Tag Heuer has unveiled its first smartwatch, calling the launch the “future of Tag Heuer”.
The Swiss watchmaker is the first traditional brand to enter the wearable technology space, and has partnered with technology giants Google and Intel in order to create the device.
The new smartwatch, called the Tag Heuer Connected, has a 46mm touch screen display; similar to other smartwatches, and is powered by Google’s Android Wear software. However, the Tag Heuer Connected comes with the watchmaker’s own stylised watch faces, and has been built using high-quality titanium.
Tag Heuer’s Jean-Claude Biver said: “At Tag Heuer we say ‘no innovation no future’. We need to be connected to tomorrow. Only the dead are connected to yesterday. We want to be connected to tomorrow.
He added that in order to create the watch, the company looked to the technology industry.
“We went to Silicon Valley; today is the marriage of Silicon Valley and watch valley. Of Switzerland and America.
It’s a milestone for our brand. It’s also a milestone for the Swiss watch industry. The industry has entered the future today thanks to Intel and Google.”
The Connected watch will come with a range of seven coloured, rubber straps, and is also water resistant, Tag Heuer confirmed.
A price of 1,500 US dollars was announced, with the first units going on sale in the US today. However, a price and launch date for the UK is yet to be confirmed.
Google’s Dave Singleton described the watch as “equal parts sexy and smart”.
The Connected watch marks the first time a traditional watchmaker has entered the smartwatch market, an area that has so far been dominated by technology firms, including Apple, Samsung and Motorola.