When you slip on Titan's newest watch collection, you're not just wearing time - you're wearing a story about India coming of age and reaching not just for the stars, but also the entire cosmos.
At a glittering launch at Bastian at the Top in Mumbai, India's iconic watchmaker Titan recently unveiled Stellar 3.0, its most ambitious collection yet. And at the heart of it all is a poetic mechanical marvel called the Wandering Hours - a limited-edition timepiece that dares to reimagine how we read time itself.
"For 41 years, Titan has defined Indian watchmaking through creativity and craftsmanship. Now with the Wandering Hours, we're placing Indian horology firmly on the global map, where innovation and artistry converge," Kuruvilla Markose, CEO, Watches & Wearables, Titan Company Ltd, told NDTV.
The Poetry In Motion
At first glance, the Wandering Hours doesn't look like any Titan watch you've seen before.
There are no fixed hands ticking in predictable circles. Instead, time wanders, just like it does in life at some times.
The hour hand glides across the dial, carrying two tiny rotating discs that dance along a curved minute track - each movement as deliberate as a comet tracing its orbit.
"In a normal watch, the hour and minute hands are fixed at the centre," Mahendra Chauhan, Head of Design, Watches and Wearables at Titan Company Ltd, told NDTV. "But here, the hour hand itself moves - or wanders - across the dial. It's almost like poetry in motion."
The watch's body, made from crystallised titanium, gleams with a grain that looks almost extraterrestrial. It is paired with a supple FKM rubber strap, a material known for its strength and used in high-end watchmaking. "Together with the Wandering Hours mechanism, the entire piece becomes a fusion of art and engineering," the design head added. "It's one of the star pieces of Stellar 3."
Only 500 pieces of the Wandering Hours exist, priced at Rs 1,79,995.
A New Era For Indian Watchmaking
For generations, Titan has been the watch India grew up with. "For me - and for a lot of Indians - Titan was their first watch," said Markose. "Titan revolutionised quartz in India, brought design home, and made time personal."
But the Titan of today is chasing something more ambitious.
"We're seeing a global resurgence of analogue watches," he said. "People are rediscovering watches as personal statements, not just gadgets that count steps. That's where Titan is heading - towards timepieces that have stories and soul."
It's a bold move in a market flooded with international luxury names, dominated by Swiss brands.
When asked why a consumer would invest in Titan today, Markose said Titan's strength lies in its roots.
"Titan stands for being an Indian brand. We're bringing world-class craftsmanship and technology to accessible price points."
Pointing to Titan's Ultra Slim, one of the thinnest watches in the world at just 3.3mm, priced at Rs 75,000, Markose said, "You won't find a watch that thin at that price anywhere else".
When Craft Meets Engineering
Luxury, for Titan, isn't just about gold and glitter, it's about precision and purpose. India has long been celebrated for its craftsmanship. But with the Stellar 3.0 series, Titan wants to add another dimension to its storied legacy, the one that of engineering excellence.
"Watches are very strong on engineering," said Markose. "They require workmanship, not just craftsmanship, and Titan is working to strengthen both."
The Stellar 3.0 collection embodies this balance beautifully. Its theme, "Inspired by the Infinite", draws from cosmic phenomena.
The Ice Meteorite, for instance, uses an authentic piece of 120,000-year-old Muonionalusta meteorite in its dial, while the Aurora Caelum captures the luminous dance of the famed Northern Lights in a radiant green face.
"In Stellar 1, we explored the birth of a star. Stellar 2 looked at the supernova. Stellar 3 continues the journey, it's about celestial motion, and what lies beyond time," said Markose.
Why Titan Doesn't Need a Celebrity Face
In a country obsessed with celebrity endorsements, the lack of one for Titan's luxury line is almost refreshing.
"Celebrities were a little overused," Markose admitted. "We felt it was time to let the product shine. Sometimes overexposure becomes counterproductive."
That decision, ironically, feels like a statement of confidence. Titan isn't trying to borrow star power, it's creating it.
How Titan Measures Success
While sales numbers do matter for Titan, success isn't just all about that.
"It's also about our ability to move up the value chain. A few years ago, we barely had watches above Rs 25,000. Now, we have many in that range - and even limited-edition pieces like Nebula Jalsa priced above Rs 40 lakh," Markose said.
He smiles recalling how those 10 Jalsa watches sold out faster than they could ever be made. "The artist who paints each dial takes two months per piece. That kind of patience makes luxury meaningful again."
The Future: Smarter, Sharper, More Indian
Titan's next chapter is all about balance - between tradition and technology.
"Smartwatches are moving from novelty to function," Markose said. "They serve people with active lifestyles. But analogue watches give you style, expression, and timelessness. Titan will continue to grow both."
The company's ambition also extends beyond borders.
"We're growing our international business too," he added. "The idea is to make Titan not just India's favourite watch, but a name the world associates with fine watchmaking."
A Universe On The Wrist
In the end, Stellar 3.0 isn't just a watch collection, it's a metaphor for India's creative confidence. Each dial tells a cosmic story, each mechanism whispers of ingenuity and patience.
"We're not just keeping time anymore. We're shaping how India tells it," added Markose.
Available exclusively at select Titan stores and online at www.titan.co.in, the Stellar 3.0 collection invites collectors and dreamers alike to step into a universe where the infinite isn't distant, it's right on your wrist.
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