Bhanu is a collector turned blogger who has held a life long passion for horology today he is Senior Editor for Watchuseek.

1. Describe briefly your childhood.

I was born and raised as a child in New Delhi, India. I had a happy childhood.  I was fun-loving kid who was never short on pranks.  My obsessions as a child were Matchbox cars and comic books. 

2. As a child did you have any driving ambition?  

As a teenager I was obsessed with robots.  I would draw pictures of robots and write Sci-Fi stories during my school classes.  I did not have specific profession in mind, but I was passionate about technology, at the same time I enjoyed creativity.

3. What is your first significant memory as a child?

The most memorable memory as a child is taking summer trips with family to hill stations in India.  My favorite place was Dehradun, located on the foothills of Himalaya, with amazing views and lots of outdoor activities.

4. Have you ever had another profession? 

In my late teens, when I relocated to the US, I took interest in computer programming, which lead to a successful career in Information Technology.

5.  What made you decide to go in the direction you are currently in?

While my career in Information Technology satisfied the inner nerd in me, I needed a creative outlet.  Horology helped me fill that void.  I love everything about watchmaking - the history, the mechanics, the personalities, the watch friends, and most importantly the watches.  I also enjoy writing about personal stories and experiences within the watch industry.  But please note, I am not a journalist, I am a blogger.  I admire and learn a lot from real journalists like Beth Doerr and Gisbert Brunner.  

6. What’s the worst job you’ve had to do?

I had one job in my career where I did not have the good manager.  I think everyone can relate to this scenario where you have a bad manager or a business partner, then the situation becomes unsustainable. 

7. What’s been the hardest moment in your life so far, and how did you overcome it? 

The hardest moment was the sudden passing away of my son's mother when he was in his early teens.   It was a very slow recovery for us, with my son immersing himself into music education, and me marrying the most caring and loving person.

8. Who has had the strongest influence on you?

My strongest influence comes from the closest people to me, my brother and my wife.  My brother has been a true mentor throughout my childhood and my adulthood.  My wife is an extraordinary woman, who managed to emotionally support both my son and I after our loss, and I have not seen anyone be more focused and hardworking than her.  

In horology, the two people who inspire me most are Max Büsser for his amazing creativity, and Jörg Schauer for his unique Bauhaus designs.

9. What are you most proud of? 

I am most proud of my son.  He will graduate next year from the university and begin his career in teaching music.  I am also proud of dedicating my last fifteen years to writing about watches and watchmaking.

10. What advice would you give to a 20 something someone thinking of taking a similar path as you? 

Here is the advice 20 something me took to heart - my life was not built on a deep philosophy, moral code, or religion, it was a built on a simple song by Bobby McFerrin "Don't Worry, Be Happy".  No matter what path you take, don't worry, be happy now.

11. Name three things on your bucket list. 

Safari trip to Africa, take a 911 GT3 for spin on Nürburgring, and own a Lange Zeitwerk.

12. Where do you think the industry is going to be in 10 years time?

 The future will remain bright for watches and watchmaking, but the manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing will change according to the advancement of technology and behavior of future generation.  There will be a healthy co-existence of traditional watchmaking and modern nano technology to satisfy the broad range of consumers.  There will also be some resemblance of retail outlets along with virtual showrooms.

To learn more about Bhanu Chopra