Chandigarh gets Dior watches

Dior Watches has introduced the Dior D'Trick range in Chandigarh.

The price range is Rs 3,500""97,500. With this range, Dior Watches now offers 45 varieties of watches.

Shantanu Mukherje, brand manager of Dior Watches, told Business Standard about 85 per cent of the watches were meant for ladies. The company had been able to acquire about 6 per cent of the market for premium watches in two years, he said, adding that the aim was to increase it to 30 per cent over the next two years.

"The market is growing at 25""30 per cent, but we have had a triple-digit growth," he said.

Punjab and Delhi were the most important markets for the company, he said. Dior watches are available at 33 outlets in 13 cities, and of these 16 outlets are located in North India.

Mukherjee said, "Dior is available at two outlets in Chandigarh, one in Amritsar, and one in Ludhiana. We will add three more in Punjab by the end of this year."

Among high-end customers, demand was growing exponentially, Mukherjee said.

"The company earmarks 60""70 per cent of its India budget marketing the products," he added.

Competing with Omega in the domestic market and Gucci in the global market, the company projects a sale of 6,000""8,000 watches in India over the next three years.

Sales in India account for 1.5 per cent of Dior's global turnover.

Mukherjee said: "The Free Trade Agreement with Thailand will not undermine our prospects because our watches are competitively priced. Duties in India are high. But under WTO norms, they will come down."

Dior came to India two years ago. The Dior D'Trick range comprises the following varieties: "emblematic Chris 47 Chrono Dior D'Trick in a daring diamond version"; "the Chris 47 Steel Set Dial D trick in an exclusive jewellery version with a black lacquered dial"; "Riva Sparkling Dior D'Trick"; and the "Dietrich refinement""the malice D'Trick", which can be worn as a watch and pearl bracelet.