According to you, how important is a watch when it comes to styling?

I think it’s the most important thing. Personally, I wear a watch even when I go to sleep. It is something that speaks a lot about a person’s personality. Also, very subliminally, it signifies the fact that a person is particular about time, and is someone who respects time. As a style statement, it is something that speaks a lot about a person’s character.

How does a watch enhance your look?

I’m very lucky to be associated with Longines. Their watches are so good, they go well with everything you wear. I am pretty fortunate to be the friend of the brand. I think they’ve got an incredible range of affordable watches that are soaked in class, culture, and sophistication.

For a formal day, I go with a classic black strap, a La Grande Classique De Longines watch, a casual day watch would be the Hydroconquest which is the latest Commonwealth edition that I am lucky to possess. If it is a casual day, I’d prefer a steel watch and if it’s a formal day, it’s going to be a leather strap.

When buying a watch, what are the features that you look for?

For people who have knowledge about chronology or are interested in it, they know that it’s not always about the way it looks, but also the precision. There is also a lot of tradition and history attached to world class watches like Longines. They are timepieces that keep adding value with time along with comfort.

You went to the Longines’ heritage workshop as well. What is the one new thing you learned about Longines watches?

It is going to be tough to sum it up. The one thing that is really forthcoming when you enter the place is the tradition that the company believes in. It’s a 190-year-old company. In the next 10 years, they’ll be celebrating two centuries of craftsmanship. It was such a warm experience for me to be there for the first time.

More than 90 per cent of the people who are working at the Longines house or at the main Saint-Imier Longines house have been there for around 15-18 years. I met Mr. Bernard Portal, who is the head watchmaker, and he took me through their history and certain vaults that are not open. I even had the opportunity to visit the Longines museum in Saint Imier. They are so proud of their history.

In India, we unfortunately work on Indian Standard Time, which is always 10-15 minutes ahead or slower, but Swiss precision is very impressive. My personal experience in Switzerland was that there is so much respect for time.

What was the most fascinating part of the museum trip that you took?

Everything was fascinating, but especially how Longines, in the world of sports, in the world of timekeeping, are pioneers. They have been changemakers, they have been the timekeepers for momentous events. When you are talking about sports, you are talking about one-hundredths of a second, mini-seconds, and microseconds.

Also, going back 190 years, they have kept registers for all this time, and every piece that has been sold has been recorded. Their timekeeping record is impeccable. I got to see how they have evolved with time, how they have been persistent with bettering themselves, and catering to their audiences. I think it is phenomenal.

If you could pick three watches from the brand, which ones would you pick?

I feel prouder wearing a Longines watch today because now, I am aware of their history. The first one would be La Grand Classique, which I am a huge fan of — it’s one of the slimmest watches in the world. I love the new Hydroconquest, and then the Spirit Zulu. There’s also the Master collection, which I love.

Images: Longines