London – On March 16th on the 42nd floor of the Leadenhall Building in the heart of the City, Montblanc presented Summit, the Maison’s first smartwatch, merging classic watchmaking contours and a wearable-technology-based heart. Its appearance calls to mind the lines of a classic sporty chronograph, yet inside the swan neck and the balance wheels leave room to an Android Operative System, customized by the Hamburg-based company. The device is already compatible with more than 4000 apps, and immediately connects with our smartphones, whose data plan it utilizes.
Many app creators have shown faith in the project from its very inception. Runtastic, for instance, comes with a free three-month subscription plan and is paired with a built-in heart rate sensor, an interesting competitive advantage for a smartwatch that will not drain the phone’s battery during workout sessions. In addition, by applying light pressure onto the crown, a virtual assistant can be asked to book a Uber car, without even having to touch your phone.
The case is inspired by the 1858 collection, and is available in four options – black (the one I tried), stainless steel, bicolour and titanium – and has a diameter of 46mm, dimensions that - as stated in previous articles – is not my preferred size, not being easy to wear for people with smaller wrists. The curved sapphire glass, on the other hand, projects the timeless air of a classic watch, as do the straps ranging from leather, crocodile and textured rubber, easy to replace thanks to a tiny lever under the strap itself. My preferred version? Without doubt the stainless steel with leather strap, where the mix of classic and modernity is crystal clear.
This device is perfectly in line with the goal of the Maison: to include new technologies in our daily life tools; the former innovation of the Augmented Paper is a clear example, and will likely reignite a passion for the watch industry itself in new younger consumers. The Summit will be officially available as of May 1st, with a price ranging from EUR 895 to 1045.
Bespoke hugs,
Fabio
Fabio
