• Client ANKA Watches
  • Industry Manufacturing
  • Engagement 2025*
  • Scope 360° Branding & Digital Communication

ANKA Case Study

Bringing the Past into the Present through Watches

ANKA brings history into the present through handcrafted wooden watches featuring authentic historical coins and stamps. We worked across every brand touchpoint, building its identity and shaping how the brand looks, communicates and connects with its audience.

ANKA wooden watch with a peacock feather dial

Era 01: The Beginning

The Art of Carrying History

Long before a watch tells the time, it carries a story. ANKA was built around this very thought. What if pieces of history could find a new life in something we wear every day?

With authentic historical coins and stamps set into handcrafted wooden watches, ANKA gave the past a place in the present. Every timepiece had its own character, its own story and a detail worth looking twice at.

We saw an opportunity to build a brand that could do justice to this idea. One that would make people curious about the story behind the watch, even before they discovered how it was made.

The story had its roots in history. Now, it needed an identity to carry it forward.

ANKA watch on a writer's desk with sketches, stamps and a coin
Elephant mascot in a suit sketching the ANKA identity beside a watch

Era 02: The Identity

An Identity Rooted in Timeless Stories

ANKA had a story that set it apart. The identity needed to capture that same sense of history, craftsmanship and individuality. We explored how the brand could look, feel and speak, creating a visual direction that reflected the character of its watches while giving it room to grow across different platforms.

The aim was to make ANKA recognizable even before someone got a closer look at the timepiece.

And at the center of this identity was one mark that would bring it all together.

Era 03: The Mark

The Name behind every Timepiece

A distinctive idea deserves a name that people can remember. ANKA became the name that would represent the brand and everything it stood for. Short, memorable and easy to recognize, it gave the watches a distinct identity and a name that could travel across collections, conversations and markets.

With the name in place, it was time to give ANKA a face.

अङ्क ANKA
WORD
अङ्क · aṅka
LANGUAGE
Sanskrit
MEANING
A number; a numeral
CONNECTION
The hour on a dial. The year struck on a coin. The value printed on a stamp.

अङ्कः केवलं संख्याः न, स्मृत्याः अनुक्रमः अस्ति

A number is not just a digit, it is a sequence of memories.

THE BRAND'S OWN LINE

Era 05: The Digital Home

Taking the ANKA Experience beyond the Wrist

A watch like ANKA's deserves more than a product listing. Its story, craftsmanship and history needed space to be explored. We designed and developed the website to bring the brand and its collections together in one place, making it easier for visitors to discover the timepieces, understand what makes each one special and explore the details behind the craft.

Once the digital home was ready, the next step was to take ANKA's story to the people.

Era 06: The Social Presence

Giving every Post a Piece of the Brand

ANKA's story had to travel beyond its website. We built its social media presence around the brand's distinctive watches, highlighting their craftsmanship, historical details and individual character through engaging creatives and content. Every post and visual carried the same identity, helping audiences discover what makes ANKA different.

And for a product with so much character, showing it was just as important as telling its story.

Phone showing ANKA's Instagram profile
ANKA Instagram post 1, East India Company Victoria Queen 1835 half rupee watch
ANKA Instagram post 2, East India Company Victoria Queen 1835 half rupee watch
ANKA Instagram post 3, East India Company Victoria Queen 1835 half rupee watch
ANKA Instagram post 4, East India Company Victoria Queen 1835 half rupee watch
ANKA Instagram post 5, East India Company Victoria Queen 1835 half rupee watch

Era 07: The Experience

Every Detail Deserves to be Understood

A distinctive timepiece can come with questions of its own. How should it be worn? How should it be handled? How can its unique details be cared for? We created user guide content and a how-to-wear video to help customers understand their ANKA watches and make the most of their experience. The focus was to make product guidance simple, clear and easy to follow, while keeping the brand's visual language intact.

With the brand built across identity, digital and customer touchpoints, it was time to bring it all together in motion.

ANKA how-to video: Quick guide on how to remove a link

Era 08: The Motion

Putting the Brand in Motion

Some details deserve to be seen in motion. The texture of the wood, the character of a historical coin and the craftsmanship behind every timepiece all add to what makes ANKA special. We created reels and video content to bring these details closer to the audience, giving the brand more ways to showcase its watches and tell their stories.

Every timepiece came with its own details. We made those details easier to understand.

ANKA Instagram reel 1
ANKA Instagram reel 2
ANKA Instagram reel 3
ANKA Instagram reel 4

Era 09: The User Guide

A Little Guidance for Every Timepiece

A new timepiece comes with details worth knowing. From understanding its features to learning how to wear and care for it, customers needed the right guidance to make the most of their ANKA watch. We created the user guide to make this information clear, accessible and easy to follow. It brought essential instructions together in a format that customers could refer to whenever they needed, making the ownership experience more informed and convenient.

With the details explained on paper, it was time to capture the watches through our lens.

ANKA user guide cover
ANKA user guide: Dear Keeper of Time letter
ANKA user guide: About ANKA Watch
ANKA user guide: Usage Guidelines and Care
ANKA user guide: Timepiece Craftsmanship, seven steps from Discovery to Crowned
ANKA user guide: Add or Remove Link, strap types with a QR code to the step-by-step guide
ANKA user guide: closing note, To an amazing human being, you. With gratitude, ANKA

Era 10: The Photography

Putting Craftsmanship in Focus

ANKA's watches had details that deserved to be seen up close. The natural texture of wood, the character of historical coins and stamps, and the fine craftsmanship behind each piece all played a part in its appeal. We handled the product photography to capture these details and present the watches in a way that reflected the brand's character. The photographs gave ANKA a strong visual library to use across its website, social media and other brand communication.

From the first idea to the final photograph, every part of the brand came together to tell one ANKA story.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shivrai coin watch, lead frame from the shoot
LEAD FRAME · CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ · SHIVRAILIGHT · SURFACE · DETAIL · FRAME

CONTACT SHEET · ANKA PRODUCT SHOOTHOVER TO LOUPE

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shivrai coin watch
Republic of India 1951 One Pice coin watch
British India 1904 1/12 Anna coin watch
Princely State of Mysore 18th Century Copper Kasu coin watch
Princely State of Mysore Copper Kasu watch on a map
Princely State of Kutch 1912 2.5 Kori coin watch
Princely State of Bhavnagar 1935 4 Annas coin watch
British India 1929 1/4 Anna coin watch
British India 1914 One Rupee coin watch
British India 1947 One Rupee coin watch
India Postage 1939 10 Rupees stamp watch
Princely State of Kutch 1948 1 Kori coin watch

SURFACES OF THE SHOOT

  • Peacock feather
  • Aged map
  • Brocade
  • Newsprint
  • Raw silk

ERA 11 · THE COLLECTION

Every Timepiece Carries a Different Story

ANKA's collections connect watches with historical coins, stamps and the eras they represent. Through photography and communication, Granth made these details easier to explore while keeping each timepiece individual.

18TH CENTURY

ANKA wooden watch set with a Princely State of Mysore copper kasu coin, beside a carved elephant
Princely State of Mysore18TH C. | COPPER KASU

1800 — 1850

ANKA wooden watch set with an East India Company half rupee coin
East India Company1835 | ½ RUPEE

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a British India 1/12 anna coin
British India1904 | 1/12 ANNA

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a Princely State of Kutch 2.5 kori coin
Princely State of Kutch1912 | 2.5 KORI

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a British India 1914 one rupee coin
British India1914 | ONE RUPEE

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a Princely State of Bhavnagar 4 annas stamp
Princely State of Bhavnagar1935 | 4 ANNAS

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a Princely State of Rajpipla 2 annas stamp
Princely State of Rajpipla1943 | 2 ANNAS

1900 — 1950

ANKA wooden watch set with a British India 1947 one rupee coin
British India1947 | ONE RUPEE

1950 — 1975

ANKA wooden watch set with a Republic of India 1951 one pice coin
Republic of India1951 | ONE PICE

1950 — 1975

ANKA wooden watch set with a Republic of India 1957 2 paisa coin
Republic of India1957 | 2 PAISA

Era 12: The Outcome

From a Distinctive Idea to a Complete Brand

What began with a distinctive idea grew into a complete brand experience. From naming and logo design to the website, social media, videos, user guide and product photography, we worked across every part of ANKA's brand journey. Each touchpoint had a purpose, and together they gave ANKA a consistent way to present its story, showcase its craftsmanship and connect with customers.

  1. 01

    NAME

    A Sanskrit name that ties the brand to time and memory.

  2. 02

    IDENTITY

    A recognisable visual foundation for ANKA.

  3. 03

    CONSISTENCY

    Brand guidelines for a connected visual identity.

  4. 04

    IMAGERY

    A product photoshoot that became the brand’s visual language.

  5. 05

    DISCOVERY

    A digital experience for exploring watches and collections.

  6. 06

    COMMUNICATION

    Social content and video storytelling across platforms.

  7. 07

    GUIDANCE

    A user guide and how-to-wear video for everyday use.

Have a Brand Worth Making Unforgettable?

ANKA had a story rooted in history. We helped shape how that story looks, feels and reaches the world. Your brand has its own story waiting to take shape. Let's build an experience that gives it the identity and presence it deserves.

Let's Make Your Brand Timeless
ANKA elephant mascot holding a wooden watch and a branded box

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