr & Sons was supplying Silverware, Goldware Ornaments and Watches with special appointment HRH, The Prince of Wales, HH the Nizam of Hyderabad and many other Princely states in India.
The P.Orr & Sons building on Anna Salai, a landmark in the city, is built in the Byzantine style of architecture. P.Orr & Sons first occupied this building way back in 1873. The Three-faced Tower Clock installed at top of this building was connected to the Madras Observatory and corrected hourly to ensure that it was always right on time!
Peter Orr and his younger brother Alexander and Edinburgh Lawyer landed in Madras in search of fortune in 1843 . They soon joined George Gordon and Co. Broadway Madras who was in Watch business from 1792 (it could apprear that George Gorden may have been the oldest clock dealer in India). In 1849 the O.rr took over the running business from retiring Gordon and relocated to 628 Mount Road Present Location in a partnership the company was named as P.Orr & Co in 1849.
Peter Orr sent his Sons James and Robert to Switzerland to study about watch and jewellery in 1850’s. Orr senior went back to London in 1866 leaving the business to his Sons. Robert , the younger of the sibling is reported to have created the landmark building that stands even today on Mount Road.
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