Movado Connect
Movado is a prestigious brand known worldwide for its iconic design, you can read all about the brand in our last Movado post here. This autumn 2017 the Movado brand is going to introduce a brand first, its a touchscreen smartwatch that brings their 1947 design into the new millennium with cutting-edge technology. It would make the new watch one of the first watches to be designed specifically for Android Wear 2.0, the smartwatch will also feature over 100 fascinating dial variations that can we changed to suite any users personality and unique flare. Each of the dials will be an exploration into Movado’s iconic single dot design with brilliant new details, dimension, complication, colours and even a day to night transformation just like on the new iPhone.
The Movado Connect offers a modern and aesthetically pleasing design with smooth edge-to-edge crystal and an 24/7 awake display. These features paired with the latest technology platform, open the watch up to a whole host of apps, as well as allowing the user to receive and read push notifications. It would even allow users to integrate their Movado Connect with Google fit and health app, and is compatible with Google Assistant for performing tasks, getting answers, directions and timely reminders. Movados exciting new connect watch is launching this fall with 5 men’s styles presented on strap or bracelet and we can’t wait to see it in person after only catching a glimpse at Baselworld 2017.
All this talk about new brands diving into the smartwatch market or producing new succeeded models for their already growing range of smartwatches raised a lot of questions regarding Swiss watches from all brands and how disconnected they are from the modern world and its technology. For as long as I have been around and for many years before Swiss watches have represented prestige, professionalism and history none of which are very encompassing of smartwatches and many of the big Swiss watch brands seem to keen to move into smartwatches and smart wear but who can blame them I personally believe that it needs to stay that way as it is a massive part of history and to throw away all of innovative manufacture and designs away to ‘go digital’ is losing years of these brands heritage.
That being said last year, Apple were showing off as they announced that they were the second largest watchmaker on the planet. This didn’t come without a equal and opposite reaction as Swiss watch exports reportedly fell 16.1 percent in the first half of 2016, which was the fastest decline they had ever seen.
We recently attended Baselworld 2017 and smartwatches were everywhere everywhere we turned we saw digital displays and Bluetooth connections from brands such as Michael Kors, Frederique Constant, Fossil, Armani Exchange, Diesel and Skagen. The first thing you see after walking in the door is the Connected 45 Tag Heuer modular smartwatch which uses androidwear 2.0 and comes with a price tag of £1366.63.
What was even more surprising was that technology giant Samsung were at Baselworld for the first time which raises some very big questions for the future of watchmaking. It seems that smartwatches are all everyone’s thinking and talking about but are they for everyone? I guess we will have to wait and find out when brands start releasing their sales figures at the end of the business year, until then its a game of prediction and chance with some retailers diving in and others taking a more ‘careful’ approach and testing the water first. On the opposite end of the scale Michael Kors have boldly announced that every men’s watch it sells will feature some type of connectivity in the near future.
Android wear 2.0 and Fossil seem to be the two main choices that brands have when deciding to develop a smartwatch with brands such as Movado, Tag Heuer, and Montblanc all using software from licensing giant Fossil. Their only other option it seems is a hybrid watch which we took a look at in a previous blog post. Guess and Hugo boss have hybrid models coming out in the near future.
Take Swiss giant Rolex for example these prestigious watches some with a hefty price tag and are not a quick purchase (for most people anyway) they are the type of thing you pass down to your children for them to pass down to their children and so on they will probably never be something you take down to your local PC world to part exchange for the latest ‘Smartwear Rolex’ god forbid they ever make such an Frankenstein monster of a watch. The arguement will alsways remain however that Rolex are renowned for being bad at keeping time which doesn’t really work well in their favour just like when Japan took over the market with Quartz battery power and the Swiss brand apocalypse took place. Could Rolex make a smart watch and still survive in the unforgiving world of watches? Let us know what you think.
