Nalla Neram - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

Nalla Neram is an independent watch brand founded in 2025 near Neuchâtel, Switzerland, by Krishnamani Raman; it debuted with the “Kaalam Minutes Timer,” an automatic, column-wheel chronograph whose identity blends a minutes-first dial, a spinning chakra disc for running seconds and a 39 mm, design-patented steel case. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}

“Good/auspicious time” in Tamil and a minutes-centric philosophy

In Tamil culture, “Nalla Neram” denotes a “good” or “auspicious” time—akin to the broader “muhurat” concept—which the brand translates into a practical brief: prioritise useful precision at the scale of minutes.

The name isn’t just symbolic: a dual concentric track at the dial’s periphery prints all 60 minutes, letting wearers manage the hour as 60 discrete units rather than vague blocks; every third minute is printed in orange, a nod to India’s historic three-minute “trunk call” limit.

The promise is an everyday instrument for professional and personal use—meetings, training, cooking, commuting—kept deliberately uncluttered; the brand’s line “The Universe keeps time. You give it life.” is constantly tied back to this minutes-first reading.

Ribbed mid-case, square pushers and box sapphires: patented, purposeful design

The “Kaalam Minutes Timer” uses 316L steel with 39 mm diameter, 45 mm lug-to-lug and 12.75 mm thickness (excluding crystals), 100 m water-resistance and box sapphire crystals front and back; hand-polished square pushers and a chakra-engraved crown serve as distinctive signatures.

The profile alternates bead-polished ridges with polished edges, and a tiny Swiss-cross in the lower-right lug nods to Swiss Made; short, wrist-hugging lugs aim for stable stance and tamed height perception despite the twin domes.

On wrist, the ribbed flanks add relief without disturbing clarity; the kit includes a quick-release steel mesh plus two rubber straps and a tool-laden paulownia wood box, so you can experiment with wear right out of the box.

La Joux-Perret L112 movement: column wheel, 60 h and tungsten rotor

The engine is La Joux-Perret’s L112 integrated automatic chronograph (26 jewels, 4 Hz), a 7750-lineage calibre upgraded with a column wheel for control; power reserve is quoted at 60 hours with an open-worked tungsten rotor.

Regulation is stated at +4/-4 s/day in five positions; the blackened rotor features a chakra, with blued screws and Geneva stripes on bridges—a visual balance between contemporary storytelling and classical finishing.

Functionally, you get central elapsed seconds with 30-minute and 12-hour totalisers at 3 and 6, while a slowly spinning chakra disc at 9 replaces the running seconds—a reminder that the piece celebrates lived time as much as measured time.

Kaalam Minutes Timer family: references, variants and edition caps

The current range clusters around two cores, 7077 (black or blue dials) and 7080 (panda “Dark Blue Sky” and “Red Earth”); each dial is capped at 54 pieces.

• Nalla Neram Kaalam Minutes Timer 7077 Black — lacquered, grained black dial; dual minutes rings; polished steel hour/minute hands and orange timing hands; 39 × 12.75 mm (ex-domes), 100 m.
• Nalla Neram Kaalam Minutes Timer 7077 Blue — matte-grained blue dial, same spec, hand-polished square pushers and chakra crown.
• Nalla Neram Kaalam Minutes Timer 7080 Panda “Dark Blue Sky” — blue-accent panda, enhanced contrast and pad-printed minutes rings.
• Nalla Neram Kaalam Minutes Timer 7080 Panda “Red Earth” — red-accent panda with orange three-minute markers, supplied with mesh and rubber straps.

Shared specifications include 316L steel case, AR-coated box sapphires, an exhibition back over LJP’s L112, 18 mm lugs and a tool-rich kit (loupe, spring-bar tool, spares) in paulownia wood; the packaging underlines a “ready to wear and test” philosophy.

Positioning, public prices, channels and show presence

As of 29 August 2025, official prices list CHF 4,320 for reference 7077 (black/blue) and CHF 4,500 for 7080 (pandas); Monochrome confirms CHF 4,320 pre-tax at launch, while Oracle Time quotes £3,860 pre-tax—levels consistent with a column-wheel LJP chronograph.

Distribution mixes direct online sales with independent-scene visibility: the brand flagged Time to Watches 2025 attendance, appears on the Windup Watch Fair site, and has a GPHG entry page; a wholesale sign-up page signals selective retail ambitions.

Regarding volume, the firm states 54 units per dial and does not disclose annual totals; the “professionals” targeting and minutes-first messaging set the editorial tone, with sustained education around minutes as the practical unit of time.

Selection guide: reading style, use case and wear options

For a calm, desk-to-dinner presence, black maximises steel/orange contrast; blue softens perception while preserving clarity, and pandas dial up visual presence; the dual 1–60 track plus three-minute highlights serve as instant, everyday cues.

If your routine includes timed blocks (meetings, intervals, cooking), the column-wheel action gives a crisp start/stop via square pushers; validate pusher feel and sub-dial legibility in natural light, ideally by running a 3, 9 or 12-minute test to experience the dial logic.

Comfort-wise, compact sizing (39 × 45 mm) and box sapphires help with cuff-friendliness; check lug-to-lug drape and balance on mesh versus rubber by season, with strap rotation treated as part of the everyday experience.

Conclusion

Nalla Neram delivers a coherent take on “useful time”: a minutes-centric dial, an overt cultural thread and robust Swiss mechanics. The patented casework, square pushers and chakra disc make the piece instantly recognisable without hurting clarity. To choose well, start with your relationship to minutes: black for restraint, blue for calm, pandas for graphic presence. LJP’s L112 and 100 m water-resistance reinforce daily-wear credentials. To cross-check those promises against lived ownership, a practical compass remains Dialicious customer reviews.

(Updated August 2025)