Not a huge fan of the bracelet.
Straps look good.

 

Correct.
I've been reading the 'reviews' today (more like 'news' without the physical thing in their hands yet) and my induction from the first pix got straightened out.
TBH, I'm slightly bummed out that the 42mm is a different watch (design-wise), and not the 45mm in a smaller version (like my 2nd gen 41mm being a smaller 2nd gen 45mm, which until now I just stare at it thinking what beautiful piece of machinery it is).
Interestingly, the girl who was with me today loved the 42mm, and some reviews are qualifying the 45mm as sportier and more masculine. Perhaps TH wanted to be more aggressively inclusive of the tender gender. They might have reached their goal.

Still, they are different watches, and I gravitate towards the 45mm -- in 41mm. Oh well, nothing is perfect. Literally.
Again still, I'll eventually try it at an AD and decide.

 

Although I remain agnostic regarding the whole sinology sentiment, I do see the point of Albert. As I do see yours in what regards technology (you rightly mention tech artifices). I believe that to capture Albert's point one needs to focus on the tradition and heritage (not tech) for which a (usually older, educated, middle-high class, etc.) person begins to be willing to pay a sometimes hefty premium: e.g., French perfumes, Italian exotic cars, Swiss mechanical watches, etc. The interesting thing about this type of smartwatch is that it is a chimera of both worlds, and the jury is still out on how the market will respond. The tech part of the smartwatch does not care if it's made in Indonesia, Singapur, Mexico, or indeed China. The heritage part does. And deeply.

So far, TH's strategy seems to work, since, as I mentioned elsewhere, now there is a very sizeable tech-savvy 'creative class' that spends thousands of dollars every weekend strictly partying. "A 2k watch that looks super cool, with a luxury brand attached to it? Gimme! I spend more than that every weekend just having a good time. Oh and I'll get another one in 6 months". At least in North America (but maybe the Global North) one can see a lot of those 30 somethings types just out and about, partying. Certain groups of people, perhaps many, indeed became richer. And F.Arnault wants a piece of that, again, tech-savvy, nouveau rich, pie (who do not care where the item is built).

Would an eventual Chinese exotic car pose a serious threat to Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc.? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Would a Chinese EV eventually pose a serious threat to Tesla? Anyone who regularly listens to Elon Musk already knows the answer to that.

 

Now what i really don't understand is the lack of Spo2 sensor... seems so easy to integrate with the latest combo heart rate / Spo2 sensors available on the market... and this is such an important health marker. (ECG is another story and I fully understand why TH is not going that far).

 

First video I have seen of it in real action. The small one looks good, but I prefer the larger one.

 

Hi Albert

I'm pretty excited to see the new E4.
Im interested in the battery improvement and more importantly the Screen improvement in sunlight.
These are the 2 main problems with Gen 3.

As we've had the discussion before I don't think we will ever see a Swiss made Connected ever again. But it makes the Connected Gen 2 even more special. Not only Swiss made but also Connected to eternity. The only Tag Heuer Smart Watch that will be usable in 20 years time.

 

@Albert-AMG
Hi Albert,
I fully understand what you say and also fully agree. What I meant is that we know now that TH decided to go for a Made in China product since Gen 3 and that there (should) be no way back.... And at the end this is a brand image and prestige issue but that is not affecting product quality (e.g iPhone etc.). There are great factories in China with highly skilled workers. But yes, I would prefer the watch to be swiss made... I agree with that.

 

What do you mean by this? Why is this usable in 20 years and not the other versions?

 

Someone needs to tell Time & Tide that the E4 is not Swiss made and put together by the same watchmakers that make the Mechanical models.
The last 2 Generations haven't been Swiss Made so it's pretty poor to make this mistake.

 

Because of the Mechanical heads available
Calibre 5 and Calibre 16. Also the Tourbillon.
Only on Gen 2.

 

Ah, of course

 

Time & Tide constantly get their facts incorrect. They refer to cal 5 sometimes as in house, then in the next video they say the cal 5 is ETA and so on.

 

Bloody Australians....HAHAHA.

 

Just my 2 cents but maybe the stainless steel case is indeed made in Switzerland and shipped to China for the watch assembly ? That would explain the Time & Tide mention... ?

 

Could be right.

 

So who's pre-ordering ;-). ?

 

I want to but not without checking out the difference between 42 and 45.
Will go in to Boutique on 10th March and buy which is more suitable. I'm leaning towards Titanium model in 45mm