Fast Time Watch & Jewellery Repair has been part of Canada’s retail landscape for nearly half a century. Founded in 1979 by the Talsania family, the business began modestly as a small repair service specializing in LED digital watches and clocks. “My father came in with an engineering background,” said Milon Talsania, Vice President of Operations. “He didn’t start out with watches, but with electronics like cordless phones and VCRs. We struck a deal with General Electric to become their authorized repair depot for telephones and clocks. That’s really how it all began.”
The company’s journey into retail started when a buyer from Consumers Distributing suggested that instead of shipping repairs back and forth, Fast Time could perform services on-site for customers. That conversation opened the door to relationships with major retailers such as Simpsons and Eaton’s, which later led to a long-standing partnership with Sears Canada.
By the 1980s, Fast Time Watch & Jewellery Repair was operating as a licensed department inside Sears stores across the country. “At our peak, we had 62 locations in Canada and several in the United States,” said Talsania. “When Sears closed, it was a big hit. But we were able to redefine ourselves and rise from the ashes by launching under our own name.”
Rebirth After Sears
The closure of Sears Canada in 2018 forced Fast Time to reinvent itself. The company had been operating under the banner Sears Watch and Jewellery Repair, but suddenly found itself without a host retailer or name recognition. “Even though we’d been in business for decades, people didn’t know the Fast Time brand,” said Talsania. “We had to reintroduce ourselves to the market, this time as Fast Time Watch & Jewellery Repair.”
The rebranding effort was both challenging and liberating. The company launched new mall kiosks and inline stores under its own name, emphasizing accessibility and expertise. Today, Fast Time operates 10 retail locations across Ontario, including in Hamilton, Kitchener, Belleville, Sarnia, London, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay, with its head office and full-service workshop in Richmond Hill.
That Richmond Hill location, which the company owns outright, has become a cornerstone for growth. It houses a full team of technicians and jewelers who handle both walk-in customers and specialized repairs for the company’s other stores. “We’re able to attract customers from Vaughan, Aurora, and Markham,” said Talsania. “It’s not just our head office; it’s also a thriving retail hub.”
Blending Tradition and Modern Retail
Fast Time’s model is straightforward but powerful: provide watch and jewelry repair services that can’t be done online, and complement those services with a strong retail offering. The company’s signature service is “Watch Battery Replacement While You Wait”, which includes gasket resealing and bracelet cleaning. “We give a one-year warranty on our watch battery installations,” said Talsania. “It’s not just a pop-off-the-back and replace job. We make sure the seal is redone to protect against moisture and condensation.”
The company also provides full watch overhauls, crystal replacements, and link adjustments, alongside jewelry services such as ring sizing, chain soldering, and stone resetting. Increasingly, it also serves the growing market for fashion jewelry repair, an area many competitors overlook.
While repair remains a core business, retail sales have become equally important. “We don’t just repair watches anymore,” said Talsania. “We’re authorized retailers for major brands like Casio, Bulova/Citizen, Fossil & Timex and many more. About half of our business now comes from selling watches and accessories.”
Store-in-Store Growth Strategy
Fast Time Watch & Jewellery Repair’s next chapter is centred on strategic expansion through partnerships with major retailers in Canada. The company aims to revive the store-in-store model that proved so successful in the Sears era, this time with modern retail partners.
“It gives us an opportunity to get into marquee malls and leverage the foot traffic of a host store,” explained Talsania. “There’s real synergy there. Our business brings people in, and while customers wait for their repairs, they often shop elsewhere in the store or mall. Everyone benefits from that.”
This mutual advantage makes Fast Time an attractive partner for department stores or big-box retailers seeking to increase dwell time and foot traffic. “Our business is one of the few that can’t be done online,” Talsania noted. “You have to come in to get a watch battery replaced or a chain repaired. And while you’re waiting, you might shop in the host store. That’s why malls and retailers value what we bring.”
Bringing Customers Back to the Mall
The company’s compact kiosk and boutique-style units are designed to fit easily within existing retail footprints. “We don’t need thousands of square feet,” said Talsania. “In Sears, our locations were typically around 200 to 300 square feet. That flexibility makes it easier for us to work with partners and fit within their stores.”
These aren’t ordinary kiosks, either. Fast Time’s mall units are high-end installations with glass repair areas and branded displays for retail products. “They’re boutique kiosks,” said Talsania. “Not carts on wheels. We’ve invested in creating upscale, permanent spaces that reflect the quality of the service.”
That approach appeals to landlords as much as it does to shoppers. According to Talsania, during the pandemic, many mall guest services departments told him that Fast Time was among the most asked-about service businesses while stores were closed. “People missed us,” he said. “They really wanted those in-person services back.”
Expanding Across Canada
Fast Time’s current footprint is primarily in Ontario, but the company’s ambitions extend much further. “We’d like to expand across the country,” said Talsania. “We were once in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Quebec through Sears, and those were very successful markets for us. We’d love to return to them.”
Within Ontario, the company is actively exploring new markets in the Greater Toronto Area, including malls such as Yorkdale, Fairview, Mapleview, and Pickering Town Centre. “The GTA is a big opportunity for us,” said Talsania. “We already have two stores in London and could easily see multiple locations within one metro area again. It’s a physical service, so convenience matters.”
The company’s long history of managing multiple stores in close proximity is a proven advantage. “In London, we used to operate three Sears locations, and all were successful,” said Talsania. “Customers often visit multiple times — dropping off a repair, then returning for pickup, so proximity actually helps us.”
Value, Trust, and Customer Loyalty
Fast Time’s success is rooted in its value-driven approach. “We fix everything from a Timex to a Rolex, and we treat every customer with the same care,” said Talsania. “A lot of jewelry stores have gone after high-end clientele and left the middle market behind. We fill that gap.”
Affordability remains central to the company’s identity. “Our pricing is competitive, and in many cases significantly lower than what department stores used to charge,” he explained. “When Hudson’s Bay closed its in-store jewelry services, many customers came to us because we offered better service at a fraction of the price.”
Every watch battery installation includes cleaning and resealing, ensuring longevity and quality. It’s this combination of craftsmanship and transparency that has helped the brand maintain loyalty across generations.
Watches as Fashion and Sentiment
Despite the ubiquity of smartphones, Fast Time is seeing renewed interest in watches among younger consumers. “People sometimes say nobody wears watches anymore, but that’s not true,” said Talsania. “We’re seeing a big increase in our 18-to-34 demographic. They wear watches as fashion pieces or statement items.”
The company’s assortment reflects that shift, with brands such as Michael Kors, Casio Vintage, and Citizen Eco-Drive attracting younger shoppers. “What’s old is new again,” said Talsania. “Vintage-style digital watches and retro designs are back in fashion. We’re also seeing more people change their watch bands seasonally—white in summer, black for formal occasions.”
Fast Time’s wide selection of replacement bands in leather, nylon, and metal appeals to this trend-driven audience. “We carry all sizes and colors,” he said. “And when you buy a band from us, installation is free. For customers who buy watches online, we offer sizing and adjustment services too.” Our motto is “Buy it Anywhere….Fix it at Fast Time!”
Jewelry Repair and Sentimental Value
While watches remain the company’s foundation, jewelry repairs have grown into a major business. “People want to maintain their gold and silver pieces, especially with the price of gold where it is,” said Talsania. “We do ring sizing, chain soldering, and stone setting, and every piece comes with a story.”
He recalled one customer who brought in a brooch said to have been blessed by the Pope. “You see the sentimental value in these items,” he said. “It might be a $50 Timex or a priceless heirloom, but people are willing to invest in repairs because of what it represents to them.”
Fast Time’s technicians don’t just fix jewelry; they often restore it to its original luster through polishing, rhodium plating, or what Talsania calls “detailing.” “We don’t just repair the issue,” he said. “We make it look like new again.”
A Modern, Scalable Business
While rooted in family tradition, Fast Time is run like a modern enterprise. “We don’t operate like a family business,” said Talsania. “Yes, it was founded by my parents, but we’ve built systems and infrastructure for growth. We use advanced inventory tracking and work order management to handle repairs efficiently.”
This operational backbone gives Fast Time an advantage as it explores partnerships and expansion opportunities. “We’re set up for scalability,” he said. “We can open new locations quickly and maintain consistent quality across every site.”
The company’s combination of heritage, adaptability, and retail know-how positions it uniquely in Canada’s service landscape. Its model blends the human touch of old-fashioned craftsmanship with the precision and efficiency of modern retail operations.
Looking Ahead
As Canadian malls continue evolving into mixed-use community hubs, service-oriented retailers like Fast Time Watch & Jewellery Repair are becoming increasingly vital. “We offer something that can’t be digitized,” said Talsania. “People want their watches and jewellery repaired properly, by someone they trust, and they want to talk to a real person while it’s done.” For Fast Time, the goal is clear: to bring that trusted service into more retail environments across Canada. “We’re proudly Canadian and extremely proud of our history,” said Talsania. “But the next chapter is about growth, collaboration, and continuing to give Canadians value they can see and feel. one watch and one repair at a time.”
