Talk Of The Town: Top 8 Watches Making Noise In India Right Now
8 min read
India has a booming and burgeoning demand for luxury watches, a connotation of its exponentially growing population. It is predicted that revenue in the luxury watches segment in India amounts to $535m in 2022 and the market is forecasted to grow annually by 0.33%. Now that the facts and figures are laid out, let’s watch out for the watches making noise alongside the ruckus of a developing India.
Speaking about India’s favorites and not mentioning the Rolex Daytona would be a grand violation of its popularity. Rolex leads with 100% brand recognition across the globe and a global watch market share of 28.8%; the fame, though, is fostered by exceptional watchmaking skills. The interwoven history of auto racing and Rolex is beautifully told by the Rolex Daytona — named after Daytona Beach, popular in the racing industry. Known for its utility in calculating average lap speed, the watch was already a racer favorite; when it starred on the wrist of Paul Newman is when its fame went above and beyond its utility from 1963 to 1988.
The collectible timepiece has any watch enthusiast waiting in long lines before they can lay hands on its most famous stainless steel references equipped with caliber 4130, a self-winding chronograph movement, and 72 hours power reserve. The Cosmograph Daytona has various iterations of itself, from the famous Paul Newman watch with striking dial to the latest version of the purist's Daytona: the steel-on-steel ref. 116500LN.
Rolex Daytona has been perpetually making noise in India, like on Salman Khan’s wrist, and all over the world, a timepiece of luxury and a genuinely universal cultural phenomenon.
But this is not it. The watch community is growing and so are their choices. Here are other watches making noise in India currently!
The Grand Seiko Snowflake
An absolute favorite, the Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA211G boasts its elegant dial inspired by Hotaka’s mountains which are frequently blanketed with snow. Watch enthusiasts and fans all over the world and in India have been mesmerized by the exquisite high-intensity titanium case and the technical mastery of the renowned Spring Drive movement. Although, its major stardom can be awarded only to its eccentrically textured dial. Its individuality is what makes it stand out and above any competition — not that it has any in terms of its technical aspect, which arguably makes it Grand Seiko’s most popular watch.
The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional
The Omega Speedmaster, especially the Moonwatch Professional, is evidently a favorite of celebrities and watches patrons like us all around the world. It takes a leap back to the 4th generation of the 1960s Speedmasters in terms of design. With an updated step dial, chronograph seconds track, and a teardrop seconds hand, however, Speedmaster enthusiasts adored the new bracelet the most. The smaller links fit with a more supple comfort around the wrist. The sapphire model gained the most traction with a transparent case back, showing off all its intricate inner workings and polished inlays.
The RADO Captain Cook 2022
Witnessing an overall growth of 30.1% in India in 2021, RADO has always unmistakably been an Indian favorite, especially from the female perspective. A long-standing relationship with one of India’s favorite actors, Hritik Roshan, and the wrists of many celebrities due to its special serve of elegance. The RADO Captain Cook Over-Pole has been face-lifted with RADO’s high-tech ceramic prowess, revolutionary scratch resistance, and amazingly simple world-time feature. Consisting of the usual 12-hour markers and a rotating bezel — with names of cities, that corresponds to the 24-hour scale. The bezel also stars Mumbai on it, putting Mumbai on the map of the watch-making world.
The Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver
Slinging timepieces for over a hundred years, the Japanese brand. One of its most famous from its Promaster line is the Citizen Promaster Diver. It uses an Eco-Drive movement— literally a revolutionary movement in the watch-making world due to its perpetuity and ability to negate the constant replacement of batteries. If that is not enough, it is the first watch to run on solar power. Cutting-edge technology that powers classic timepieces at affordable prices, especially for a luxury watch; this watch is truly for the citizens, which is probably why it is one of the top players in India’s watch market share.
The HMT Pilot
An Indian watch-maker, Hindustan Machine Tools - HMT, is obviously worth mentioning as we talk about Indian preferences. The usual HMTs are watches that define simplicity and class. The HMT White Pilot Limited Edition, however, is a step up in terms of its design. Being one of the rarest of HMTs made, it sports a white dial, striking blue hands, and an etched caseback, unlike the usual Pilot watches. HMT is known for its hand-wound movement, but this one features a 0231 hand-wound movement manufactured using machinery obtained from Citizen in 1961. HMT Pilot is quite famous thanks to its simplicity, durability and, of course, economical affordability considering it was synonymous with the military.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
The mechanism and pioneer of the Reverso watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre, JLC, is attributed to Polo and the Indian Bollywood industry. Friends of the brand include various Indian celebrities, including Saif Ali Khan. The JLC Reverso breaks the glass ceilings of design in the watch world despite it being specifically made to withstand the rigors of Polo matches that caused the glass on its watches to break. The watch allows its wearer to swivel and flip the case and conceal its dial while flaunting its etched caseback. Its rectangular dials, horizontal clear-cut gadroons, and triangular lugs all fit the watch’s geometry effortlessly, hence hiding any proof that the watch can swivel. All these features are packed in a luxurious inventive watch that mesmerizes fans all over the world.
The Cartier Santos
Cartier and India’s love story goes way back to 1911 when a visit to India awestruck the name behind the brand. From ‘India-inspired’ jewels to customizing jewelry and watches for Mughals and emperors, Cartier still holds prominence in India today.
The 2022 Santos Dumont line includes three pieces that are intended to evoke the essence and elegance of the watch previously made to wear by the titular Alberto Santos-Dumont, Cartier's beloved pilot friend. The latest of the collection features three models: a burgundy strap and platinum, green strap and gold, or black strap and steel, encasing a hypnotic pattern of squares on the dial and the blue crown retaining a modern outlook while perfectly nodding to the past.
The elegance and style tied to the history of Cartier watches have always been intriguing to its Indian audience.
The Girard Perregaux Laureato
The Girard Perregaux Laureato has been one of its most popular collections. The archetype sports watch has evolved over time with its latest 42 mm model outfitted with an onyx dial and a pink gold bracelet strap that was practically blended with the case's pink gold shape. All of this is demonstrated by the Laureato, which has an octagonal bezel. The coalition of deep black onyx and pink gold accents creates a pleasing contrast, which is well affiliated with the Laureato name and its enduring response.
A growing population, an expanding customer base, and an elevating standard of living are all emphasized with every watch enthusiast’s attention to detail and quality list these top luxury brands as India’s favorites. All of which combine into a cacophony of enthusiasm, intrigue, and fascination toward the watches making noise in India.
