TRADITION

THE WATCH INDUSTRY has weathered many a storm in its centuries-old history, and it’s now mechanical watches that are under the pump, thanks to the smartwatch. While it will be difficult for smartwatches to dethrone high-end mechanical watches from their long-established role as a status symbol, statement jewellery piece or heirloom artefact, smartwatches do pose a threat to mid-level watch brands. This has prompted many traditional Swiss watch brands to have a smartwatch in their portfolio. If the idea of a smartwatch that carries a well-known Swiss watch brand’s name appeals to you, here are three that you should check out.

MONTBLANC Summit 3

Montblanc joined the smartwatch movement in 2017 with the Summit smartwatch, and the current iteration, the Montblanc Summit 3, is something to behold. It has a titanium case reminiscent of the brand’s mechanical watches and has been brushed and polished by hand. It also boasts a range of customisable watch faces that mimic mechanical dials, such as that of the Geosphere. Powered by Google’s Wear OS and a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chip, it gets improved battery life, health-monitoring sensors, fitness aids and several apps. montblanc.com yourluxury.africa

HUBLOT Big Bang e FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Being the official timekeeper of the FIFA World Cup, Hublot came out with a special edition for the 2022 World Cup. Limited to 1,000 units, the timepiece has a 44mm case and is made from micro-blasted and polished black ceramic and titanium. Under the case is a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor powered by Wear OS 3. It also has a dedicated smartphone app and an accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and speaker, GPS and a heart-rate monitor. hublot.com

The iconic panther makes its mark with a black speckled strap on the latest Cartier Panthère calfskin bag R56 000, Cartier Boutique