Did you know that Titan bagged the Most Admired Brand prestigious post in the year 2001? It raced ahead of all other nominations in other product categories to even upstage older brands which have established their brand presence over decades while this Tata company is only thirteen years old.
Of course, this is a befitting title achieved since the company has done much to gain and maintain the number one position when it comes to watch manufacturing in India. Today, it even holds the fifth largest watch manufacturer title in the world.
It has not only revolutionized the watch industry in India but also brought in benchmarks in product design, manufacturing and quality of world class standards which is unparalleled by other brands in India.
It was in the early eighties that the Tata Group identified the watch market as a distinct segment to foray into. At that time the mechanical technology was in vogue which represented many constraints in maintaining accurate time as well as creation of sleek watch designs given the bulky mechanical movements.
The brand was formed as a joint venture between the Tata Group and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation, Ltd. Formed in Chennai in 1984, it still remains one of the main centers of this premium watch brand in India. Today, the specialization of Titan lies in analog electronic watches. There have been several innovations that were brought about by this company and subsequently, the company has launched several sub brands and collections of different types of watch movements, technology, material and designs.
Various sub brands of Titan
Aqura
The initial days Titan was limited to the manufacture of basic models of watches since it was primarily a seller’s market. As the need of the eighties arrived, people began to be more demanding when it came to watch styles and designs and hence, the first Titan sub brand was launched. This range of watches was known as Aqura which featured trendy designs for the young generation or the youthful at heart. The watches in this range featured colorful, smart yet affordable plastic watches to break away from the old, conservative image of Titan that had been established in the first few years.
Raga
The next sub brand to come into the market is Raga. This was launched by Titan in the year 1992. This line of watches was made exclusively for the Indian women. The inspiration for this range of watches consisted of ethnic India and the different elements of nature. There are various collections under the Raga range, from watches which flaunt sleek, feminine lines to watches adorned with diamonds, Swarovski crystals and so forth. The first collection that was launched under Raga was the Desire collection. This collection launched in 2006 featured designs which were based upon elements of nature – Earth, Water, Air and Fire. There are designs of this collection which are known as Horizon, Breeze, Dewdrop, Flame which show off the different elements that they draw their inspirations from.
The Aqua collection of watches under this sub brand has distinct styles which draw inspiration from the mysterious aspects of the ocean. This is a more recent collection added in 2010 and most of the designs have exquisite details, textures and colors which bring forth the legend of mermaids, the exoticism of oysters and others with mother of pearl dials, Swarovski crystals, diamonds and rose gold hues.
Insignia and psi 2000
As Titan began its foray into international markets, it brought forth the sub brand known as Insignia. Launched around 1993, this sub brand consisted of top end watches which were of international standards and technology. These were targets for men with fine taste and those who could afford to invest in the exclusive models of this range. At the same time, in 1994, the psi 2000 range was launched. This range of watches was mostly watches for men with rugged, sporty designs and masculine demeanor. These watches featured chronographs of high precision as well as water resistant styles. These features made these watches perfect for men of adventure.
Dash and Zoop
As Titan began showcasing its versatility when it came to launching various styles and designs of watches for men and women, the time had come for them to showcase something for the young generation. Accordingly, the first colorful range of watches for kids was launched in 1996 by this brand. A more elaborate effort was made in 2008 and the Zoop sub brand was launched. This sub brand features as many as 70 styles for young boys and girls below 12 years of age. There are flowery patterns, luminous dials and other interesting features which make them great style accessories for girls and gizmo rich tech watches for boys.
Fastrack
With the sub brand of watches launched for the kids, it was time to focus on the young, teen generation, the rebellious youth to the young adult generation. Fastrack was aptly chosen as the name of this sub brand which was launched in 1998. It is a sub brand which targets the youth and today, it has reinvented itself much from the time that it started. Not only does this range of watches have cool, funky and trendy designs, but the sub brand has extended its line to include eyewear, wrist wear, backpacks and other trendy accessories. The ad campaigns show the Fastrack products as loud and bold as the new generation is. The latest collections of Fastrack watches include distinct styles known as Hip Hop, Grunge, Bikers, Neon, Army and many others.
Sonata
The most well known sub brand of Titan is the Sonata range of watches. This sub brand was launched keeping in mind the budget conscious middle class population of India. The sale of watches in this segment is the highest and the number of models and collections under this sub brand are also vast. With prices which stop below Rs. 1300, there are as many as 550 designs for men as well as women. One will find a wide range of material of watches, from gold finish, to that of steel, bi metallic finishes, leather as well as fibre watches. The various collections under Sonata include the Sonata SF, Solid Steel, Gold Plated, Yuva, Delightful Duo and others.
Other sub brands
And the innovation continued. In 1999 the Nebula range of watches was introduced. As modern India started viewing watches as luxury accessories, this range introduced for them luxury watches made of solid gold and diamonds studded on the dials and bracelets. The Octane range consists of similar, high end technological innovations which were introduced in 2008. Alongside, the focus on feminine and exquisite fashionable watches for ladies continues with the Diva collection.
HTSE
This sub brand is one of the latest additions in the Titan brand stable. Known to flaunt the revolutionary technology of running on light, the watches are self energized. They have futuristic designs and are powered by light, any light which has a power of 200 lux and upwards, even candlelight for that matter. Such innovation has catapulted Titan to a brand to be reckoned with internationally.
The number of sub brands and the various collections under each of them are countless. As each sub brand is positioned uniquely and target different consumer segments, Titan strengthens its marketing efforts and ad campaigns for each sub brand separately. The market is expanding rapidly for this watch brand and it brings great pride to an Indian to flaunt a Titan watch of international standards today.
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