TAG Heuer Connected

Time passes a bit more leisurely in Switzerland. The same goes for the luxury watch industry, which nearly missed responding to the Quartz Crisis in the 1970s. The industry owes their current success to a rediscovered fondness for mechanical timepieces in the market. However, over the past few years, a new trend has arisen: smartwatches. Technology giants such as Samsung, Sony, and Apple have developed smartwatches which can connect to a smartphone. These watches display text messages, news, and can record your daily activity. TAG Heuer was the first Swiss luxury watch manufacturer to come out with a smartwatch, introducing the Connected in 2015. The La Chaux-de-Fonds-based company developed it together with the technology companies Intel and Google.

At first glance, the TAG Heuer Connected looks like an analog watch. Its round, 46-mm diameter case sets it apart from the rectangular Apple Watch, which is available in 38-mm or 42-mm sizes. Due to the Connected's size, it looks especially good on the wrists of larger men. Its case is made of hard, yet lightweight titanium and weighs only 52 g. The rubber strap, available in many different bright colors, brings the watch's total weight to 82 g. The bezel is made of sand-blasted titanium and is flawlessly integrated into the design. This everyday watch is well protected against dust and water.

The newest technology is hidden within the Connected. Its power source is a dual core Intel Atom processor. Unlike many other smartwatches, which have 512 MB of RAM, the Connected has 1 GB, which enables you to switch between apps quickly and smoothly. The Connected features 4 GB of memory, giving it more than enough space to hold a wide range of apps from the Google Play store. Thousands of apps are available for download. Google's Android Wear operating system powers this watch. It is compatible with Android phones running version 4.3 or higher and iPhones running iOS 8.2 or higher.

Using the Connected is incredibly easy. There is a wide range of different dials (watchfaces) to choose from, three of which are based on the mechanical Carrera collection. You have the choice between a chronograph, GMT, or three-hand layout, all of which also display the date. The color options are black, dark blue, and pearl white. TAG Heuer continually expands their virtual dial portfolio. You can change the face of your watch by touching and holding the watchface and then swiping left or right. Like many traditional watches, the Connected uses sapphire glass to protect the dial. The 1.5-inch display has a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels and is easy to read.

Let's take a closer look at the chronograph dial variants. The three subdials at six, nine, and twelve o'clock serve as displays for your preferred apps. You can read the news, see how far you've walked over the course of the day, or view your upcoming appointments. Touching the subdial opens the app in full screen. You can read your incoming e-mails and texts, check the weather, and make use of many other functions. You can turn the watch on and off using the crown at three o'clock.

A modern lithium battery powers the TAG Heuer Connected. It requires around 1.5 hours to fully charge and holds enough battery power for about one day. You can charge the timepiece using the included charging puck. The watch communicates with your smartphone via Bluetooth. However, if you've forgotten your phone at home, there is no need to worry. Your Connected will continue to function and communicate with the Cloud via a Wi-Fi connection.