• Fashion

The Much-Awaited Alexander Shorokhoff Watches Enter India With Titan’s Helios Luxe

These award-winning watches celebrate ‘art on the wrist’.
  • ByRadhika Bhalla

Alexander Shorokhoff has entered India with 16 limited-edition SKUs, through an exclusive association with Helios Luxe by Titan Company Ltd.

It takes a pioneer to change the game. And this story begins in the the 1980s, when a young Russian watchmaker named Alexander Shorokhoff decided to experiment with luxury watches to make them young and fun with exceptional craftsmanship. Well-wishers advised him against it, but he held onto his vision. Today, countless awards later, the independent watchmaking brand has arrived on Indian soil.

“I remember, when I showed friends and industry insiders the first few designs I had created, their reaction was, ‘It’s crazy, don’t do it!’,” says Alexander Shorokhoff, CEO about his eponymous brand, in a conversation with The Word. Magazine. “But I made the watch, anyway. At the time, it was considered avant-garde: very creative, very colourful, with geometric lines and shapes. After that, we decided to present it at a leading exhibition in Germany, where 88 famous companies were also presenting. On the third day, a respected journalist came to our booth and said, ‘Mr. Shorokhoff, you have the most beautiful watch’. It gave me a kick to continue in this direction.”

1
Alexander Shorokhoff, CEO of Alexander Shorokhoff Watches

Today, the brand has won over 20 international awards and nominations for their avant-garde watch designs and enjoys a firm presence in Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe, and the United States. In India, Alexander Shorokhoff has entered an exclusive association with Helios Luxe by Titan Company Ltd., where they will have an initial rollout of 16 limited-edition SKUs in key metro cities, priced between ₹2 to ₹6 lakh. “Alexander Shorokhoff is focused on a very clear and evolving segment in India: the modern luxury consumer who values individuality over convention,” Alexander shares, adding, “this includes discerning collectors and connoisseurs who appreciate fine mechanical watchmaking, but are equally drawn to pieces that carry a strong artistic and narrative identity. What is particularly interesting in the Indian market, right now, is the rise of the accessible luxury buyer. Affluent professionals across metros are moving beyond legacy brands and looking for something more distinctive.”

4
The ‘Kandy Avantgarde 2’ watch capture the playful spirit of the original artworks by Kandinsky,
and won the Silver at the NY Product Design Award.

Among the watches set to woo Indian buyers is a range of AVANTGARDE pieces that celebrate the brand’s penchant for creating ‘art on the wrist’. For the arts, cinema, music, and literature deeply inspired Alexander while growing up, from Tchaikovsky to Tolstoy, Picasso to Dostoevsky. This reflects in the brand’s new creations. Take the ‘Kandy Avantgarde 2’, for instance: a dedication to the famous Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, this design features swirls and patterns on the dial that capture the playful spirit of the original artworks by Kandinsky. It’s no wonder, then, that the ‘Kandy Avantgarde’ won the Silver at the NY Product Design Award, with collectors eagerly waiting to get their hands on them.

5
'Circles in a Circle' by Wassily Kandinsky, 1923.

Similarly, the ‘Crazy Eyes Chrono’ is an ode to Austrain artist Gustav Klimt, featuring raised, colourful ‘eyes’ and a bold “60” at the top—bright and beautiful. Its 42 mm steel case with cylindrical sapphire crystal houses a finely finished chronograph movement with central seconds, 30‐minute counter, and multiple jewels for smooth precision.

3
The ‘Crazy Eyes Chrono’ is an ode to Austrain artist Gustav Klimt. Above, 'The Kiss' by Klimt, 1907–1908.
Web Post 3 (1)
Details of the ‘Crazy Eyes Chrono’, with the colourful ‘eyes’ and a bold “60” at the top.

The attention to detail can be seen throughout the collection, which will be available in the Indian market. The ‘Full Calendar Cadamomo’, for example, is a limited‐edition automatic watch featuring a complete calendar featuring date, day, month, and moon phase reflected in its name CA‐DA‐MO‐MO. Similarly, the ‘Flensi’ shows little fish floating on the mother‐of‐pearl dial of this limited‐edition automatic watch: a tribute to the beauty of the sea. Its 45 mm dual‐crown steel case, anodized titanium bezel, and Swiss automatic movement with hand‐engraved rotor demonstrate exceptional technical refinement and craftsmanship.

6
The ‘Full Calendar Cadamomo’ features the date, day, month, and moon phase
reflected in its name CA‐DA‐MO‐MO.

“These are less watch and more wearable canvas,” Alexander muses, “as the pieces translate abstract art into horology through a bold interplay of vibrant colours, geometric forms, and unconventional design”. In fact, an adage that the brand swears by is to do away with “boredom on the wrist”, and another fine example of this is the ‘Shar’ watch that is the world’s first fully-spherical case with a domed sapphire crystal. This limited‐edition automatic watch was created for Alexander Shorokhoff’s 30th anniversary, and is a 25mm design that includes a green malachite dial, yellow‐gold plated finish, and a hand‐engraved Swiss ETA movement.

7
The limited‐edition automatic ‘Flensi’ watch features little fish floating on a mother-of-pearl dial
and a 45 mm dual‐crown steel case.

As Alexander explains, “At its core, the target audience is someone who does not want what everyone else has, and that mindset is becoming increasingly prevalent in India’s luxury landscape”. To reach that customer, the brand has placed its faith in one of the country’s leading luxury watch destinations, Titan’s Helios Luxe. “From a retail expansion standpoint, we are aligned with Helios Luxe’s growth trajectory, scaling from 9 to 15 stores by the end of this financial year, and further to 45 in the next. This gives us a robust offline footprint, which is critical for a category like mechanical watches where experience and storytelling play a significant role in purchase decisions,’ he affirms.

The opportunity here is not just volume, but value, targeting a new-age luxury consumer who is actively seeking limited-edition, art-led timepieces that stand apart from traditional offerings. In many ways, this is a long-term market-building play, where they are not just expanding distribution, but cultivating a community of collectors who resonate with the brand’s philosophy of “art on the wrist”. It’s safe to say, it’s certainly a good time.

All images: Courtesy Alexander Shorokhoff