Collector Spotlight

Roni Madhvani

Roni Madhvani is a collector whose taste has always been drawn toward the unusual. Based in Kampala, Uganda, he has built a collection around vintage watches with character: unusual cases, double-signed and enamel dials, clocks and pocket watches, and particularly pieces from the Art Deco period. His interest extends well beyond the watches themselves — he collects old books and catalogues, studies the history around the objects he owns, and regularly shares what he discovers with other collectors. There is also a deeply personal side to the way he collects. His family’s history stretches from Gujarat in western India to Uganda, where his grandfather, Muljibhai Madhvani, arrived as a fourteen-year-old in 1908 and eventually established the foundations of a very successful business venture. That connection to India, together with Roni’s fascination with the watches made for the Maharajas, has shaped parts of his collection.