For smartwatch devotees who still want a piece of luxury on their wrist—notwithstanding that there is nothing luxe without the mechanical movement loaded with jewels—TAG Heuer still has you covered. The Swiss luxury watch brand has renewed its commitment to have the rich’s need for a smartwatch covered with the unveiling of the fifth-generation Connected watch, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5.
And not going to lie. The series does look great. The issue is that I struggle to reconcile the inclusion of “luxury” in something whose relevance is tied to the validity of the technology. But that’s just me. Anyhoo, here it is, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5, a smartwatch that claims to have a “digital heart mechanical soul.”
This is TAG flexing its Swiss watchmaking muscle on something that runs on software. You get two sizes this time: the big 45 mm case in stainless steel or black DLC titanium, and a smaller, dressier 40 mm version in polished steel or rose gold PVD. Both come with sapphire crystals, ceramic bezels, and enough strap options—rubber, leather, metal, nylon—to confuse even seasoned collectors.
Inside, it’s TAG’s own OS with cleaner visuals, faster navigation, voice assistant support, activity tracking, and health monitoring that includes live heart rate and, soon, sleep phases with SpO2. The 45 mm lasts up to three days, while the 40 mm clocks in at two, and a half-hour top-up gets you a full day.
For sportier types, there’s dual-band GNSS for runners and a Golf Edition with a course map library of over 40,000 tracks. So yes, it will outlast your backswing tantrums. In addition, there is a New Balance Edition. Yes, THE New Balance. It looks like New Balance has one up on Nike in putting its name on a luxury watch.
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 is available now with prices starting at US$1,600.
Images: TAG Heuer.