Montblanc introduces the TimeWalker Urban Speed e-Strap

Montblanc is coming out with the TimeWalker Urban Speed e-Strap, which it dubs as the "first luxury brand to combine wearable technology with fine watchmaking." Unlike most smartwatches, the electronics are seated on the underside of the wrist when worn, instead of in the timepiece itself. It is enclosed in a steel case with rubber protection and can be paired with other watches. The leather strap is durable and resistant to the external elements such as water and heat. Charging is done via a micro-USB connector. Battery life is expected to last up to a week. Users can download an app for iOS or Android and use it to control the band, which is connected via Bluetooth.

The touchscreen display previews text messages and e-mails, and alerts for incoming calls. Wearers also get reminders for important calendar events and social media updates through vibration alerts. The gadget has remote control capability for the smartphone’s camera as well. Tapping the e-Strap triggers the snap button. It has a music player and a pedometer for fitness alerts. The Find-Me function aids users to look for the watch or smartphone within a 30m range.

Some users do not want to sacrifice aesthetics for function, which would be the case, given the availability of smartwatches in the market. With the e-Strap, people can still use their decades-old mechanical watch and enjoy smartwatch capability at the same time. A team of engineers and designers based in Tel Aviv is raising funds for a strap buckle called Modillian with smart functionality similar to e-Strap.

Other watchmakers and accessory sellers can look to the concept to be more competitive in the market. It sidesteps the battery and aesthetic issues inherent in smartwatches while still providing basic notification and message response capability. In addition, updating a relatively inexpensive strap every year or so is far more likely than updating a luxury or midrange smartwatch for most.

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