What can we look forward to from Rado this year?
Our iconic high-tech line, Ceramica. It is entirely produced in high-tech ceramics. The watches are light, skin-friendly and adjust themselves to the body temperature. The brand's new Ceramica XL "Colors" collection, priced at Rs 1,59,000 onwards, is a style statement in itself.
Now available in nine vibrant shades, there's a choice from green to four different shades of blue, intense violet, shiny silver, jovial pink to classy gold. These time pieces become a part of the body.
One of your biggest markets in India was Punjab a few years ago. How has your market developed in the country since then? We have planned another eight in the near future in Kolkata, Ahmedabad and other cities. A high image brand needs to be located in a "high desire" environment. With malls so popular in the country, we are looking to provide a shopping experience.
Your brand ambassador has been Lisa Ray. Are you looking for a more mainstream celebrity?
We have a defined audience and we want to be different from the mainstream. Therefore, our brand ambassador Lisa Ray fits the bill. She is not into mainstream Bollywood and she has her own style. Also, her partially being in India and partially abroad gives us an edge.
What is your understanding of the Indian buyer?
The Indian consumer is like any other consumer across the globe. Branding is what matters and then come looks, the product, features and emotions based on those. China is our No 1 market, then Dubai and central Europe, but now we are looking at the eastern side of the globe and India in particular.
Younger people, while taking great leaps in their career, want to add such a piece of jewellery to their wardrobe. The luxury market is still growing and particularly in countries with a large percentage of the young. But at the end of the day, it all depends on the product and not on the market.
