Swiss but not quite

Xylyss the only Titan watch that’s made in Switzerland. What’s the story behind this brand and how is it faring in the Indian market?
We came out with Xylys about seven years ago. That was the time when we noticed people gearing towards premium products and had started purchasing high-end fashion brands. This gave rise to a new set of consumers, who were not traditionally rich, but had attained a certain premier status through sheer education. These new-age customers were well-travelled and were aware of global trends. A Swiss watch brand made sense to them because it represented class and style. That’s when Titan decided to come up with Xylys in India, and since then the response for the brand have been tremendous.

Wouldn’t an Indian customer prefer going for a Swiss watch that has a stronger heritage like a Raymond Weil or Frederique Constant?
Brands like Raymond Weil or Frederique Constant are highly priced. Xylys by Titan, although being a Swiss-made watch, is competitively priced. The starting price is `18,000. Almost anybody who wants to buy a new watch will consider Xylys. Moreover, our consumer segment is such that our customers have more than one watch in their wardrobe. They are multi-brand customers. A customer owning a foreign brand like Seiko or other Swiss watch brands will definitely consider adding Xylys to his collection as well.

Besides the price factor, how different is Xylys from other Swiss brands?
Most Swiss watchmakers talk about heritage and history of watchmaking. They glorify and celebrate the moment of time itself. They also look classic and retro. But in the case of Xylys, while the watch is made in Switzerland, there is a touch of modernity to it. The designs are more future-inspired but not futuristic; they have a unique design language that is unconventional yet sophisticated.
Meaningful design is at the core of every single watch. In addition, features like scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, surgical grade steel and genuine leather straps add quality and class to the timepieces. In short, Xylys is a Swiss watch, but without the conventional Swiss touch.

For long, watches have remained a style statement for both men and women. Titan too has been doing a lot to keep its brands interesting. Have you noticed any interesting innovations in the watch industry in the past few years?
Both customers as well as watchmakers are experimenting. Today, people have more than one watch in their wardrobe. Each occasion demands a different watch. They have a daily wear watch for work; a classy chunky watch for an evening party or a casual sports watch. This has resulted in skyrocketing sales figures, which, in turn, have motivated watchmakers to play with dial colours and straps. Today, PU strap bands are once again in fashion. Even the high-end luxury watches use them. Then there is a lot of use of ceramic and rosegold, which gives a classy look to these timepieces. So there is innovation happening across the board.