TAG Heuer Connects Big Time with Connected Modular 45 Smart Watch

It is difficult to explain the watch without first explaining all of the factors that not only go into its making, but also go into making it exceptional. Mind you, I am saying this as a watch lover heretofore not enamored with the world of smart watches. This watch, though, has me doing a double (triple?) take. Offering watches that are somewhat customizable by the end user is not a new concept. Certain brands over the years have offered strap choices and even dial or bezel choices. However, TAG Heuer is the first brand to offer such a wealth of customizable options ranging from straps, to dials, lugs, buckles, bezels and more that more than 4,000 unique timepieces can be made from this initial offering. That alone is pretty cool, but what makes this watch work – what truly bridges the gap between smart watch and traditional watch — is the fact that the Connected Modular 45 is sold with both an electronic smart watch head and a traditional mechanical watch head – interchangeable at will.

And, in the spirit of customizing choices, TAG Heuer offers different horological watch heads to choose from for this Carrera model. At launch time, there is a selection of 11 models offered in store and another 45 that are offered on request – for a total of 56 different initial watch versions. Expected to be the favorites are a simple three-hands (time/date watch) watch head, or the recently unveiled Chronograph Tourbillon COSC-certified watch wit the Heuer 02-T caliber … diversity at its finest. (Um, if I had the money, I would take the tourbillon.) Once the watch is selected, the exterior can be customized. The TAG Heuer Connected 45 watch is a slimmed down version of the first generation of TAG Heuer Connected watches, with this one being 45mm in diameter. Water resistant to 50 meters, the watch is made using top-quality materials including titanium, ceramic or rose gold plated. It can be had with or without diamonds, as the customer likes.

Swiss-Made

Another key factor about the new Connected Modular 45 is the first smart watch bearing the Swiss-Made label. The brand was able to achieve this status by completing final assembly of the electronic module in Switzerland, thereby attaining the requirement that 60 percent of the costs of the watch be incurred in Switzerland. Naturally, all other parts of the watch are designed, developed and built in the brand’s La Chaux-de-Fonds Manufacture.

Naturally, there is also a lot to say about the design and features of the smart watch portion of the timepiece, too. There are choices on the digital dial side, as well, with a wide selection of newly developed watch dials – 30 choices – that reflect the brand’s singular identity. Among the choices are GMT, skeleton, chronograph and others in a host of colors. The dials are interchangeable on the connected watch head – with a simple swipe of the finger on the high-definition AMOLED screen technology that is ablaze with bold colors and striking contrast. Thanks to a newly built TAG Heuer Studio, the consumer can also configure their own dial, changing hands, SuperLumiNova details and more.

Additionally, there are interactive counters on the dial so that the wearer can display up to three apps on the dial, or can choose to put a personal picture up. The watch is powered by an Intel® Atom™ processor Z34XX series and operates on Google’s Android WearTM 2.0 Operating system. The OS, combined with a new TAG Heuer Companion App, enables the wearer to stay connected — even if not so close to the phone – via Wi-Fi or Cellular. It features built-in GPS, access to Google Assistant (thanks to a crown and tiny microphone), and features an NFC sensor chip for contactless payments. Naturally, the watch displays the ever-constant fitness and sleep tracking necessary in smart watches, as well as exchange rates, and more.

The Connected Modular 45 has 4GB of storage memory and thanks to the latest generation of lithium battery, it has power for more than a full day. It is rechargeable via a contact charger. The watch can sync with phones working on Android 4.3+ or iOS 9+. While this all seems grand, TAG Heuer isn’t finished yet. With a firm commitment to redefining time, the brand has future plans to launch another time management experience via a unique watch display – but that is under wraps for now.

Availability

The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 watches are available for sale as of March 14, 2017, from authorized retailers of TAG Heuer and from TAG Heuer boutiques. In this respect, TAG Heuer brings the concept of “See it, Buy it” immediacy to the forefront. Each watch (both the connected and mechanical modules) is backed by a two-year warranty. The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 retails for $1,650. There is also a boxed set that includes a connected COSC-certified chronograph Heuer-02T tourbillon mechanical module (in titanium with leather strap), as well as the connected module and a black rubber strap for $17,000. Even the box is a presentation piece, with desktop display for the watch and charger.

Says Jean-Claude Biver, TAG Heuer CEO and President of the LVMH Watch Division, “After the huge success of the first TAG Heuer Connected watch, today I am very proud to present the Connected Modular 45. This is a Swiss watch which embodies the luxury codes of tomorrow, and which not only enables you to connect to the future, but also to connect to eternity thanks to its simple and smart modular design. This innovative, unique and distinctive watch is at the forefront of the latest technologies available in Silicon Valley and, at the same time, a genuine Swiss watch, bearing the Swiss Made label.”