The ₹1 lakh-plus price point is an exciting place to be in

LUXURY SHOPPERS ARE LOOKING FOR BRANDS THAT CAN RESEMBLE THEM, THEIR ATTITUDES, AND MINDSET" SUPARNA MITRA

- Viveat Susan Pinto

Titan Company's premium watch retail arm Helios recently tied up with Charriol, a Swiss luxury watchmaker, to expand its collection of over 40 global brands.

Among Helios's collection includes names such as Victorinox, Movado, Balmain and Xylys.

In the country for the launch, Coralie Charriol, CEO and creative director, Charriol, and Suparna Mitra, CEO, watches and wearables division, Titan, spoke to Viveat Susan Pinto on the evolving market for luxury watches in India.

Edited Excerpts:

How different is the Indian luxury consumer versus China and South East Asia?

Charriol: The markets are different.

India pretty much stands on its own when it comes to its culture, food habits, arts, entertainment, fashion and lifestyle.

That is not the case with China, where the market prior to the economic boom (which began in the 1990s) was barren and grey.

The cultural revolution (between 1966 and 1976) stripped the Chinese of any foreign product.

There was nothing.

But as the Chinese economy began opening up and foreign brands began entering the market, many found a loyal consumer base in China.

Which is why luxury brands stuck there.