Luxury meets Performance: The Smartwatches from Luxury Watch Makers
In spring 2019, the writing seemed on the wall: the Apple Watch dominated the smartwatch market, while Swiss tradition looked like something from another era. That’s when Garmin, TAG Heuer, and Frederique Constant stepped into the ring-each with its own answer to the question of whether a watch could be smart without losing its dignity. We introduced all three models back then. Today, with a few years of hindsight, it’s clear who got it right: it wasn’t the watch with the most features that won, but the one with the clearest vision.
In spring 2019, the smartwatch market looked like a done deal: the Apple Watch ruled the roost, and Swiss tradition seemed stuck in a bygone era. That’s when Garmin, TAG Heuer, and Frederique Constant made their move-each brand staking a claim on whether a watch could be intelligent without sacrificing its soul. We reviewed all three models at the time. Now, years later, the verdict is in: it wasn’t the most feature-packed watch that prevailed, but the one with the most coherent philosophy.
- Garmin’s MARQ line debuted in March 2019 with five models, titanium cases, sapphire crystals, and price tags ranging from €1,500 to €2,500. The line is still going strong today, now in its second generation.
- TAG Heuer was the first Swiss luxury house to launch a true smartwatch in 2015. The Connected line ran until the Calibre E4, which was discontinued at the end of 2024. A successor is widely expected.
- Frederique Constant took the hybrid route: a mechanical manufacture movement paired with subtle sensor tech and no display. This concept has aged the most gracefully.
- The honest takeaway: if you want a watch for training, buy a sports watch. If you’re after style that also keeps score, the hybrid approach is the sweet spot.
Garmin MARQ: The sports watch that dressed to impress
In March 2019, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, Garmin launched a five-model luxury line under the name MARQ. Each model was tailored to a different world: the Aviator for the cockpit, the Captain for the water, the Expedition for the mountains, the Driver for the racetrack, and the Athlete for those who treat their body as their sports equipment. All shared a 46-millimetre titanium case, domed sapphire crystal, and prices ranging from about €1,500 to €2,500, depending on the model.
In our original 2019 article we wrote that the Athlete measured blood-oxygen saturation and maximum oxygen uptake. That part was correct; only the name had been mixed up: Forerunner is Garmin’s own running-watch line, not the MARQ model. The MARQ Athlete itself displays estimated VO₂ max and recovery time right on the bezel and uses its Pulse Ox sensor to read how well your body absorbs oxygen. Do the math and it quickly becomes clear: technically it was a premium Fenix with precious metal on the outside. That, in a nutshell, is the point. Garmin didn’t try to make a smart watch; it made a very good sports watch beautiful.
That clarity has paid off. The MARQ line is still alive today, now in a second generation with a larger AMOLED display and carbon variants. Of the three brands we tested, it’s the only one that has carried its concept forward without a break. Anyone who bought in 2019 isn’t wearing a Fossil on their wrist today.
It wasn’t the watch with the most features that won, but the one with the clearest vision.
TAG Heuer Connected: The pioneer that hit pause
In 2015 TAG Heuer became the first Swiss luxury maker to build a true smartwatch-complete with apps, GPS and Wi-Fi-inside the case of a Carrera. It was bold, because the industry long dismissed the idea as a passing fad. In 2017 came the Connected Modular; its charm was in the name. You could swap case bodies, straps and clasps, from titanium to ceramic or rose-gold lugs. Prices started at about €1,100 and climbed steeply from there.
What we couldn’t know in 2019 was that TAG Heuer would keep going. In 2020 the third generation arrived, in 2022 the Calibre E4, followed by special editions with Porsche, Malbon Golf, even Nintendo. Then the silence fell. At the end of 2024 TAG Heuer listed the Calibre E4 as discontinued and removed the model pages from its homepage-a clear sign that a successor is in the works. The Connected story isn’t a swan song; it’s a breather. If you find a used Connected Modular, you get a lovely slice of tech history-but you should know the software won’t be supported forever. That’s the price every smartwatch pays and a mechanical watch never will.
Frédérique Constant Hybrid Manufacture: The quiet champion
Half automatic, half smartwatch. In 2018 Frédérique Constant took a gamble that only reveals itself on second glance. Inside the case ticks the in-house automatic calibre FC-750, a genuine Swiss manufacture movement with 26 jewels and 42-hour power reserve, adorned with Côtes de Genève. Beside it sits an electronic module that tracks steps, sleep and activity and feeds the data to an app. There’s no display to obscure your mechanical art; the dial remains a dial.
The cleverest trick is hidden beneath the surface: the sensors monitor the going of the mechanical works and alert you when accuracy drifts or service is due. A watch that keeps an eye on itself. The electronic module lasts about a week on a charge, while the mechanical movement runs on your motion alone. It’s exactly this concept that has aged so gracefully: the Classic Hybrid Manufacture is still in the catalogue today. It doesn’t go out of style because it never tried to compete with the smartphone; it simply complements it-discreetly.
What remains of the Apple vs. Switzerland debate?
The short answer: both were right, just in different categories. If you want to monitor every heart-rate zone, every recovery phase and every sleep cycle, a dedicated sports watch or an Apple Watch is the better choice-this was true in 2019 and remains so today. If, however, you’re looking for a timepiece that fits every occasion and quietly knows more than it displays, the hybrid approach offers the more elegant solution. Luxury and function have never had to compete; the most beautiful models in this round simply stopped sacrificing one for the other.
If you’re drawn to the no-nonsense side-the question of which tracker values actually matter and which you can safely ignore-take a look at our sister magazine InspiredBySports. There we’ve spelled out which smartwatch data really count for training. And if your heart still beats for the classic wristwatch, we’ve got the latest men’s watch trends plus a behind-the-scenes peek at a digital Hublot boutique, where tradition and technology have long since stopped being opposites.
Quick Answers
▸Is the Garmin MARQ still available to buy?
Yes. Garmin has continued the MARQ line and launched a second generation in 2022, featuring a larger AMOLED display and titanium and carbon variants. The Athlete version remains the sportiest model in the series. Of the three brands in our original comparison, Garmin is the only one whose concept has remained continuously available.
▸Is the TAG Heuer Connected still in production?
The Calibre E4, the last generation, was discontinued at the end of 2024 and TAG Heuer has removed the model pages from its homepage-strong hints at a successor. As of now, there is no active Connected model in the official lineup, though used pieces are easy to find. Bear in mind that a smartwatch’s software will eventually stop receiving updates.
▸What sets a hybrid watch apart from a true smartwatch?
A hybrid like the Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture keeps a traditional dial and mechanical movement. Its sensors work in the background and are read via an app; there’s no touchscreen. A true smartwatch displays data directly on its screen, offers apps and notifications, but must be recharged regularly and ages with its software.
▸Which of these three watches is the best pick today?
It depends on what you need. For serious training with deep data, the Garmin MARQ Athlete is the most consistent choice. For a watch that stays elegant and doesn’t go out of style, the hybrid Frederique Constant is the most confident. The TAG Heuer Connected is more for collectors who want a piece of pioneering tech on their wrist.
