6 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE TAG CONNECTED MODULAR 45 LAUNCH
TAG Heuer believes that its new connected watch will kick-start a trend in timepieces: modularity. At its press conference in Zurich today, the watchmaker launched the second generation of its smartwatch, the Connected Modular 45. It comes with a raft of customisable features including a connected watch “module” that can be snapped out in seconds, in favour of a traditional, analogue version. The company argues that this is not only good for versatility, it also means you need never be worried about technological obsolescence (that is, if you ponied up for that mechanical module – they are sold separately). Here’s what else we learned from TAG CEO Jean-Claude Biver…
1. It is water resistant to 50 metres
"It is not a lot, but after five metres I already have a problem with my ears so we said, ‘50 should be enough’,” says Biver. “If I go to 50 I will never come back!”
2. The chronograph tourbillon module is a first for the industry
“It is the first ever chronograph manufacture tourbillon movement that is
chronometer certified. It’s a real achievement."
3. It is available right now
“For the first time ever, we’ve done ‘show now, buy now’. It’s not available six months later, it’s available now. [I’d like us to] sell 1000 per hour!”
4. The connected watch is £1,400, the most affordable mechanical module is a further £1,400
“We are the most expensive connected watch in the world, probably.”
5. TAG launched with 15,000 Connected Modular 45s today - though it wants to sell 150,000 of them by the end of 2017
“That would be 0.4% of the market, and that is where luxury should be.”
6. Expect a connected Hublot soon
“Hublot is of course working on this technology,” says Biver. TAG’s parent company, LVMH, also owns Hublot and Zenith. “Zenith probably will never enter the world of the connected watch, but you will see it with Hublot.”
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