Smartwatches are getting more and more popular these days, as we see nearly every tech company offering their own version. These watches are pretty great, and coming from someone that owns one (Moto 360), they are a worthwhile investment if you are on the fence. With my smartwatch I have virtually thousands of watch faces to choose from, I can measure my heart rate and count my steps, I can control my music, and I can even send text messages from it. Smartwatches simply offer more features than traditional watches. The downside is that they are not timepieces. In a few months the next new smartwatch will be on the market, and my watch’s value plummets every day. High-end, traditional watches will increase in value over the years and are more memorable. Well luxury pen and watch manufacturer Montblanc has recently unveiled a way to have both a smartwatch and an amazing, high-end time piece.
The company has just introduced an “e-Strap” that will come on some of its newer watches, or sold as a replacement band for existing watches. This strap will add the functionalities of a smartwatch to an existing watch, giving the user the best of both worlds. The company created this band to compete with smartwatch companies, and it is probably the best solution yet. The e-Strap offers most of the functionalities that modern smarwatches have, once you pair it with the mobile application.
The strap is made from Florentine leather while the devices is made from a material that Montblanc describes as “diamond-like carbon”. I’m not sure what that means, as diamonds are essentially carbon, but I’m sure its very sturdy and luxurious. The strap itself will sell for around $380 dollars, making it considerably more money than current smartwatches. Still this is the best solution for having a smartwatch, and a luxury timepiece.
Photo from Montblanc
