Smartwatches are not competition: MD, Citizen Watches, India

As one of the largest producers of watches, Citizen is looking to make its mark in the luxury watch market and today’s launch is an optimistic step in that direction. The latest Promaster collection - Eco-Drive Satellite Wave – Air and Eco-Drive Altichron, launched today in India focuses on the environment as much as it does on hitting all the right notes when it comes to fusing technology and good looks.

The audience the company is looking to focus on in the country are professionals, the “new rich”, those interested in technology and those looking for “affordable luxury” in the 25-35 age bracket. Those looking for watches within a reasonable budget but one that still qualifies as a luxury piece will find something in Citizen. Dismissing the notion that we’re a price conscious country, Katsusuke Tokura, Managing Director, Citizen Watches (India), maintains that the audience the company will be targeting here is one that will pay for the kind of product they have to offer. Realistic about competing with “high-luxury” brands like Cartier, Rolex, Omega and Longines he adds that they aren’t looking at that audience but in the pyramid of the luxury segment in the country they will feature in the  upper half.

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“In this fast-changing world, time is always a constraint, especially if it’s about innovation and technological advances. Citizen’s Eco-Drive Satellite Wave – AIR, the fastest satellite synchronized watch in the world, is not only superior in design and state-of-the-art technology but also highly desirable. The Eco-Drive ALTICHRON extends the model’s legendary altimeter performance and elevates the multi-functionality even higher. Both the watches have enhanced performance with newer technologies and provocative design”, said Tokura.

When pressed about the inevitable influx of smartwatches what with the Samsung Gear, two iterations from Sony and even Qualcomm taking a shot at the segment with the Toq, Tokura says, “Smartwatches are a new proposal. Traditional watches and smartwatches do not have the same audience nor are the on the same playing field. There won’t be a big competition between the two. Watches are always a big part of fashion and people who are are conscious of this tend to own multiple watches to suit the occasion”. According to him this is a place where smartwatches don’t really win.

Confident that smartwatches will not gorge on the market share of luxury watches, he also doesn’t entirely dismiss the probability that somewhere down the line traditional watchmakers might infuse “smart” elements in their watches just to raise the bar a bit.

Here’re some details on the watches launched today.

ECO-DRIVE SATELLITE WAVE - AIR

This advanced satellite timekeeping system delivers much higher reception sensitivity and is the world’s first light-powered watch with a full-metal case that receives time signals from navigation satellites. It engages atomic clocks of the closest orbital satellites circling the earth from about 20,000 kilometers above, and beams signals directly back to your watch no matter where you are. Further, this system dynamically adjusts your time so that you’ll never be out of sync. Its speed to correct the time is also the fastest among all satellite-synchronised watches.

Always in sync

The design of both sides of the titanium case was inspired by the streamlined structures of wings, enhancing the impression of dynamism and lightness. The dial suggests the rotating fan blades of an aircraft engine, associated with an image that suggests drawing light and satellite signals from the sky. The dial consists of three transparent layers, over which indexes, windows and hands are laid out respectively, creating an airy floating impression.

ECO-DRIVE ALTICHRON

Built for the extreme

While the Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE – AIR has redefined ‘cutting-edge’ by adopting technologies that are out of this world, the Eco-Drive ALTICHRON series have pushed the boundaries of convention far beyond. Right at home in extreme environments, the Eco-Drive ALTICHRON offers dual-sensor altimeter, electronic compass and unprecedented operational range from 300 meters below sea-level to an astonishing 10,000 meters in the atmosphere. At the push of a single button, ultra-precise measurement of depth, height or direction is displayed simultaneously with the time.