In Conversation with Pranav Saboo on Jacob & Co.’s flagship debut in Delhi

Founded in 1986 by Jacob Arabo in New York, Jacob & Co. was one of the very first brands that built their reputation by turning watchmaking into spectacle. From the celestial choreography of the Astronomia to the opera-inspired complications and gem-set high jewellery creations, the maison has long been known for adding a hint of theatre to horology. As the maison opens its first standalone boutique in Delhi at DLF Emporio, we sat down with Pranav Saboo, Managing Director & CEO, Ethos Limited where he talks about how India is no longer an emerging market but a serious collector destination, how a younger and more informed buyer is reshaping retail, and why Jacob & Co.’s universe has found a natural home in the capital. Read on.

LuxeBook: India is increasingly being viewed as one of the most promising luxury watch markets globally. What structural changes in consumer behaviour and retail have driven this shift?

Pranav Saboo: There are three factors which have driven this shift in India. First, at the top of the pyramid, there is wealth creation. India’s affluent population is likely to roughly double by 2028, and this population includes younger, more globally exposed individuals who are also more digitally component. They have travelled, they have read and now they arrive at our boutiques with a point of view. The second factor is that Indian buyers are steadily reaching for finer watches. Within the broader market, the share of premium and luxury has moved from roughly 48% in FY20 to about 70% in FY25.  Clients are no longer asking which watch, they are asking which complication, which reference, which limited edition. As a result, retail is evolving from transactional formats to immersive environments, spaces where clients can slow down, engage with the craft, and understand the story behind each timepiece.

LuxeBook: How has the profile of the Indian luxury watch buyer evolved over the last five years?

Pranav Saboo: Honestly, the change has been remarkable. Five years ago, a lot of the conversation in our boutiques was still about the logo on the dial. Today, a customer will walk in and ask about the movement, who designed it, how many pieces were made, etc. They have done their homework. That tells you everything about where this market has travelled.
The buyer is also much younger than people imagine. We are seeing serious collectors in their early twenties. They are confident, curious, and they know what they want. The other shift is geography. It used to be Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and not much beyond. Today, some of our most passionate collectors are in Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore. And perhaps the most meaningful change is the why. People are no longer buying a watch only to be seen wearing it. They are buying something they love, something they will pass on to a child, something that genuinely moves them. Many of them are gravitating to the high-complication and high-jewellery pieces, which is wonderful to see.

LuxeBook: What made this the right time to open a standalone Jacob & Co. boutique in India, and why Delhi?

Pranav Saboo: After the success in Mumbai, collectors from Delhi were flying down to see new pieces, asking for previews, requesting specific references. Jacob & Co. is also a very particular kind of maison. Astronomia, Bugatti Chiron, Opera Godfather, Casino Tourbillon are not pieces you discover on a casual Saturday afternoon. They are bold, theatrical, deeply technical, and they are made for a collector who is genuinely confident in their taste. Delhi has that collector in real numbers today. There is a deep appreciation here for craft, for fine stones, for objects with a story. So the fit was natural. DLF Emporio was the right platform for our target customers. It is where the conversation around luxury already happens in Delhi. Our collectors were already here shopping for Hermès, for fine jewellery, for the brands they hold closest. We wanted Jacob & Co. to sit right in the middle of that world.
For us at Ethos, this opening also carries a personal milestone. We are now within touching distance of 100 boutiques. The Jacob & Co. Delhi boutique is exactly the kind of statement we wanted to make on that journey.

LuxeBook: Ethos Limited has played a pivotal role in introducing global watch brands to India. What is your approach to nurturing a brand from entry to scale?

Pranav Saboo: When a maison partners with Ethos, we are essentially telling them that we will make sure it has an impact in India. That begins with being deliberate about who we bring in. With over 75+ brands in the portfolio. We look for genuine white spaces and long-term relevance rather than rushing a launch.

We then build the right ecosystem around the brand through formats such as mono boutiques, haute horology, Ethos summits, and experiential destinations like City of Time. In luxury watchmaking, experiential retail is intrinsic to the category, and our focus is on creating meaningful engagement through storytelling, previews, masterclasses, and personalised experiences.

Beyond retail, the real work is building a collector community and backing it with strong service infrastructure. That is what turns first-time buyers into lifelong collectors.

LuxeBook: How would you describe the maturity of India’s collector community today compared with more established markets such as Switzerland, Singapore, and UAE?

Pranav Saboo: India is moving up that curve faster than any market I track. Now, about India, our top tier collectors are at par with their global peers in terms of knowledge. When I sit at a collector dinner in Mumbai or Delhi today, the conversation is no different from the one I would have in Geneva or Singapore. Five years ago, I could not have said that. Where India is still building is in the breadth of that collector base. So no, we are not Switzerland yet. But we are travelling that road faster than any market I follow.

LuxeBook: What is the one piece of advice you would give to new watch collectors in India?

Pranav Saboo: Buy the watch you cannot stop thinking about and take your time getting there.
The collectors I most admire start like this: One watch caught their eye. They learned everything they could about it. They held it on their wrist, understood it. And only then did they think about the next one.
So my advice is simple. Walk into a boutique. Hold the piece in your hand. Ask about the calibre, the maker, the story. Talk to people who have been collecting longer than you. Read a little. And always, always buy from an authorised retailer. This one decision protects everything that matters, from authenticity to service to your own peace of mind.
A great watch will sit on your wrist almost every day, it will travel with you through the most important moments of your life. Very few things you ever buy will be present for so much of your life. Choose something worthy of that.

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