TAG Heuer's Connected Modular 45 watch is smart and stylish
By David Flynn, March 16 2017
Can't choose between a modern connected smartwatch and a packed-with-horological-history mechanical watch? Now you can have both – just not at the same time.
The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is a second swing at a Swiss "luxury connected watch" from the TAG and Intel partnership.
You'll probably recall the original Connected, which took the smartwatch concept upmarket with its water-resistant titanium shell and digital faces (complete with simulated shadows under the hands) designed by Tag to mimic the Connected's analog siblings.
The newest member of the Connected family, the Connected Modular 45 is actually three watches in one, owing to its modular design: a fully-fledged Android smartwatch, a mechanical Calibre 5 automatic or the sophisticated Carrera Heuer-02T tourbillon chronograph.
Just snap your desired module onto the strap – which, like the buckle and even the lugs, can be changed with a click for ultimate customisation.
TAG's thinking is that owners can still enjoy the benefits of a smartwatch – such as being a fitness tracker during their morning run and a personal assistant throughout the day – while switching to a traditional mechanical watch for social evenings.
The Connected Modular 45 smartwatch is water-resistant to 50 metres with a crisp 1.39” AMOLED touchscreen display, sapphire glass and titanium case with an inbuilt water-resistant microphone for use with Google Assistant.
It runs AndroidWear 2.0 through Intel's Z34XX-series Atom processor and 4GB of memory and features a GPS radio, NFC sensor for tap-and-go payments via Android Pay.
A companion app dials up 30 TAG Heuer watch faces while the TAG Heuer Studio software provides a creative path to create your own.
The Calibre 5 mechanical watch module is your classic three-hand 45mm Carrera encased in satin or polished grade 5 titanium, plated with 18K rose gold, in black ceramic, with or without diamonds.
It's all a dizzying array of choices, and that's before you get to the 18 strap variants in colours and material (made from rubber, natural leather or anthracite grey leather, titanium or ceramic).
TAG is rightly proud that just like its mechanical siblings, the Connected Modular 45 is assembled at the TAG Heuer Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
This video below showcases the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 smartwatch is more detail.
The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 smartwatch is available now from $2,300, with the Calibre 5 Mechanical Module also at $2,300, through TAG Heuer boutiques in Australia.
If you want to go all-out, a deluxe box set pairing the Connected Modular 45 smartwatch and Heuer-02T tourbillon chronograph in a presentation case with desktop display stand sells for $23,900.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.