It was earlier this year that the Swiss luxury multi-brand watch boutique chain TimeVallée opened its first brick-and-mortar stores in the country in partnership with Indian luxury watch retailer Art of Time. The first boutique opened in Mumbai, a sprawling luxury space, followed by a second in Bangalore, with Chennai to open soon. TimeVallée, part of the Richemont Group, only operates with partners internationally and Art of Time has associated with the Swiss watch retailer for quite some time now, so it was natural for the two to partner for TimeVallée’s first boutiques in India. The partnership, in turn, resulted in more brands being added to Art of Time’s portfolio and paved the way for further expansion in the country.
Art of Time is a relatively young watch retailer, having debuted on the Indian luxury watch scene on July 29, 2015, with a 2000 sq ft flagship boutique in Bandra, Mumbai. Co-founded by entrepreneurs Gaurav Bhatia and Bharat Kapoor, at the time of its launch Art of Time was the largest boutique in the country featuring a 'shop-in-shop' concept, retailing Richemont brands like Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Panerai, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Montblanc. After three years of success, Art of Time expanded with another boutique at Napean Sea Road in South Mumbai. In 2022, the duo expanded the brand’s presence with Montblanc mono boutiques, one in Pune and two in Chennai. Last year, they opened a mono boutique each for IWC Schaffhausen and Jaeger-LeCoultre in Mumbai. Between all its boutiques, there are 14 watch brands being retailed by Art of Time, including Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Breitling, Roger Dubuis, Piaget, Bvlgari, Baume & Mercier, and Zenith, with the last three introduced through TimeVallée.
“Our goal was to ensure that everyone in India gets exposure to these world-class international brands and gets an experience that's on par with global standards,” says Bhatia. “With our expanding footprint, we'd like to reach more and more watch lovers in India.”
To that effect, Art of Time offers additional in-store services such as gifting consultation and personalisation, and after-sales service is available exclusively at TimeVallée by Art of Time stores. Through the Art of Time website, customers can buy watches and chat with their team of experts over WhatsApp, book an in-person or video appointment with them, and opt for their home-shopping service which is currently available in Mumbai only. Furthermore, they are ready to implement a loyalty program to reward their customers.
The founders
Bhatia and Kapoor have known each other since school and shared both an entrepreneurial spirit and an interest in horology, which eventually led to them establishing Art of Time. “We love timekeeping and everything that goes into making watches. To us, timepieces are more than just instruments to keep time; they are a combination of knowledge, movements, complications, design, jewellery, and, most importantly, art. The world of horology keeps us amazed and captivated,” says Bhatia, who serves as the Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer at Art Of Time (Aetas Retail Private Limited). Born and raised in Mumbai, and Bhatia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Mumbai, and brings with him a diverse experience spanning logistics, F&B, manufacturing, and luxury retail.
Kapoor, who serves as the Executive Director of the Board and Chief Operating Officer, has a background in the luxury automobile industry. Both founders are avid watch collectors - Bhatia recently added an India-edition Cartier Tank Americaine that commemorates India’s 50th anniversary of independence, to his collection. “I’m passionate about watches because they bring me joy, fascination, and a sense of belonging. It’s also in my nature to learn more about them, attend watchmaking workshops, visit brand manufacturers, and appreciate the aesthetics and functionality of different designs,” he says.
“As I look back on our milestones, one of the most significant ones was the opening of the first Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique in Mumbai and the first IWC Schaffhausen boutique in India,” says Bhatia reflecting on their journey. “We are also honoured to be chosen by Montblanc as an exclusive external boutique partner for Pune and Chennai. Our recent partnership with TimeVallée is another key milestone.” Bhatia expressed excitement about bringing the world’s leading brands under one roof, stating, “We aim to be the preferred retailer for our clients and a preferred partner for the brands.”
Bhatia and Kapoor aim to elevate luxury retail in India through Art of Time, expanding their presence to many more cities while maintaining a top-notch experience for their customers.
Images: Art of Time
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