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Amitabh set to be Raymond Weil ambassador

Bhupesh Bhandari in Geneva

Raymond Weil, the Swiss watchmaker, is in advanced stages of negotiations with superstar Amitabh Bachchan to endorse its brand in India.

According to sources, Raymond Weil, one of the few family-run watch empires, has taken a decision to rope in Bachchan and the deal is expected to be sealed shortly.

Bachchan is the latest film star to endorse a Swiss watch brand, the others being Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Twinkle Khanna who endorse Omega and Longines and Movado, respectively.

Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin earlier endorsed the Tissot brand.

Interestingly, all the three brands belong to the Swatch Group, with Aishwarya Rai's contract having been renewed recently for another term.

"Raymond Weil is looking at making a big bang in India around June. It was looking for a celebrity whose image would fit with the Raymond Weil profile. It has finally decided to go ahead with Bachchan," sources said.

Company functionaries, on their part, are tight-lipped about the deal, neither confirming nor denying the development.

Raymond Weil's decision is the latest indication of the Swiss watch industry focussing on India, in spite of an 85 per cent import duty.

In the recent past, the Swatch Group, as well as Egana of Germany, have set up 100 per cent subsidiaries here, while the LVMH group of France has disclosed that it shortly plans to do the same.

Egana also proposes to produce a line of watches for its overseas market in Mumbai. However, others watchmakers are choosing to do business in India through dealers for the time being.

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