EDITALK

Festive Season 2026 & Samaya Bharati 2027
Harbinger of Good Times to Follow

And as we near the end of Calendar Year 2026, the Festival Season just begun in September with Janam Ashtmi, trailed by Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri and Dasserha has brought in a wave of good cheer, happiness and excitement both in the horological industry and trade with more festivals such as, Diwali, Christmas and New Year 2027 to soon follow and waiting around the corner. If one looks back at the 9 months of this Year ended September in retrospect, it is heartening to note, that in general, it’s been a good year for branded watches. With an increasing emphasis being focused on premiumisation and high-end semi-luxury and luxury products by most brands, as well as the awareness, that Indian consumers are now getting choosy and more discerning than ever, very innovative and attractive watches have appeared on the market scene in recent months. This development, augurs well for the watch industry in particular, as it brings in a strong drive, for brands to introduce more and more such watches in the months to come. Also, since now the remainder part of this year will be buzzing with festivals almost one- after-the-other in a row, brands are busy working on new designs and features that will allure the Indian consumer. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the clockmaking industry. Most clock brands operating in India, despite their best efforts as well as turning out improved creations on a regular basis, have not been able to improve their business model. So, while watches are being designed and conceived in multiple ways, clocks are yet to attract acceptable brand status. As a matter of fact, the Indian watch industry has been observed to be growing rapidly in 2026, driven by a rising affluent class, expanding luxury and mechanical watch segments, and an equally fast-growing wave of independent microbrands. In terms of valuation as one looks at it, the Indian watch market is estimated at being around USD 4.62 billion to USD 6.7 billion in 2026, with long-term forecasts projecting growth and placing it at around USD 10.4 billion, over the next decade. A large role in this has been that of regulatory changes brought about due to Swiss Import Duty Reductions. Under the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association, India's import duties on Swiss watches dropped further in January 2026 (from 18.86% to 15.71%), part of a 7-year glide path heading towards zero by 2031. This is encouraging global luxury houses like Breitling, Omega, Cartier, and Grand Seiko to expand their boutique and physical footprint across the country. For instance, the Japanese Seiko is already tracking to make India its third-largest market globally, by the end of this year, bolstered by new Salon openings like the recently opened Grand Seiko Boutique in Bengaluru. Likewise, Casio and Citizen too are taking huge strides in entrenching themselves deeper into the Indian horological eco-system. Then, there’s also the mechanical and complication shift that’s happening simultaneously, with domestic giants like Titan witnessing huge spikes in the sale of mechanical and automatic watches (with Titan’s automatic sales projected at around INR 350 crore this year) backed by in- house movements, such as the recently launched Vetra. Side-by-side, Timex Group India, Fossil and Maxima too, have continued to enhance their respective portfolios and moved towards high-end offerings, that are in line with present-day trends. An equally forceful impetus has been thrown in, through the rise of Indian microbrands. For decades, Switzerland, Germany and Japan had dominated the conversations around fine watchmaking. India, despite being one of the world’s largest watch markets, remained largely known as a consumer rather than a creator of horological excellence. That narrative is however changing rapidly. Independent domestic and home-grown labels such as Jaipur Watch Company (JWC), Bangalore Watch Company (BWC), Delhi Watch Company (DWC), Ajwain etc., have cultivated passionate collector communities by focusing on originality, transparency and India-based storytelling as well as on the major themes of national culture, such as: cricket, military aviation, the national space programme and the landscapes of the subcontinent. It’s rather than simply competing on price, demonstrating that Indian horology is developing its own distinctive voice. This new generation of Indian watchmakers is combining heritage manufacturing, modern engineering and distinctly Indian storytelling to create timepieces that deserve attention far beyond the country’s borders. From government backed institutions and large-scale manufacturing to ambitious independent brands producing limited editions rooted in Indian culture, Indian horology is hence quietly entering its most exciting chapter yet. Alongside, these developments, are also the Women’s and Smartwatch segments. The women's watch segment and tech- driven smartwatches continue to record some of the fastest adoption rates, alongside a booming D2C and e-commerce infrastructure. So, this Year is almost beginning to look like a turnaround year, specifically for watches, with hopefully even better and good times to follow thereafter. The best development across the year though, is that all watch brands, big or small are driving themselves towards introducing better products while many are also premiumising their offerings. All these happenings, are further accelerated by many new international watch brands continuing to enter India, and wanting to establish themselves here. On the flip side, due to the shortfall in this year’s monsoon, some markets at the same time, are likely to face a challenging period. But going by the resilience that the Indian horological industry has exhibited in the past by overcoming all obstacles, even the present challenge shall hopefully pass. Continuing to Kick-Start the New Year To further kick-in more zeal and enthusiasm towards a great year to follow for the Indian horological industry and trade, the 23rd edition of India International Watch & Clock Fair – Samaya Bharati 2027, to be held in Bangalore in the second-half of January 2027, will bring to the Horological Industry, a golden chance of, exhibiting to the Indian audiences, their latest innovations which they have created in recent months. It’s an opportunity, which comes once in every two years, to not only showcase one’s prowess in watchmaking, under one common roof, but also to demonstrate the extent to which, the Indian and International watchmaking industry has progressed, in keeping with present-day trends and consumer expectations. The 4-day exposition, will bring with it, several opportunities for the brands as well as trade to interact with each other on a common platform and work together toward a better tomorrow. While brands will be able to proactively engage with both their existing as well as prospective consumers, the trade fraternity too will also be able to expand their product portfolio and offer a wider range by forming new alliances, besides strengthening the existing ones. It’s no news that as India progresses at an incredible speed into the future, so is the World of Time. With Premiumization, having become the Mantra, the new creations of today, have to be seen to be believed, Timekeeping devices have transformed completely, from what these used to be in the past. It’s important to realise in good time, the significance of how the picture is very likely to change, in the not very distant future. Consumer expectations are changing, the times are changing, and likewise even the World of Time is changing. Anything that we see today, will not be the same tomorrow. It will be a whole new world. Samaya Bharati 2027 will showcase the Future of Time, and hopefully an even better year ahead for everybody connected with the watch industry. So, let’s Wish All a Very Happy Diwali and an Equally Prosperous and Successful Year Ahead!

Hemal M. Kharod