September 24, 2025

Jaquet Droz, the legendary luxury watchmaker founded in 1738, is turning its eyes towards India’s sparkling opportunities. CEO Alain Delamuraz told ET that India’s rich culture and growth potential make it a bright future market for their deluxe timepieces. But this brand is no ordinary watch seller. Forget shops and retail stores! Jaquet Droz has removed all boutiques and multi-brand dealers worldwide. Instead, it shines with a singular showroom in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, where artisans, artists, and collectors come face to face. Here’s the twist: every watch is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece made only for a chosen collector. Each piece, usually topping 100,000 Euros, is not sold casually. It is handed over personally during a special unboxing ceremony attended by Alain Delamuraz himself. "We don’t have the same approach and concepts like other brands. We don’t have new launches or any points of sales. We are doing only unique pieces of art as per the needs of the customers and collectors," he said. India is now on their radar for building direct relationships with collectors. Delamuraz explained, "We are in India to meet the collectors, and to develop personal contacts between the CEO, artists and the final customers. We need to understand the culture of a country, to be able to produce pieces of art that are in sync with the culture. We are convinced that Indians will be able to appreciate our pieces and will be happy to have a unique piece of art on their wrist." Meanwhile, luxury watch competition in India is heating up. Ulysse Nardin just launched its first flagship store, and Franck Muller is eyeing branded residences. Swiss watch exports to India grew by 12.7% to 128.3 million Swiss francs in the first half of 2024, even as exports fell in other top markets like Japan and China. About the global luxury watch slowdown rumors, Delamuraz remains confident: "The industry is strong enough to withstand the storm and keep floating." He also highlighted a growing gap in wealth after the pandemic, saying, "We see more and more people with a lot of money and unfortunately, more people without enough money. The final customer is a person who is in a position to appreciate and assess the real value of the piece of art. This has increased the average prices of our pieces." So, Jaquet Droz isn’t just selling watches—they’re crafting wearable art with soul, right for the Indian connoisseur wanting to wear a legend.

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Tags: Jaquet droz, Luxury watches, Indian market, Alain delamuraz, Watch collectors, Swatch group,