A YEAR OF FESTIVITIES

Seiko's global celebrations, marking its 145th anniversary, has translated into a local strengthening of its retail presence in India. We chatted with Yoshikatsu Kawada, Director & Senior Executive Vice President, Seiko Global Division, to know more about the brand's plans to commemorate the milestone year.

- by Somya Rauthan

— India’s watch community is growing like never before, and Japanese watchmaker Seiko continues to stand out as a brand that has long been admired by enthusiasts for its precision, craftsmanship, and accessible luxury. And now, as the brand opens its flagship boutique in Bengaluru, also the biggest in the country, it reflects Seiko’s growing commitment to the India market. The boutique, inaugurated by former cricketer Anil Kumble, also marks the brand’s 145th anniversary celebrations.

Spanning 1,400 sq ft, this is the second store launched by Seiko just in the last quarter, after Mumbai, and its 20th in the country. The new space will allow people to explore celebrated collections like King Seiko, Prospex, Presage, Astron, and 5 Sports, showcased at dedicated counters. Exclusive collaborative timepieces and limited editions are also accessible here.

Present at the launch were the global Seiko leadership team and Yoshikatsu Kawada, Director & Senior Executive Vice President, Seiko Global Division, who talked about growing appreciation among Indian consumers for Japanese watchmaking. WatchTime India caught up with him to know about the brand’s guiding philosophies and expanding presence in India, with inputs from Niladri Mazumder, President and COO, Seiko India.

WatchTime India: What factors contributed to the timing of this boutique launch?

Yoshikatsu Kawada: We wanted to tell the Seiko story to consumers. We have already established our global collections like King Seiko, Prospex, Astron, Presage, and 5 Sports. It’s the perfect time for us to establish the boutique, as this will be a place for consumers to get to know what Seiko actually is. We would like to go to the next stage for the brand.