Analog watches are back as young consumers build ‘watch wardrobes’: Fossil India’s Johnson Verghese
Speaking with Charu Lamba, Deputy Editor, ETRetail, during the fireside chat “From Time Keeping to Self Expression” at the 4th ETRetail ShopFWD Summit 2026 in Bengaluru, Johnson Verghese, MD, Fossil India, said watches are increasingly shifting from functional timekeeping devices to expressions of identity, occasion and personal style, with younger consumers driving collection-led buying and premiumisation.
The watch category is witnessing a renewed shift towards analogue timepieces as younger consumers move beyond purely functional devices and increasingly treat watches as part of their personal style, identity and wardrobe, according to Johnson Verghese, MD, Fossil India . Speaking with Charu Lamba, Deputy Editor, ETRetail, during the fireside chat “From Time Keeping to Self Expression” at the 4th ETRetail ShopFWD Summit 2026 in Bengaluru, Verghese said the modern watch consumer is no longer necessarily looking for one product that serves every occasion. Instead, watches are increasingly being chosen according to work, leisure, sport and social occasions, creating what Verghese described as a “watch wardrobe”. Advt
“The watch has transformed itself from a functional device into a fashion statement,” he said. For Fossil, whose portfolio in India includes Fossil along with licensed brands such as Michael Kors, Emporio Armani and Diesel, this transition is changing both product strategy and how consumers engage with the category. From one watch to a wardrobe of watches Historically, older consumers often regarded a watch as an essential part of getting dressed — something worn almost automatically every day.
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