Tharaka Time House set up by Athauda Arachchchige Somasiri Wimaladasa Jayatissa celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
“Our store in Colombo Sri Lanka is recognised as an official Rolex retailer,” said Senior Partner of Tharaka Time House,Tharaka Jayatissa.
He said that it was primarily an emotional rather than a business decision for his father who always had a great passion for quality watches and was the chief technician at B. P. De Silva’s. “Rolex was having problems with their agents at that time and my father having specialised in Omega watches wrote to Rolex in Geneva, saying that with his considerable experience he would like to take over the Rolex agency.”
Within a year, Boilet of Rolex Geneva and Ramsay who headed the Rolex operation in Singapore arrived in Sri Lanka for discussions with Jayatissa Snr. The first showroom was opened on November 4, 1973 at Hemas Building, York Street, Colombo 1. It was named after his son Tharaka.
In 1979 they commenced importing and selling watches, starting with 15 pieces.
Tharaka Time House is constructing a state-of-the-art four-storey showroom in Kollupitiya.
