By Jovan Krstevski
As the Only Watch 2017 nears, we are seeing more of the good stuff in the horology world. This charity auction funds the research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and on the other hand, collectors are treated to unique timepieces created by the finest brands such as TAG Heuer and their Only Watch 2017 exclusive, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45. This is certainly unique as it is basically the first modular TAG Heuer luxury watch featuring the Swiss Made mark. Now if you happen to be using some Android watch or an iOs watch along with your favorite mechanical watch, well my friend, now you have the option to have the best of both worlds – mechanical and digital.
For the lucky buyer of this amazing TAG Heuer watch, the unique special edition Only Watch box set not only comes with the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 and its accessories, and the manufacture Heuer–02 Tourbillon module but also a unique “experience” package. Basically, it’s a lunch for 4 persons with Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the Watch Division of LVMH Group wherein the discussion would be about the evolution of the watch industry in the last 20 years and the challenges for the future, and of course, it’s up to the discretion of the party. Both modules sport the Only Watch signature colors which are black and vibrant yellow, add to that the unique elements of the brand. Now, some of you might say, well it’s not really that modular since you can literally buy 2 different watches with less effort on changing straps, well that may be right but TAG Heuer thinks other wise and what is really beyond the point is the effort to support the charity auction. For us, this is by far the first in the high-end horology, and we are pretty much excited to see it live in action. Imagine the possibilities of endless tinkering with the digital dial and when you get tired, swap with the unyielding mechanical one, that’s certainly quite modular isn’t it.
Both watches in the set are made of a titanium Grade 5 case but the tourbillon sports a tougher black PVD coated one. Naturally, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 looks extremely pleasant in yellow. The bezel is impressive and what makes it really superb is that the combination of the original lugs design and crown will make you doubt if it’s really digital at all. As for the tourbillon, the case is identical except the addition of the 2 pushers and a meaner bezel with a tachymeter scale.
On the dial, both modules win. The Connected Modular 45 allows anyone to be a “digital watchmaker” in a sense that it comes with studio functionality right on the watch, basically enabling the client to create more than 4’000 different TAG Heuer watchfaces. Moreover, the Connected Modular 45 features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal of 2.5 mm thickness. The realistic high definition AMOLED touchscreen displays stunning digital watchfaces from 3-hand to GMT or chronograph. On the other hand, the Heuer–02T Module, comes with the proper black skeleton dial with 2 counters: the chronograph minute counter is at 3 o’clock and the chronograph hour counter is at 9. The 1 rotation per minute tourbillon with carbon and titanium cage is at 6 o’clock. It also sports nice yellow varnished indexes and hands with SuperLuminovaTM details.
The Connected Modular 45 is powered by an Intel® Atom™ processor Z34XX series running Android WearTM 2.0 while the Heuer 02-T Module runs on in-house Calibre HEUER–02T. The COSC-certified Tourbillon can be seen through the skeletonized dial particularly the column wheel and the titanium tourbillon cage. It also cranks out over 65 hours of power reserve. Both modules wear on either black or yellow perforated rubber strap with removable titanium Grade 2 folding clasp and safety push-buttons with satin finish.
The Tag Heuer Luxury Kit “Only Watch” Special Edition is estiated to fetch somewhere between 16,000 USD to 26,000 USD when it goes live on Only Watch 2017 this November.
