There’s something about the other-worldly realms that have been a source of eternal fascination to humankind, and nothing explains this better than the rising demands for watches showcasing  the cosmos. Balancing the complex rhythms of the celestial bodies with the basic functionality in a watch is a complex endeavor.  Titan Watches has attempted this task with their new  Stellar Collection, a range of space-inspired timepieces to mark the 40th anniversary of the company. Fittingly, the launch ceremony was graced by Rakesh Sharma, the first and only Indian to venture into space, coincidentally 40 years ago, this year.

Featuring 11 unique timepieces across different price points, the collection pays homage to the lifecycle of a star, from its enigmatic birth and disintegration (supernova) to the afterlife.  The  showstopper of the series is the Meteorite watch whose dial is crafted from  Muonionalusta, a meteorite found in northern Scandinavia. It is priced at INR 1,20,000, while the basic watches in the series start at INR 9795.

To understand more about the collection, and Titan’s leadership in the Indian watch industry, we spoke to Mahendra Chauhan, the Head of Design at Titan Company Limited.

Man’s World:How did this idea of celebrating Titan’s 40th anniversary through a watch collection inspired by the cosmos come about?

Mahendra Chauhan:In our yearly intensive deep design research, we found out the trend of stargazing has grown at an unprecedented rate. There are so many faithful communities, from youngsters to oldies, that share their passion for stargazing and astronomy. We delved deeper into our studies and noticed how too many movies and web series based on astronomy and space have become major hits in recent years. Apart from these two insights, we also saw many business tycoons like Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos investing in space adventures. There’s something in space that is ticking people’s imagination. We realised this is a space where we should focus on, and create an entire line of watches, celebrating space and astronomy in general. Coincidentally, the ISRO launched their mission around the same time.

MW: Were there any historical or cultural references that influenced the design of this collection?

MC: There’s a very strong association of the history of watchmaking with astronomy. Earlier, the movement of the sun and moon was used to measure time. People don’t want to just see time but also know about celestial bodies like the sun and moon. So there’s a connection from the past, surely. But what we’ve done is to take this connection to the future by using some really rare and interesting materials.

MW:What are the specific materials  in these  watches that reflect the celestial theme?

MC :We’ve used some really unique materials, starting with a genuine meteorite that dates back to 20,000 years old, as we established by carbon dating. The meteorites are then sliced to .4mm for the limited edition piece. Rare-earth minerals like Aventurine and Malachite have also been used in some pieces. Malachite is commonly used on a bezel ring, but you need to be very precise in grinding and lapping when you use it for inside elements of the watch. These materials and craftwork created a new niche.

MW:There’s no dearth of astronomy-inspired watches in the market. What is it that makes  Titan Stellar stand out?

MC:Design, storytelling, and material combination are three facets that come together to make Titan Stellar pretty unique from the other offerings. I’ve never heard of Indian watchmakers using the kind of materials we’ve used for this series. Even among Swiss brands, these materials are not actively used, and definitely not at the price point we operate. It’s also insight-driven storytelling because the entire story stems from the whole culture of stargazing, and how astronomy and space is in everyone’s mind. We have products at all price points, from showstoppers to mass products, catering to diverse customers.

MW:In terms of functionality, were there any specific features that have been incorporated in this collection? How did you achieve a balance between functionality and design?

MC:Yes, there are various functions in the watches. We do have sun and moon which serve as the core anchor function, then there are multiple functions like day, date, and month. But what really sets it apart is the use of our in-house automatic mechanism that has been developed by our own R&D team, in India. When we started using our in-house mechanism, it offered us so much flexibility to play around with it. We’ve changed the bridges, and also have vastly-improved motors that are very attached to Titan Stellar.

MW:Can you talk about some of the key design elements in this collection?

MC:We started working on three larger space phenomena. Primarily, it’s the birth of stars. When stars are born, it’s a convergence of galaxies in gaseous form, so the birth of stars features as a symbolic connection to create certain interesting textures, and interesting patterns on the watches. Then the disintegration of stars, or supernovas, served as an inspiration for our design. Lastly, there’s a black hole watch that has a curve inside that perfectly represents a black hole and the way curve sucks in everything.

MW:Was the task of ensuring a high level of precision and accuracy without compromising on the aesthetics a challenging one?

MC:It has been very challenging because what you’re doing is not just creating a showstopper, but something that will be timeless in a way. We were working in close coordination with the R&D team, the product team, the vendors and the movement makers. Because we never wanted to compromise on precision, on movement, and ergonomics. It’s this combination of various things which has been presented in such beautiful-looking watches. There hasn’t been any compromise on precision, reliability, and readability.

MW:Tell us about your own journey in Titan, and how the company has shaped you, and what the future looks like?

MC:It’s been more than 15 years since I’ve been working with Titan. Currently, I lead the entire design team of watches and wearables. All the products that come out of the Titan domain come from my team. Whether it’s Raga, Stellar, or Octane, I’m working closely with these offerings. It’s been an impressive journey, and Titan surely is a great company to work with.