A Watch Adds to Your Personality and Enters the Room before You Do: Ananya Panday

Piaget celebrated its ‘Art of Colour’ showcase in Mumbai, hosted in collaboration with luxury watch retailer Art of Time and attended by Friend of the Maison and actor Ananya Panday. 

Speaking to GMT India, Bollywood actor Ananya Panday reveals how Piaget has reshaped her relationship with time. What began as a brand partnership has evolved into a personal journey. From her mother’s treasured Piaget to her Gala favourites, Panday reflects on how these creations have become more than accessories; they are expressions of personality, craftsmanship and style that enter the room before she does. 

GMT India: Piaget occupies a unique space in watchmaking. Has this partnership changed the way you look at watches — not just as accessories, but as objects of design and craftsmanship?

Ananya Panday (AP): Of course. It’s made me understand so much more about the effort and detail that go into a watch. I don’t think I ever noticed these things before. Something that I come back to constantly is the playfulness in it, and the play with colour especially. I think that’s something I didn’t associate too much with watches before my partnership with Piaget. They really taught me that you can have a personality, you can be playful, and there can be a rainbow of colours that you can choose from. There can be different kinds of styles and designs.

And definitely, God is in the details. Everything is about the little details. So, every day I learn something new. They’ve also taught me to be on time. Kind of (laughs).

GMT India: Was there a particular Piaget creation that first caught your attention?

AP: Actually, it’s a funny story. My parents were telling me that my dad gifted my mom a Piaget watch during that whole “charm her and get her attention” phase of their relationship. My mom still has it. So, when I first met the brand and my association with them, my mom was really excited. She said, “By the way, I have this watch that your dad gifted me.” Asked her, “Where were you hiding it all these years?” Because my sister and I have a bad habit of stealing my mom’s things and never giving them back. She obviously kept it away from us for a reason. But now I have more reasons to wear that watch.

GMT India: Do you approach watches differently? Is one more of an everyday expression while the other marks special occasions?

AP: I think it’s a little bit of both. As I said, the Piaget Sixtie is something that I would wear on an everyday basis because it just elevates even a simple outfit. I could wear it with jeans and a T-shirt, but I could also wear it with a dress. But when it comes to that special moment, something like a big event, a memorable event, I would definitely go for the Gala watches. I think sometimes a watch speaks louder than you. It kind of adds to your personality and just enters the room before you do. So, for me, it depends on the occasion.

GMT India:Piaget has always celebrated individuality rather than trends. How important is personal style over following what’s fashionable?

AP: As I said, that was something that I used to do before. And I think everything works differently on different people. Even a watch, it’s so personal. I would find it very weird to share a watch with a person. My sister and I were actually discussing that when we went for the Piaget event recently. She obviously wanted to borrow my Piaget Sixtie, obviously, anyone would want to, but she herself pointed out how personal a watch can be. 

And I think it’s the same with style. I would look at people and be like, “Oh my God, that looks so nice on her.” And then when I would try it on, I wouldn’t feel that it was bringing out my personality the way that I’d want it to. So, I think you should firstly never say no to anything. You should try everything. But then you should find what works for you, rather than what works for other people.

‍