Inside Rotoris: India’s first design-led watch brand building for the world

That ambition recently found an unexpected stage. At the opening race weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Melbourne, Alpine Academy driver and Formula 1 reserve driver Kush Maini was seen on the paddock wearing the Rotoris Astonia Sports Chronograph, marking what is believed to be the first appearance of an Indian watch brand on the Formula 1 grid.

Rotoris, an Indian-origin watchmaker founded by a team with backgrounds in entrepreneurship, brand-building and mechanical watchmaking, is opening Rotoris House in New Delhi this February. Conceived as part atelier and part conversational space, Rotoris House rethinks how watches are introduced, understood and experienced.

Indian professional shooter Kynan Chenai wears the Rotoris Monarch

The model moves away from conventional retail. There are no display counters or transactional cues. Visitors engage directly with movement architecture, case construction and finishing techniques, placing the emphasis on immersion rather than sales. A dedicated in-house horologist shapes the mechanical and design language of each collection, focusing on exposed detailing and performance-led construction designed to reward close inspection.

The watches are presently available through a waitlist, reflecting a deliberate approach to construction and finishing, where pace yields to precision.

Wildlife Conservationist Suyash Keshri wearing the Rotoris Arvion

The Rotoris House will also host a series of private gatherings, intimate brunches that bring together founders, athletes and cultural figures in a format where contribution is currency and dialogue is central. The broader ambition is cultural as much as commercial. In a market where aspiration has long been outward-facing, Rotoris presents a brand engineered locally, positioned globally, and introduced through experience rather than transaction.

Backed by India’s most influential founders and investors, Rotoris steps forward to build India’s first global watch legacy.

If you are interested in pursuing stories around the brand, its design and retail philosophy, and its growing cultural footprint, we would love to hear from you. Please let us know if you would be interested in an interview with the founders, review or features.