Hindi numeral watch enters the market. And it was created by an NC State grad.

The wristwatch, first worn by women, became a fashion trend for men during World War I when soldiers began wearing them on the battlefield.

For most of their history, wristwatch dials have displayed mainly Arabic or Roman numerals. Now, a new watch using another old numeral system has entered the market.

Sunny Bhathela, an N.C. State graduate with degrees in biochemistry and genetics, started the VIANI Watch Co. to pay homage to the oldest numerical system still used today and to diversify the watch market by honoring people of South Asia.

“I saw a lot of watches where, if you had this watch, really all it represented was that you made a little bit of money,” the 31-year-old Raleigh native said. “I was like, where are the South Asian-owned watches? Where are the U.S.-based watches? So, I did the research.”

The Hindi numeral system can be traced back 5,000 years to the areas of present-day Pakistan and India.

In the Triangle area, South Asians are a growing demographic, especially in western Wake County. About 1 in 3 people in Morrisville speak Hindi as a first language, and the town has become a hub for cricket, a popular sport in India.

Bhathela started wearing a prototype of one of his watches around friends and family, and their interest inspired him to keep going.

From biochemistry to business

Although the numerals on his watches are Hindi, Bhathela said you don’t have to speak or understand the language to wear one. Over 30% of his customers are non-South Asian.

“I always like to say, you don’t have to be from Rome to wear a Roman numeral watch,” he said. “So it’s similar to the Hindi numerals. It’s still a historically important numeral system.”

After graduating from N.C. State in 2014, Bhathela went to New York to earn a doctorate in optometry to work with people in the South Bronx.

But becoming an Indian business owner was important for him. He was inspired to pivot careers by N.C. State’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, which encourages students to pursue passions outside of traditional careers like those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In second grade, Bhathela made a calendar in Photoshop that is still at his parents’ house.

“I never really realized that you can make a career out of,” he said. “It always felt like a hobby to me. And I guess a big thing about this is now that I’m a bit older, a bit wiser, I realized, hey, you can make a career out of the things you’ve found interesting since you were a child and utilize all the knowledge that you’ve accumulated.”

Bhathela was also inspired by his entrepreneurial father, an Indian immigrant who owns a paint store in South Raleigh, and his creative mother, who comes from a long line of tailors. .

“So I believe those two aspects came together to create and pursue what was kind of written for me,” he said.

Ahmed Ali, a director in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, said many South Asian and Southeast Asian students focus on STEM careers but have interests in other areas.

“That’s why I really liked [Sunny’s] story and sharing it with students because I think it kind of puts that battery in their back to say it’s OK for me to try something outside of the norm,” Ali said. “I think a lot of our Southeast Asian students, if they hear his story, they’ll be inspired.”

A time piece powered by light and history

VIANI launched on Black Friday in 2023 and is currently direct-to-consumer and online only.

Its eight watches, made in Switzerland, are priced from $300 to $340, compared to luxury brands like Rolex, whose watches can start at $7,000. They vary in style, color, and dial, with stainless steel, leather, and buckle differences.

“It’s not an entry-level price, of course, but it’s still a watch that you can be proud to wear,” Bhathela said.

The watches are powered by indoor fluorescent light and outdoor sunlight, with two minutes of sun exposure enough to power the watch for a full day. A singe battery charge, if the watch is left in the dark, lasts six months.

“VIANI watches are not just timepieces,” customer Johnathan Davis wrote in a review on the company’s website. “They’re a statement of my refined taste and commitment to a sustainable lifestyle.”