Peer & Sons Clock Repair Shop Carries On Craft Along Kutchery Road

On Kutchery Road, where the Buckingham Canal passes beneath a bridge near Luz Corner, horologist S. Shakil Ahmed continues to maintain Peer & Sons, a small timepiece repair shop established by his father S.K. Peer in 1963.

Ahmed operates as a one-man enterprise, working from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at his workbench. The shop, which features displays of vintage and antique wall clocks, handles repairs for everything from standard watches and 1960s Omega models to large, weight-driven pendulum clocks.

Ahmed joined the establishment in 1991 as an apprentice to his father immediately after completing his Class X board examinations. Following his father's death in 2008, Ahmed took full charge of the business, having learned the craft through years of hands-on training under his father's guidance.

The business faces periodic challenges, including disruptions caused by ongoing Metro Rail construction work at the Luz Corner junction where Kutchery Road meets Luz Church Road, which has restricted access to the premises. Sourcing replacement components for older models can also prove difficult; Ahmed obtains parts from specialised dealers, salvages usable components from older discarded clocks, and occasionally fabricates custom parts at his bench.

Despite shifts in consumer habits and the physical constraints of the shrinking workspace, Ahmed continues to accept timepieces ranging from everyday wristwatches to collector antiques, often taking delicate restoration work home to complete.