Mondaine Helvetica Smartwatch Ready for Pre-Order
If you’re looking for a wearable device that doesn’t look like your standard boring plastic activity tracker, Mondaine has a luxury smartwatch that may be right up your alley—if you don’t mind paying for that luxury.
At Baselworld 2015 back in March, Mondaine introduced a smartwatch that does the usual things you expect from an activity tracker like counting steps, calories and sleep but looks more like a traditional watch than a Fitbit or Jawbone. Now the Mondaine Helvetica 1 Smart Watch is available for pre-order at mondaine-usa.com for $850, $100 less than the list price that will go into effect in September.
The pre-order will have a limited run of just 1,957 pieces. That number references the year that Swiss typeface designer max Miedinger created the Helvetica font. The smartwatch, which is compatible with both iOS and Android, includes an accompanying smartphone app that can create a coaching program based on the individual activity of the user.
The Mondaine Helvetica 1 Smart Watch has the sophisticated look of a traditional luxury timepiece with brushed matte steel case, sapphire crystal, white dial and leather strap. Tucked inside the smart looking case is motion detection by Fullpower Technologies MotionX.
The Mondaine Helvetica is the product of collaboration between Union Horlogère and Fullpower Technologies. The resulting venture called Manufacture Modules Technologies (MMT) has created the Horological Smartwatch Open Platform that will license the quartz module technology to third parties like Mondaine.
Since Union Horlogère is also the parent company of Swiss brands Frederique Constant and Alpina, we can expect similar luxury smartwatches in the near future. By the time TAG Heuer finally debuts the Carrera Wearable 101, the field of wearable devices from traditional watch brands may already be pretty crowded.