TAG Heuer and the Future of the Luxury Watch

Matt Richman:

In order to have even a chance of being as feature-rich as Apple Watch, then, TAG’s smartwatch will have to pair with an Android phone. However, TAG wearers aren’t Android users. Rich people buy TAG watches, but rich people don’t buy Android phones.

This is TAG’s dilemma. Its smartwatch will need to pair with an Android phone to be anywhere near as feature-rich as Apple Watch, but TAG wearers don’t buy Android phones.

Astute, as usual.

I think the path for luxury watch makers is exactly the one they’ve been on since their recovery after the quartz crisis: celebrate their analog nature. Compete on their own terms, doing what they do best.

★ Tuesday, 6 January 2015