Titan Company is putting mechanical watches at the centre of its premiumisation plan, targeting Rs 350 crore in mechanical watch revenue by the end of FY27, up from roughly Rs 250 crore at the close of the previous financial year.
“We exited last year at about Rs 250 crore. We are looking to exit FY27 at Rs 350 crore, and I think Rs 500 crore is just knocking on our doors as we proliferate and give consumers more choice,” said Ranjani Krishnaswamy, Chief Marketing Officer–Analog Watches, Titan Company.
Krishnaswamy said the mechanical segment has grown about five-fold over the last three years and is expected to reach around Rs 550 crore in the next couple of years.
Why mechanical watches are becoming a growth engine
The push includes Vetra, a new mechanical movement, and a festive-season collection planned around October with a wider set of price bands. Titan is using its in-house movement capabilities to develop features such as a 72-hour power reserve, big date, GMT and an offset second display.
Krishnaswamy described the approach as balancing craft and complication, which the brand believes will matter as consumers compare Titan with Swiss, German and Japanese watch brands in the premium segment.
Because mechanical watches require more explanation than a basic timekeeping product, Titan is investing in physical retail experiences, sales training, product presentation and localised interventions in tier-2 and tier-3 markets. Krishnaswamy pointed to demand for the Zero Hour collection in Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Indore as evidence that premium demand is not limited to metros.
Festive media plan: broad reach plus targeted digital
Titan is entering the festive period with activity across television, digital, outdoor, print, marketplaces and retail. Krishnaswamy said the business is entering the season with positive momentum, citing the latest GDP growth figure of 7.7% and first-quarter performance.
The media mix is designed to combine broad-reach channels with interest-based digital targeting, watch communities and marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra.
The Raga campaign “Your Way Is Beautiful” is moving to TV after around 60 million views in its first four days, including repeat views, according to Krishnaswamy. For marketers, that is a useful example of using digital proof to justify broader media investment.
Making the brand relevant to Gen Z
Titan is also using storytelling to humanise the brand for younger audiences. Krishnaswamy said the Made in India – A Titan Story series resonated with Gen Z through personal and collective storytelling, moving beyond the traditional perception of Titan as a previous-generation watch brand. The “Wear Your Story” platform supports the same direction.
What marketers should watch
- Premiumisation still has room: Titan sees analog and smartwatches coexisting because they serve different consumer needs: functionality versus personal style.
- Communities matter in premium categories: Watch enthusiasts and specialist groups are becoming an important target for education and experience-led engagement.
- Channel balance is shifting: Marketplace e-commerce, own retail and multi-brand retail are becoming more evenly placed, which changes how the brand allocates marketing support.
- Tier-2 and tier-3 demand needs localised retail backing: Media targeting alone is not enough when the product requires demonstration and training.
Titan estimates the watches market at around Rs 26,000 crore and growing at about 18%, with the company growing faster than the overall market. Watches account for about 24-25% of Titan’s buyers, though jewellery contributes more to revenue because of higher average ticket sizes. The mechanical watch target, then, is a useful signal for the wider brand strategy: premium products, experience-led retail and storytelling that can pull in new generations.
Source: Storyboard18
