How are smartwatches and hybrids in Singapore countering the dominance of tech companies?

The Swiss watchmakers are embracing the changing times and making a foray into the world of smartwatches. The trend became evident in 2015 when Tag Heuer's first Android Wear smartwatch made its appearance among the luxury watches and considered as the most critical smartphone launch for the year. It might sound surprising against the backdrop that the same year Apple debuted its first smartwatch, but considering that a watchmaker and not a technical company launching a smartphone, the event was remarkable indeed. That a luxury Swiss watchmaker is making smartwatches is very special as it is a sign of wearing technology finally growing up.

The launch of Tag Heuer's smartwatch Connected underlines the fact that smartwatches are no longer the sole domain of technology companies like Apple, Samsung, Google, and the likes. And that matters because wearing watches is a habit for countless people whereas only a selected few wear smartwatch.  To make people develop a habit of wearing smartwatches just as they wear any other watch, it requires the involvement of the traditional watchmakers.

Are smartwatches in Singapore actual watches?

Watch lovers, and horology aficionados find it hard to accept the smartwatch as a watch. The solid, heavy, and old-fashioned screen of a smartwatch attached to a strap might make it a device but undoubtedly not a watch, according to them. To make smartwatches transform into actual watches, it requires the deft touches of the established watchmakers, and it is a good sign that the Swiss watchmakers are now moving into smartwatches and presenting it in a mold of their own. 

It is now turn around time

Since 2015, Apple smartphones have dealt a heavy blow to the Swiss watchmakers, as evident from the sales data of IDC for 2017. By the fourth quarter of 2017, the sales of Apple smartphones had outnumbered the entire Swiss watch industry. The shock and tremor created in the market by smartphones have shaken the Swiss watch industry so much that it will take some time for them to be back on its feet before it can make a concerted effort to make its mark in the smartwatch segment in watch shop Singapore.

Crisis again in Singapore watch shops

The Swiss are not new to such a crisis arising from innovation that it first encountered in the 1970s when Seiko launched the Astron quartz watches that changed the world and the industry forever. The Swiss were almost wiped out by cheaper and more accurate Japanese watches, and it took them a few decades to be back in the ring but relinquishing their dominance. They have learned the hard way to deal with innovations by staying relevant, and now they are fighting back by embracing modern technology that keeps them trendy in the digital age. And not the Swiss alone, watchmakers from other countries are also toeing the line by including smartwatch in their portfolio that began with Tag Heuer in 2015.

Here are some watches from the watchmakers of Switzerland and elsewhere that present a new breed of smartwatches that look more like watches and not just devices. This can be a smart way to help people develop the habit of wearing smartwatches that look like luxurious fashion accessories. These watches are likely to create a new genre among smartwatches that will redefine fashion.

Tag Heuer Connected in Singapore

Tag Heuer was the first Swiss watchmaker to throw the hat in the ring and accept the challenge thrown upon them by the technology companies when it launched Connected, the first smartwatch from Switzerland in 2015. Remember that it was the same year when Apple launched its first smartwatch. The Connected was the result of Tag Heuer using Intel processor and Google's Android Wear, which is now Wear OS that cost about $1,500. But it lacked some features like the heart rate monitor.

However, this did not matter because the point had been made, and the Swiss watchmaker had made its presence felt in the smartphone arena, and it was only a matter of time before they took the battle to the next level. Jean Claude Biver, the boss at Tag Heuer, who had played a stellar role in the company's survival during the quartz crisis, is now leading the battle once again.

Learning some lessons from the initial launch of the Connected, the company has worked diligently to create a much better model that can match or even surpass the best smartphones in the market. It has resulted in the Tag Heuer Connected 2020, the luxury smartwatch.

The new model that is available in any watch shop Singapore has lots of software, a refreshed case, and one of the coolest timepiece experiences around. The case is 45 mm in diameter, 13.5 mm thick, and can resist water up to 50 meters. With moderate use of all features, the 430mAh battery should last all day, and the watch includes an onboard heart rate monitor and GPS. The Tag Heuer Connected has a Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset and runs the Google Wear OS (latest version) as the operating system. The scratch-resistant OLED touch has an always-on feature and available in cases of titanium and steel.

Mont Blanc Summit Singapore

Following in the footsteps of Tag Heuer, Mont Blanc joined the smartwatch party in 2017 with the Summit. People who are ready to spend for luxury and blend it with the new-age smart features of smartwatches would love Summit2, which has a large 46 mm stainless steel case, a Wear OS device, and a leather strap. The watch has a luxury build with the latest Qualcomm watch chipset, but its high price may not make it a cost-effective option for most people except those who demand a little more by way of luxury.

The watch in its stainless-steel case looks gorgeous and might make people believe that you are wearing a luxury wristwatch and not a smartwatch. The watch has the heart sensor monitor located at the back, which is made of resin. The watch looks like a premium piece of a wristwatch and has a 1.2inch AMOLED panel with a Sapphire display that redefines luxury and justifies the price that suits a high-end Swiss watch. The appeal of the watch is sure to make the heart of a watch geek beat faster.

Breitling Exospace B55 Yachting Singapore

The Breitling Exospace series might generate a strange feeling for those who are in search of real smartwatches because these timepieces are a bit different from the traditional smartwatches in that it needs a Bluetooth connection to the corresponding phone app to perform all functionalities. This is also a reason why some people call it souped-up quartz watches. The watch keeps users notified about the arrival of an email, text, or call, but it does not have the features to respond. It means that to complete the tasks by responding, you need a smartphone.

Strange as it might sound, but true, the watchmaker intends to make users aware of the possibilities that Breitling Exospace holds for them in the future. The watch provides precision timing, and it is convenient to access crucial information at a flick of the wrist. The B55 Yachting is an improvement upon Exospace B55 with additional features that would appeal to sailors.

It is easy to resync the time with the 46mm watch that is water-resistant up to 100 meters has a unique split time and countdown system, which is very useful at times when the regatta judge stops and resets the countdown frequently during a race.

Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture

This luxury watch makes no pretensions of being like a smartwatch and sticks to the traditional mechanical Swiss watch with some bits of step and sleep-tracking smarts.  The beautiful design matches the premium Swiss engineering that makes luxury watches famous.  The watch is a lovely blend of century-old traditions of watchmaking by using mainsprings and a balance wheel and jewels as well as a rechargeable battery, Bluetooth, and step counting. It does not have a loudspeaker or notification alerts. This hybrid smartwatch presents an opportunity for fans of Swiss watches to dip their toes into the water to get a feel of smartphones without quitting their base in Switzerland. The watch has a large 42 mm stainless steel case (rose gold is also an option) and has a design like other Frederique Constant watches and look smart and elegant in the alligator strap.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic

Some Swiss watchmakers are sticking to their guns and sharpening their dexterity in incredible engineering to counter the new rivals who have arrived on the scene with smartwatches and threatening the Swiss dominance in watchmaking. Bulgari does not stop at doing what it does best but keeps excelling and setting new standards as evident from the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic earning the award for the world’s thinnest automatic watch with a tourbillon movement.