TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45: $1,650 And Above For A Luxury Smartwatch

Mar 14, 2017 11:37 PM EDT

A TAG Heuer is a brand for luxury watches, one that is highly dependable and pretty much gets the job done in telling the time correctly without arriving with too many bells and whistles. However, it must be noted that it is still rungs below other luxury timepieces like a Rolex or a Patek, which works to its advantage -- as it is also more affordable. Well, the smartwatch industry has not seen too many high street brand names jump on board, but TAG Heuer has bucked convention with the availability of the Connected Modular 45.

The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 happens to be a member of the Carrera range, and is also the newest smartwatch addition from TAG Heuer. The keyword in this particular timepiece? Modular. It is all about being able to swap parts out, customizing it to a degree which suits your personality and needs without missing a beat. The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 will not only cater to the techie, it also bears the hallmarks that would make any haute horlogerie blush, bringing the best of both smartwatch and mechanical watch worlds together in a single timepiece.

As a smartwatch, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 will arrive with a 1.39-inch AMOLED display that has an Intel chipset powering it alongside Android Wear 2.0 and NFC support. GPS capability is also integrated, accompanied by 512GB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and 5ATM water resistance. It might all sound very familiar to you, and that is because this is an updated model to the original TAG Heuer Connected.

How does the Connected Modular 45 stand head and shoulders from its predecessor? There will be no more 2-year swap-out program this time around. What has changed is this: owners will be able to trade-in their smartwatch to TAG Heuer, and by forking out an extra $1,500, they would then be able to pick up a mechanical watch replacement. With the Connected Modular 45, it can be transformed into a mechanical watch simply by swapping out the Connected module for a traditional timepiece, where the latter is sold separately. The level of customization does not stop there, as it also covers the lugs, strap, and buckle as well.

To add a touch of luxury to the entire shebang, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 will feature a wide range of cases that include rose gold, ceramic, aluminum, or steel. There are also plenty of strap, lugs, and buckles to play around with, where you can toy with options such as rubber or calfskin, titanium or PVD. Depending on your budget and fashion taste, the combinations will begin from $1,650 and can easily surpass the $7,000 mark if you decide on all of the high end options.

TAG Heuer will also make available a minimum of 30 watch dials that are inspired from its illustrious history in timepieces, incorporating trends along the way while allowing owners to come up with their very own custom dials via the TAG Heuer Studio. We wonder whether Jeremy Lin is going to wear one of these anytime soon.