Women In The C-Suite: A Charriol Story

Being a woman in business is not easy. Add to that a woman in the watch business? You’ve got yourself a real challenge there. However, Coralie Charriol, CEO & Creative Director, Charriol with her unwavering dedication to watchmaking and a keen eye for aesthetics, makes it look super easy. The transition of Coralie taking over as CEO from her father, Philippe Charriol, embodies the living legacy of the brand. Stepping into her father's footsteps, Coralie carries forward the brand's rich heritage of Swiss craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless elegance. Whether it's a celtic inspired watch or the bestselling St Tropez which is a unique amalgamation of jewellery and watchmaking, Charriol's creations offer a contemporary interpretation of the good old classic.  

Making its entry into the dynamic watch market of India, Charriol partnered with Helios, India's largest premium watch retailer from Titan Company Ltd. through an exclusive partnership. Speaking on the launch, Coralie notes, “We are very excited to bring Charriol to India, a market with immense potential and strong affinity for fine craftsmanship. With India's growing affluence and aspirational buying trends, our unique, high-quality products featuring the signature Celtic cable motif and Swiss craftsmanship are well positioned to resonate with discerning Indian consumers. The strategic partnership with Helios from Titan Company Ltd. will help us reach our target audience and deliver exceptional customer experiences. We are committed to long-term growth and look forward to becoming a valued part of the Indian luxury landscape.” 

Elaborating on the partnership, Suparna Mitra, CEO, Watches And Wearables Division, Titan Company Ltd. commented, “Titan’s secret sauce is really its consumer base. The sales staff in each Helios store is well versed with luxury watch brands and possesses deep knowledge of watchmaking. They are also trained to have a deeper understanding of clients and their preferences. They maintain in depth knowledge of our client’s data and ensure they maintain good relationships throughout.”

With over 240 stores, Helios serves as a foremost gateway for international brands seeking entry into the burgeoning Indian market. But how does a physical presence fit in to the everchanging digital world?  “Today, we are living in an omnichannel world. Inspite of having digital mediums at our fingertips, we do need physical stores as well. On weekends, holidays, festivals we all want to go out, enjoy the physical shopping experience and this can only be possible through brick and mortar stores. We would not prefer to sit at home and scroll on our phones in that case.”

The St Tropez is one of the most iconic models from the maison, having gone through various changes over the years. “Launched in 1983, the St Tropez is a bangle watch sold with a detachable chain. Its meant to be worn as a watch as well as a chain. It was designed by my father purely as a womens watch. There was no male counterpart for it nor was it a shrunk down version of the mens watch.  Even at that time, he knew that women were going to be a self purchaser of watches and jewellery. Which is why he created the St Tropez, a town in South of France a town close to his heart.”

Philippe Charriol, originally from France, brought his passion for art, history, and travel into the brand's aesthetic, creating a unique fusion of classic and contemporary styles. Together with her primary design team led by Yvan in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Coralie continues her father’s legacy as the next generation Charriol Swiss independent watchmaker. Talking about the rich legacy she has inherited from Philippe Charriol and how she views the brand Coralie says, “When my father launched his collection, his success ended up being cable watch with quartz movements. He was able to create a number of different models, establish a brand, conquer different markets, But that does not mean that he did not make some technologically advanced models. We have tourbillon, jumping hour, power reserve and many more in our repertoire just like any other watchmaking maison. The only difference is that we have been most celebrated for being a watchmaker that makes feminine, cable watches with a certain look, at a certain price. But we are a legitimate Swiss watchmaking brand.”

With an array of watch brands under its belt, Helios has an interesting approach to picking brands to partner with. “We try to maintain a balance across all categories of watches. We have so many sub categories like classic watches, dress watches, sport watches, dive watches. It also includes men and women heavy brands as well as different price points. We usually try to cater to the demands made by our consumers keeping in mind gender, look and price. When to comes to Charriol, it’s a delightful coincidence that both are run by women CEOs,” concludes Suparna.