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Luxury sports watch TAG Heuer is gearing up for a boutique blitz in 2007.

When luxury sports watch TAG Heuer entered the Indian market in 2002, it was a low-key affair. Four years later, the brand has become a symbol for luxury watches, available through more than 65 outlets in 21 cities across the country.

Piggybacking on that success LVMH, which owns the TAG Heuer brand, will expand rapidly in India with special emphasis on Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

"Today, we have more than 150 different references (watches), each uniquely styled, in the market. We will have an aggressive product line in the days to come as we have identified India as one of the fastest emerging markets," says LVMH watch and jewellery regional manager (South Asia), Shantanu Mukherjee.

Mukherjee was in Bangalore recently to unveil the latest edition of the first ever professional golf watch, designed by Tiger Woods.

The watch, with the Tiger Woods logo on the dial and signature on the case back, features a sophisticated quartz movement and hand-applied luminous indices and markers. "We will, over time, bring more such products to the market," he said.

Mukherjee explained that "the demand for luxury watches has been present in the country, but there was a lack of supply. Our experience in the last two years has been phenomenal. Though India is a challenging market, we have doubled our sales in the Rs 1 lakh watch category in the last two years. We intend to maintain the same growth rate over the years."

TAG Heuer will be launching exclusive boutiques on high streets and high end malls. "The year 2007 will witness the highest density of TAG Heuer boutiques in India. The growth stems from the fact that a whole new generation are showing interest in luxury goods. For professional career persons in their late 20s, owning a TAG Heuer is a statement. These trends will drive our growth," he added.

Actors Sushmita Sen and Shah Rukh Khan are the brand ambassadors for TAG Heuer in India. "Besides, we have consistently associated with sports like golf and polo by promoting prestigious events. It is our aim to be among the top luxury sports watch brands in the country in two years," Mukherjee says.