It is now talking to Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin and film star Raveena Tandon to enrol them as brand ambassadors.

Baume & Mercier area manager Jean-Bernard Gfeller currently on a visit to India said that the two celebrities are yet to give their consent to promote the brand here.

As brand ambassadors, the celebrities would be required to wear the Baume & Mercier watch to events and functions attended by them. Under the agreement, the celebrities will be required to endorse the watch brand on an exclusive basis.

Gfeller further stated that the company was planning to launch a new line of watches for men here in 1999, Capeland. Capeland is a casual range which has, so far, been launched in Europe. The line would be launched in the US market in the next few months and inJapan subsequently.

The company also recently presented a Baume and Mercier watch to filmstar Urmila Matondkar at a function here. It is not clear as yet whether Matondkar will also endorse the brand.

Meanwhile, the company was considering opening an outlet in either Jaipur or Ahmedabad in the next one year, Gfeller said. It will also step up spending on advertising and promotions during the next year.

The Geneva-based company is among the top eight luxury watch makers in the world with annual production of 200,000 units. It is now targeting to be among the top five watch makers by the year 2000.