The name of David Sassoon is inscribed over the arch on the ground floor. He had donated a large sum (₹ 30,000) for building the clock tower. A Baghdadi Jew, David Sassoon (1792–1864) funded many educational institutions in Mumbai. Various charity trusts, that continue to exist today, were funded, by and named after him and other members of the Sassoon family.
The ground floor of David Sassoon Clock Tower is 12 sq. ft in area. The square base is open on all sides. The main entry is from the east, through a path leading from Jijamata Udyan. The west-facing entrance is also open. The north and south entrances have balustrades, preventing entry. Pairs of decorative colonettes flank the arched entrances on all sides.
The terracotta keystones on the ground floor arches at the David Sassoon Clock Tower depict the faces of the allegorical figures representing morning, evening, noon, and night, each facing one cardinal direction.
Wrought iron helical staircase leading to the upper level of David Sassoon clocktower. The staircase is sealed, and no one is allowed to climb the clock tower.
The David Sassoon Clock Tower was constructed by Messrs. Scott, McClelland and Co., who also completed the Victoria and Albert Museum after its architect William Tracey died. In both buildings, they used the Neo-Palladian style, lending architectural uniformity in the buildings. The ensemble of buildings at Jijamata Udyan, which includes the triple-arched gateway, are the only buildings in Mumbai where the Palladian architectural style was used.
Detail of arch and keystone with panels of Minto tiles and dressings of Blashfield's terracotta from Stamford, Lincolnshire. The David Sassoon Clock Tower is built from Porbandar stone, which was used in many public buildings of Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Bombay High Court, and Crawford Market.
The David Sassoon Clock Tower originally stood outside the gates of Victoria Garden, by the side of the main road, then known as Parel Road (now BR Ambedkar Road). In 1926, during the widening of the road, the clock tower was dismantled brick by brick and reconstructed at its present location. During shifting, the earlier alignment was retained, and the successful relocation of the structure set a good example of sensitive heritage conservation.
The David Sassoon Clock Tower is 67 feet high and has clocks facing the cardinal directions. The clocks are provided with four patent opal glass dials, each measuring four feet in diameter. Unlike other clock towers in Mumbai, which have mostly stopped functioning, the clocks of this clock tower are all in working condition.