Timex Group India is sharpening its focus on premiumisation with the launch of Aston Martin watches, addressing the clear white space in the market, Deepak Chhabra, MD, Timex India told ETRetail.
“There was a gap of a true motorsports brand,” he said, adding that Aston Martin’s global legacy made the partnership a natural extension.
“Motorsports are really gaining traction in India. In 2020 there were about 31 million Formula One followers, and that has almost doubled to about 60 million now,” he further added.
He believes the cultural momentum around motorsports and the consumer shift to design-led premium watches create the right opportunity to bring the British marque into India.
Aston Martin strengthens Timex Group’s play in the bridge to luxury segment.
“We are building our portfolio there. We have Guess Collection, GC, and added the Philipp Plein line. Now with Aston Martin, we are expanding affordable luxury,” he said.
The company will introduce around 65 SKUs across two product lines – the sportier Aramco Formula One range priced between Rs 12,000 and Rs 25,000, and the heritage-inspired line between Rs 20,000 and Rs 60,000.
“One line is vibrant and sporty for young consumers, and the other is a heritage line inspired by cars,” he asserted.
“We will be selling online at relevant portals like Myntra, Tata Cliq and Ajio Luxe, and from our stores, Just Watches,” he added.
The brand will also be available at leading premium retailers including Just in Time, Shoppers Stop, The Collective, Kamal Watches, Zimson Watches, Swiss Time House, Sethi Watch Company and Ganga Ram Gallery.
“We should be selling at about 100-plus points of sale offline and three to four online portals, plus JustWatches.com,” he stated.
Initially, the watches will be imported. This is a global licence which parent company holds. The company plans to see the response before bringing the supply chain to India.
The company is targeting USD 3 million in revenue from Aston Martin within two years.
“Retail revenue is generally double, so our market share target is around USD 6.5–7 million. In two years, Aston Martin will be a minimum Rs 50 crore brand in India,” he concluded.
