Tag Heuer finally built a smartwatch for watch lovers
What is lesser known is the brand's well-received foray into wearables - uncharted territory for a Swiss watchmaker.
Its newest, the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45, is a watch it claims blends the traditional timepiece with the convenience of tech.
First off, the watch looks more like a regular watch than most other tech-enabled watches on the market. It's even considered "Swiss-made."
Inside, it's got Intel-provided technology that uses Google's Android Wear OS. It does all the things you'd expect a smartwatch to do, like tell the weather and check your email. It also contains a GPS system and tracks all the activities that needs tracking.
The interesting part is where the "modular" part of the name comes from. The parts that make up the Connected Modular 45 are interchangeable with other Tag Heuer mechanical watch modules, like the Heuer-02T Tourbillon and Calibre 5. Simply take out the Connected module and slip in a mechanical one when you're looking to switch it up.
"While there is no future where the world is not connected, it doesn't mean a smartwatch is the best choice for every occasion," Tom Foldesi, VP for connected technology at Tag Heuer, told Esquire. "Which is why we offer our mechanical timepieces as part of the collection."
It also allows small parts like lugs and bezels to be interchanged for personal preference.
The watch also comes with 30 original traditional Tag Heuer faces to switch through, and it's water-resistant up to 50 meters.
The Connected Modular 45 will start at $1,650. The deluxe set in titanium - which comes with both a rubber and leather strap as well as a separate Heuer-02T Tourbillon mechanical module - will retail for $17,000.
