Watch Out: Tête-à-Tête with Michael Guenoun and Gitanjali Saxena

TimeVallée, Richemont’s multi-brand store has collaborated with Tata CLiQ Luxury, an e-commerce platform by homegrown Tata Group to launch its first digital platform in India. TimeVallée will use Tata Cliq’s platform to retail some of the timepieces ever made. The list includes Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, and Roger Dubuis. 

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Operating more than 35 boutiques in China, South Korea, Middle East, and Europe, Michael Guenoun has worked as the Managing Director, Cartier Travel Retail Asia. Michael Guenoun, CEO, TimeVallée shares his views on the collaboration in a conversation with GMT India.

‍TimeVallée opened its first boutique in the Middle East and now, you have launched in India. Was it a conscious decision to time these entries one after the other in the same year?

We are definitely excited about these two first-ever launches in both the Middle East and India. Both openings were part of our TimeVallée acceleration plan for the MEAI region and we’re extremely proud to have been able to deliver them as planned

Do you agree with this positive sentiment for the Indian market - especially for luxury timepieces - in turn prompting you to launch in India?

The luxury market in the country is definitely a promising one, especially with the rise in luxury shopping and an increase in watch enthusiasts. We see the luxury retail scene developing fast, and the Indian consumer ever evolving, well-informed about watchmaking and eager to see luxury brands evolving at the same level in their country and not only abroad

How did you decide on this bold move instead of taking the traditional route of setting up a physical store? Also, are there any other firsts we should know about…

The launch of this digital boutique comes hand in hand with our strategy to offer an unparalleled and omnichannel experience to our clients to indulge in the world of fine watchmaking. This first-ever TimeVallée digital boutique combines perfectly well the heritage of the Maisons and contemporary luxury together through a curated e-com journey in line with the clients trends in the market and beyond

What kind of experience can consumers expect from this first-ever digital boutique by TimeVallée? Could you share with us the highlights?

Through this digital boutique, clients will be able to browse and shop from 6 of the leading Swiss luxury Watchmakers.

Additionally, the platform operated by the leading and trusted player in India. Tata CLiQ Luxury offers an elevated and seamless experience for consumers, which includes assisted selling, a dedicated customer service where customers can get guidance from knowledgeable experts to assist them in selecting a coveted timepiece that speaks the most to them, tamper-proof packaging, an extended warranty, and more.

With Watches and Wonders just around the corner, we can’t help but ask you this: how soon will the W&W novelties for this year be available in TimeVallée’s digital boutique?

The collections and the pieces offered in any TimeVallée boutique, whether physical or digital, are usually decided and curated by the Maisons based on the market that we operate in and of course client profiles and trends.

GMT India also had a conversation with Gitanjali Saxena, CBO, Tata Cliq Luxury

Bringing TimeVallée to India is a big move since they are a world-renowned watch retailer. And while they have many physical stores across the world, how did Tata CLiQ Luxury make their digital store a reality in India? It's also their first digital boutique in the world.

TimeVallée is a luxury multi-brand boutique, a one-stop destination for watch enthusiasts to experience the world of watchmaking and is home to the most prestigious watch maisons. We have partnered with them to exclusively launch their first digital boutique in India. This launch marks TimeVallée’s entry into the country. With this launch, consumers in the country can now shop from prestigious Swiss luxury watchmakers recognized for their heritage & craftsmanship such as - Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, and Roger Dubuis, on the platform.

At Tata CLiQ Luxury, we are building the brand as a luxury lifestyle destination. The platform caters to a discerning and affluent audience segment who are digitally savvy and have a high disposable income. As the leader in the omni-channel luxury sector in India, Tata CLiQ Luxury has over 600+ brands across categories all of which have been curated with a guarantee of authenticity and quality, as well as the Tata promise and brand value.

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Can the Indian watch collector expect exclusive launches from the Richemont group with this collaboration?

 With the launch of TimeVallée on our platform, watch enthusiasts in the country can shop from a wide assortment of timepieces from over six major maisons.

Our endeavour is to continue to strengthen the watch category on the platform and encourage digital adoption of luxury watches. We are already witnessing tremendous growth in this category, and we will continue to focus our efforts on bringing in more brands and collections as well as enhancing the online shopping experience.

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