In terms of telling time, the mechanical watch is an anachronism in the age of quartz watches, smartphones and now, smartwatches. But Swiss watchmakers aren’t taking the trend standing still. Karishma Tulsidas decodes their shot at the connected watch.
The origins of the smartwatch as we know it today can be traced back to the 1980s, where brands like Seiko and Casio developed mini computer systems for the wrist. They ran the gamut from digital watches with calculators to miniaturised versions of personal digital assistants that could connect to your computer, and sync your schedule and address book.
Many brands jumped on the bandwagon in the 1990s and early 2000s, including Timex, Samsung, IBM and even Fossil, but it was only a couple of years ago that wearable technology trickled down to the mainstream. Pebble, the crowdfunded smartwatch, is largely credited for reigniting interest in smartwatches when it was launched in 2012.
“A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them,” said Steve Jobs back in 1997. And that’s been Apple’s pattern over the years—take an existing idea that the world has not yet adopted, improve it and sex up its image and, there you go, global phenomenon.
While the Apple Watch has not met the deliverables the company had initially aimed for, it did, for the second quarter of 2015, capture 75 per cent of the global smartwatch market, according to Strategy Analytics.
The forecast is positive. According to various research labs, the industry is set to grow at an annual rate of 35 per cent for the next five years and, by 2019, 148 million units are expected to be shipped annually. Now what does this mean for Swiss watchmakers, purveyors of mechanical watches that, while absolutely entrancing in aesthetics and mechanics, cannot boast the same accuracy of a quartz watch?
The consensus so far is that the smartwatch is not a trend, but a new way of life. Just because consumer acceptance has been slow on the uptake does not mean that there is no future: in fact, experts in the tech world acquiesce that what the current avatar of the smartwatch lacks is a “killer app”: a function that would make it essential to own, just like how the smartphone has become a must-have.
In today’s connected generation, we have become accustomed to convenience and instant gratification (being able to book an Uber car within two minutes; free international phone calls on WhatsApp… the perks are never-ending), and once the smartphone proves its worth (whether by becoming a health tracker, a key player in social media… the possibilities are endless), it is highly likely that it will reach a level of ubiquity that might disrupt traditional watchmaking. Heads of luxury watchmaking maisons do not seem to be extremely worried, however—at the level of craftsmanship they’re vaunting, there will always be a select, niche group of collectors that will still swoon over the poetic ticking of a mechanical watch. As for those who argue that our two wrists can only offer limited real estate, we are all guilty of having more bags, shoes, belts, cuffs than we would ever be able to wear.
Nonetheless, it would be arrogant to deny the challenges that the smartwatch poses for the world of mechanical watches. A few watchmakers have in fact ventured in these unchartered territories, with their own version of what “connected” means to the luxury industry.
Breitling B55 Connected
The Low-Down
Breitling keeps the integrity of its Swiss-made timepieces intact and instead introduces an app that is linked to the Cockpit B50, a pilot’s electronic chronograph that runs on a SuperQuartz movement that’s 10 times more accurate than a regular quartz watch. It offers an extensive range of functions essential to the aviator, including a chronograph with an electronic tachometer, a CountDown/CountUp clock, alarm, second time zone, flight time tracker, and more.
Functionality
The user can now access all these functions on the B55 app on his smartphone. Instead of tinkering with a crown, he can set the time in different time zones, activate his alarm, store and keep track of information for later use, including flight durations, dates and times of taking off and landing, on the smartphone app.
Connectivity
Via Bluetooth, on both Android and iOS platforms.
Tag Heuer Connected
The Low-Down
Perhaps the most ambitious of all Swiss smartwatch projects, the Tag Heuer Connected is the result of a partnership between the brand, Google and Intel. Resembling the Carrera, its touchscreen mimics the look of the chronograph watch’s dial, with other customised dial displays to be later made available. The hour, minute, and seconds hands as well as the minute track are always visible, while three chronograph counters can be customised to feature information from selected apps. Priced at US$1,500, it seems like big money to fork out on a product with a limited shelf life. But Tag Heuer sweetens the deal by allowing the user to exchange the smartwatch for a mechanical watch after the end of the two-year warranty period.
Functionality
The Tag Heuer Connected has been intuitively engineered to showcase updates and alerts on the go; it goes beyond just offering notifications from social media, calls and messages, and allows users to peruse their favourite apps that can be downloaded from the Apple App and Google Play store. Partner apps that have been pre-downloaded are Insiders, GolfShot Pro, RaceChrono Pro and more. Even if the watch is not connected to a mobile device, it will still display crucial information like the time and step counter, and you will be able to configure the alarm and listen to music.
Connectivity
Via Bluetooth, on both Android and iOS platforms.
Swatch Bellamy
The Low-Down
Even though Swatch does not build mechanical watches (save for the Sistem 51), it deserves to be included in this line-up as it has made significant strides in constructing Swiss smartwatches. Following the launch of the Swatch Touch Zero One, a volleyball-inspired touch watch that tracks the number of hits and power of each dunk, as well as other fitness-related activities, the brand has launched Bellamy, an electronic wallet on your wrist, currently only available in China.
Functionality
Named after American writer Edward Bellamy who predicted the usage of credit and debit 40 years before they came into existence, the Swatch Bellamy contains an NFC (near field communication) chip that facilitates contactless payment. All it requires is a simple tap of the wrist at a contactless station to pay for purchases.
Connectivity
Does not require a smartphone connection. It will be available in China this month, and subsequently in the US and Switzerland.
Montblanc TimeWalker Urban Speed e-strap
The Low-Down
Who needs a Fitbit or a FuelBand when you have the Montblanc TimeWalker Urban Speed e-Strap? In the form of a Nato-style Extreme leather wristband with a rectangular device that fits over your inner wrist—minimalist and classic, in true Montblanc style—it is an optional add-on with the TimeWalker timepieces.
Functionality
The Urban Speed e-strap acts as a health monitor by tracking calories burnt, number of steps and distance travelled. It serves as your personal trainer, and discreetly vibrates if you’re not meeting your daily activity count. The device is linked to your smartphone, and offers instant notifications of messages, calls and e-mails.
Connectivity
Via Bluetooth, on both Android and iOS platforms.
IWC Connect
The Low-Down
Still in the development phase, the IWC Connect is a prime example of how Swiss watchmakers are entering the smartwatch arena without affecting their core identity linked to mechanical watchmaking. Preview images showcase a round, sleek device, which will be strapped to the bracelets of IWC watches (the first of which will be the Big Pilot’s Watches).
Functionality
IWC has been quite mum about the details of the device, but what we know so far is that it will be able to track your activity, and will be linked to your various handheld devices.
Connectivity
To be advised.