Tailored Timepieces
Tailored Timepieces

Jaipur Watch Company redefines the rich heritage of horology with unique and bespoke concepts. In an exclusive chit-chat with Retailer Media, Founder of Jaipur Watch Company, Gaurav Mehta, shares his views on being a select bespoke watchmaker.

Tells us how the inception of your company came about and the attributes of your new store?

Jaipur Watch Company started in 2013. Harbouring the hobby of numismatics and turning it into a passion to create the extraordinary, led to the establishment of Jaipur Watch Company and our premier collection - the coin watches. The coin watches are embedded with ancient coins in the dial that make the watches unique and add a touch of royalty to it. Through Jaipur Watch Company, we aim to offer the Indian luxury watch market more visibility in the international watch making industry. We pride ourselves in being India's first and only bespoke watchmaker.

Since our watches are about celebrating artistry, design and heritage, we have associated with stores with likeminded positioning. Hence, House of Heirloom made for the perfect partner for our maiden launch in the city. House of Heirloom cherishes vintage collection and pieces that are worthy of being heirlooms. The store brings together to the forefront traditional crafts, work and craftsmen housing bespoke pieces.

What are your views on the luxury watch market industry?

The luxury watch market has been ruled by big giants present in the industry for a very long time. It has witnessed innovation and adaptation according to the needs of the consumer who wants a distinct timepiece on his wrist. What it lacks though is the inflow of new watchmakers creating quality timepieces that are worthy of standing out in the luxury watch market. The Indian watch making industry is extremely unexplored as our country does not house too many luxury brands at the moment. I would personally, like to see more watchmakers like us entering into the luxury market and coming up with more distinct concepts.

As Apple has introduced its iwatch, do you think it will give a tough competition to other watchmakers?

The Apple iwatch is an entirely different concept from the traditional watches that exist in the market. The consumer segment is differentiated on the basis of specific traits that the customer wants. As beautiful a concept it is, a smartwatch can never replace a traditional watch. Will it give competition to other watch makers? Not necessarily. The lovers of heritage and traditional and the lovers of horology and classic system of timekeeping, would still buy those.

Tells us about the price points of your brand?

Our prices start from Rs 23,000/- and can go up to a higher range depending on the features that the customers are willing to add to their bespoke watches.

What are your differentiation strategies? How do you plan to compete with other bespoke watchmakers?

Our differentiation strategy is simple. We differentiate only on the basis of our concept and design. We are the only coin watch manufacturer in the country. Our concepts are unique to our brand ideology that aims at redefining the way timepieces are created. The basic idea of "bespoke" means creating custom-made timepieces. I do not think we need more than that as a strategy for dealing with competition. Our only strategy is to work with our customers on various concepts that represent them and create a bespoke timepiece they will cherish forever. We create collector's timepieces and our strategy is to keep doing so.

Is your brand available online? Does it help you in generating more clients?

We do not sell our watches online. We believe in allowing our customers to experience the timepiece and let it tell them the story we wish to convey through each one of our bespoke watches. The stores we are present in houses various collections that the customers can choose from. We have active social media campaigns running concurrently with our marketing strategies to generate new clients and stay in touch with those who wish to buy our watches. We use the online platform as a medium of informing and attracting the customer rather than a medium of sales.

How do you plan to expand your bespoke brand?

We plan to expand through our channel partners, which are selectively picked in the form of stores that convey the same brand message as we do. We are also working on an application that will allow the customers to create their bespoke watch designs which we will later materialise for them. The app will only be available at the stores, so that the customers can help us create a watch tailored specially for them.

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