King Jewelers Hosts the 9th Annual Nashville Watch Fair, Nashville’s Most Anticipated Watch Event
It’s that time of year again and King Jewelers is set to host Nashville’s premiere watch event, the Nashville Watch Fair, November 10th-18th in their Green Hills salon. During this exclusive event, peruse the latest releases and limited edition timepieces from the top Swiss watch brands including Rolex, Bell & Ross, Breitling, Cartier, Chopard, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Raymond Weil, Swiss Army, TAG Heuer, and TUDOR. This event is the one and only time watch aficionados will have access to brands not normally available in the Nashville area such as Armin Strom, Breguet, Chanel, Girard-Perregaux, Harry Winston, Louis Moinet, and Zenith.
Meet with brand representatives and enjoy cocktails while you see cutting-edge timepiece technology up close and personal. Shop Swiss-made smartwatches starting under $1,000 from brands like Breitling, TAG Heuer, Montblanc, and Frederique Constant. During the Nashville Watch Fair, take advantage of special pricing on watch trade-ins, free diagnostic tests by our acclaimed watchmaker, gifts with purchase, and special financing options. Don’t miss the Nashville Watch Fair, November 10th through the 18th, only at King Jewelers. For more information and a full list of participating brands visit NashvilleWatchFair.com
TAG Heuer Reveals New Connected Modular 45 Smartwatch, a “Swiss-Made” Smartwatch for the Watch Enthusiast
Exciting news! The brand new TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 has been revealed to the world with a mind-blowing four thousand variations and we’re proud to say that we will be carrying some of these smart watches in our Nashville salon!
The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is a major overhaul of the watch that represented the company’s first jump into the smartwatch business, the TAG Heuer Connected. Many of the less than thrilling aspects of the original Connected smartwatch have been completely revamped and improved upon in this new Modular 45 model, making it the perfect smartwatch for the man (or woman!) who appreciates both cutting-edge technology, and classic fine Swiss watchmaking.
The first generation of TAG Heuer’s smartwatches were not modular, meaning if you purchased a watch on a yellow rubber strap, that was the only strap option you had. It could not later be interchanged for a steel bracelet, or a leather band. This lack of versatility was frustrating to many consumers who had seen Apple smart watches and their easily interchanged bands. The new TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45, as the name suggests, is completely interchangeable. Switch it up with a brightly colored rubber strap when you’re working out, then snap on a stylish leather band while you’re at the office, before quickly clicking in a titanium bracelet for a night on the town. It’s a quick and simple way to ensure your Swiss Made smartwatch works with your daily style.
Not only that, but the watch itself is also interchangeable- switch it up from a smartwatch module to a compatible mechanical movement module (a tourbillon or a classic automatic time and date are the two options available currently) with a few clicks of a button. With the first generation, customers had the option to pay a $1,500 fee to have the smartwatch component completely removed and replaced with a classic mechanical movement after a few years of wear. The modular concept is a much more convenient method which gives you the opportunity to switch between smartwatch and mechanical watch at your leisure, rather than being forced to choose between one or the other.
Another main complaint from the first generation was that the watches were neither water-friendly nor GPS enabled. The New TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is water-resistant to 50m and comes with built-in GPS, meaning you’re free to wear it wherever life takes you.
The watch is powered by Intel and Android Wear 2.0, but iPhone users shouldn’t fear a lack of compatibility! The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 will work with iPhone 5 or later, running iOS 9+ or higher. Android Wear 2.0 allows the wearer to run apps without a smartphone nearby. With an average day of use the watch should last up to 25 hours on a single charge, and from a completely dead battery should charge fully within 2 hours.
The new TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is available in our Nashville store NOW! Visit TAG Heuer’s website to learn more about this exciting new technology and to build your own perfect “Swiss-Made” Smartwatch!
Breitling Jumps Into the Smartwatch Race with their B55 Exospace
This week’s featured new Swiss watch arrival is Breitling’s Exospace B55, which is the first smart watch from the Breitling manufacture workshop. Bold and brilliant, the Breitling Exospace B55 Connected watch is an evolution of the Breitling Cockpit B50, and runs on a highly-complex and impressive, in-house made, high-tech “SuperQuartz” movement made by Breitling. This “SuperQuartz” movement inside the B55 allows for an analogue display of the time and two additional displays on the dial. This new digital watch is powered by a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery and takes it to the next level by connecting to your smartphone for added levels of functionality. The new-generation connected chronograph.
In the forefront of connected chronographs, the Exospace B55 is asserting itself as a concentrated package of innovation, functionality and performance. The avant-garde Exospace B55 connected chronograph houses an exclusive SuperQuartz™ movement endowed with a range of original functions tailor-made for pilots. It stands out in terms of its new connection philosophy placing the smartphone in the service of the watch in order to enhance its functionality. The user thus enjoys the optimal comfort of the phone for performing certain adjustments and, conversely, can download the results of certain measurements to the smartphone as well as receive notifications.
True to the brand’s tradition of “instruments for professionals”, Breitling designed this new B55 model as a “real” watch that leverages user-friendliness of the smartphone to improve the ease of use and efficiency. This supremely masterful chronograph remains entirely operational offline. The Exospace B55 is asserting itself as a major technological breakthrough, entirely in line with the Breitling inventions that have made their mark on the history of watchmaking – such as the first independent chronograph push piece at 2 o’clock (1915), the Navitimer slide rule (1952) or the Emergency’s distress beacon (1995). This future-oriented instrument is distinguished by its resolutely technical design featuring a titanium case and rubber strap.
Learn More About Breitling by Visiting Our Website!
King Jewelers is an authorized dealer of Breitling watches and Breitling for Bentley timepieces at both our Aventura, Florida and Nashville, Tennessee jewelry stores. For more info, please visit Breitling’s website.
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliber: Breitling B55 (Manufacture)
Movement: SuperQuartz™, thermocompensated quartz electronic, Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o’clock. Date. Chronograph: 30-min timer at 9 o’clock, central chronograph seconds.
Functions: 1/100th second, max. 99 hrs 59 min. 59 sec., flyback function, electronic tachymeter, chronograph (lap timer, flight times)
Case: 44 mm in diameter; Titanium and black titanium
Dial: analog and 12/24 hour LCD digital display, display backlighting, EOL indicator
Water resistance: 100 m.
We hear it every time the holiday season rolls around, ‘I want to give my husband/brother/father a nice gift this Christmas but I don’t know what to get him!’ Shopping for the men in our lives can be hard, especially if they’ve never expressed interest in a particular type of jewelry or watch before. To take some of the stress out of the gift-giving season, our in-house stylists have rounded up our top 10 holiday gifts for men of 2015.
1) Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch
This year was filled with excitement as the Smartwatch and Wearable Technology categories emerged as one of the newest and most novel luxury product on a global level. While companies like Apple and TAG Heuer dominated the sport watch segment for smartwatches, Frederique Constant rocked the watch world with the release of their Horological Smartwatch, a luxury Swiss timepiece with connected functionality starting at just $995.
The Frederique Constant possesses the precise style and finesse of a classical luxury watch, added to its ability of recording activity and sleep. What’s even more revolutionary is the brand’s connection with its Silicon Valley technology partner, Fullpower. Fullpower’s end-to-end MotionX® technology is meticulously integrated into the Frederique Constant Smart watches, combining a luxury timepiece with connected MotionX® technology.
2) Tudor Heritage Black Bay Black
Image via @TUDORWatch on Instagram
TUDOR watches are hot for the holidays! With the release of the Black Bay Black, Tudor has launched the third variant in its Black Bay Heritage collection and has been very well received by men with elements of the popular vintage style. The Heritage Black Bay is a true homage to Tudor dive watches of the past, and by association, to Rolex Submariners, from which Tudor originally took its DNA. The dial finish is one of the most impressive aspects of the Black Bay where you’re able to appreciate elements of the matte “flesh” that the older and sought-after vintage pieces have. Men have been loving the extra straps that each watch comes with as well as the extremely elegant packaging; at $3,400 it’s a bargain for the quality, considering most watches retail anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000. Learn more about this amazing timepiece here!
3) Montblanc Pen
Simply a classic and timeless gift, Montblanc pens stand the test of time and are always a great gift for men. This featured Montblanc Starwalker Midnight Black Ballpoint Pen (MB 105657) has a twist mechanism and a barrel made of black precious resin. The style has become a fashion statement for men and nicely complements black case watches. The cap is topped with a floating Montblanc star emblem. The Montblanc Starwalker Midnight Black Ballpoint Pen is an iconic gift that any man will treasure.
4) John Hardy Bracelet
An elegantly packaged gift, this John Hardy Sterling Silver Naga Dragon Head Men’s Bracelet was hands down the favorite piece by several of our stylists here at King Jewelers. Handmade in Bali, John Hardy’s iconic men’s bracelets are the perfect gift and a staple, must have for any John Hardy men’s jewelry fan! This sterling silver bracelet has an extra-large (15 x 7mm) chain and a killer dragon motif on the clasp. The bracelet is a size medium and should fit wrists measuring 6.75″ – 7.25″. Learn more about this bracelet now!
5) Cartier Calibre Diver
An extremely versatile and durable timepiece, the new Calibre de Cartier Diver watch from Cartier features a 42 mm case in 18K pink gold and ADLC steel on a textured rubber that’s very comfortable to wear. The Calibre de Cartier Diver watch is an authentic diving instrument. This powerful, accurate watch is powered by an iron-horse 1904 MC movement and is water-resistant to 300 meters. This watch is available in a variety of case metals including rose gold but we particularly love this combination of the black case and rose gold (Reference: W2CA0004). This watch has it all… it’s masculine, sporty, and sleek! Learn more about this exquisite men’s timepiece here!
6) Chopard Mille Miglia Cufflinks
By now we hope that women know that men love cars and have a need for speed. One of the coolest and iconic race collections is the Mille Miglia collection by Chopard. The collection features watches and accessories commemorating the annual thousand mile Ferrari race that loops throughout Italy of the same name. Our featured gift for this holiday season is Chopard’s Mille Miglia Cuff Links (Reference 95014-0001) which are made of polished stainless steel and have a black rubber insert with a Dunlop tire tread pattern. If you can’t afford the Ferrari for Christmas, consider getting him these amazing cufflinks to make up for it.
7) Stephen Webster Pendant
For the man whose style is more “edgy” than “traditional”, we always recommend looking at Stephen Webster pieces. These bold statement pieces are currently on sale 15% off, giving you even more value for your money! 2015 has been a year for rose gold, both in men’s and women’s fashion, and it contrasts beautifully with black accents. For the rockstar man in your life, we recommend the Stephen Webster Dagger Pendant. This dagger-shaped pendant features a beautiful contrasting combination of black onyx, black sapphires, and plated rose gold.
8) TAG Heuer McLaren Watch
This TAG Heuer watch in partnership with McLaren race cars is a celebration of speed and style. Red is the color of speed, of challenge, of victory, of passion, and is marvelously integrated into the watch strap and dial designs. A passion for motor racing runs in the veins of TAG Heuer and drives its relationship with McLaren. To mark the 30th anniversary of the TAG Heuer/McLaren collaboration, the Swiss watch brand is releasing a numbered limited edition of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 chronograph with a Special “Anniversary” engraving on the case back. Learn more about this impressive timepiece here!
9) John Hardy Cuff Links
Featured this holiday are John Hardy’s Sterling Silver and Bronze Palu Square Men’s Cufflinks. These square sterling silver cufflinks feature hammered bronze inlay and look fantastic with a suit or a casual cuffed shirt. Handmade in Bali, John Hardy Jewelry fuses the ancient traditions of Southeast Asian culture with an up-to-the-minute sheen of modernity that men love. John Hardy does more than just dazzle with his jaw-dropping designs. Pegged as the “Original Green Designer,” Hardy has created sustainable luxury since 1989.
10) Scott Kay Men’s Ring
We had to recommend a special men’s ring and while this was not an easy decision for our stylists, Scott Kay’s Sterling Silver Unkaged Scroll Wide Men’s Ring is this holiday’s winner. The 14.5mm wide sterling silver men’s ring features scroll work with beaded detailing on either side. This Scott Kay ring is an unexpected bit of edge, peeking out from underneath a suit jacket or sitting next to a nice Hublot watch. This ring gives an instant rock star appeal to any man’s wardrobe.
Shopping for a Tech-Savvy Gentleman? Give the Gift of Time with a Swiss-Made Smartwatch!
It’s always a balance, finding a holiday gift that makes a statement without making a huge dent in your bank account. Oftentimes, we’re forced to hold back on what we’d like to give our loved ones due to a lack of funding, especially when it comes to expensive new technology. 2015 saw the rise of the smartwatch as Apple pioneered into the watch industry with their iWatch. Swiss watchmakers were not to be outdone, however, and this holiday season there are many smartwatches available, some starting at less than $1,000, from respected names in the watch industry. The gift of the season for the tech savvy gentleman? Any one of these smartwatches will do!
1. Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch
Arguably the most budget-friendly Swiss made Smartwatch on the market today comes from Frederique Constant- their stainless steel model on a leather strap is available for just $995. The watch communicates with an app on your smartphone to set the time as you cross time zones, track your daily activity, and monitor your sleeping patterns. However, saving dollars does come at a price: the Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch is essentially a discreet, good-looking fitness tracker which also conveniently tells the time; the timepiece will not give you notifications for incoming calls, texts, or emails and it doesn’t give you control over your music. Still, unlike the other watches on this list, the Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch does not need to be charged on a regular basis- it is energy efficient and only needs to have it’s battery replaced once every 25 months or so, much like a traditional quartz movement watch. To many, this convenience is worth the trade-off in features.
This piece also looks most like a traditional timepiece out of any smartwatch on our list; the analog display makes it impossible for someone to know that you’re wearing a fitness tracker unless you tell them. At the time of this publication, Frederique Constant offers this timepiece in five variations: silver dial with a steel bracelet (FC-285S5B6B), black dial with a steel bracelet (FC-285B5B6B), silver dial on a black leather strap (FC-285S5B6), black dial on a brown leather strap (FC-285B5B6), and white dial with rose case on a brown leather strap (FC-285V5B4). Learn more here!
2. Montblanc e-Strap
Technically a smart strap more-so than a smart watch, Montblanc’s entry into the smartwatch race is certainly unique! Unlike the other watches on this list, Montblanc’s wearable tech doesn’t change the standard mechanical movement at all; the watch itself is still a traditional, mechanical movement Swiss timepiece. Instead, the wearable technology is housed entirely in a small screen on the strap which connects via Bluetooth technology to an app on your Android or iOS smartphone. This e-Strap is interchangeable and can technically be used in conjuncture with any mechanical watch in your collection, providing it fits!
The e-Strap has a variety of functions, including smart notifications signaled by vibrations (for things like texts, emails, incoming calls, and social media notifications), an activity tracker, control of your music, camera connectivity, and a find-me function which can help you find your phone or your watch if it’s lost and within 30 meters of your location. At the moment, Montblanc offers the e-Strap on three timepieces: Timewalker Urban Speed Date ($3,140), Timewalker Urban Speed UTC ($4,200), and the Timewalker Urban Speed Chronograph ($4,900). Learn more about the Montblanc e-Strap smartwatches here!
3. TAG Heuer Connected Smartwatch
The TAG Heuer Connected Smartwatch is not yet available in stores. Upon it’s release, customers may purchase the watch on a black, blue, white, red, green, yellow, or orange rubber strap- talk about options!
The hype around the new TAG Heuer Connected Smartwatch has been huge, and for good reason! Compatible with both Android and iOS, the TAG Heuer Connected Smartwatch features touch-screen technology with the option to choose your “dial” from a list of existing TAG Heuer watch dials in a variety of colors. Need a chronograph function? Simply choose the chronograph dial. Traveling across multiple time zones and need the convenience of a GMT? Select the GMT dial!
Something that really sets TAG Heuer apart from the rest of the smartwatches out there is their upgrade program. In two years, for an additional fee, you have the option of sending your Connected smartwatch to TAG Heuer to have the Android-based technology switched out for a traditional mechanical movement. This program completely erases any possibility of you being stuck with an out of date, unusable piece of technology. I have a generation 1 iPad, now affectionately referred to as a useless hunk of junk, collecting dust at home and I would hate to spend money on a luxury timepiece only to end up with yet another paperweight when the technology becomes obsolete!
The TAG Heuer Smartwatch unfortunately won’t be available in authorized retailers until January, so unless you’re giving someone the promise of a luxury Swiss-made smartwatch this Christmas, you won’t be able to have one wrapped under your tree. Last we heard, Connected Smartwatches purchased directly through TAG Heuer’s website (available on a black strap only) may not make it in time for Christmas delivery as demand has been so incredibly high. With a price tag of just $1,500, this one is definitely worth the wait!
It seems like every day a new Swiss watch brand is unveiling some version of a smartwatch. Montblanc started by releasing a smart strap with a LED screen, then Frederique Constant and Alpina revealed timepieces that synced with iPhone and Android apps to track daily activity and sleep habits- and now even more of the big names in Swiss Watchmaking have joined the race to see who can create the best Swiss-Smartwatch.
New reports from Baselworld 2015 in Switzerland confirm that TAG Heuer should be releasing a “Swiss Android smartwatch” by the end of this year. The timepiece will be powered by Google’s Android Wear software and an Intel chip. Reports confirm the watch will include the wearable-tech features we’ve all come to love, including GPS and a heart rate monitor.
As we’ve mentioned before, the big fear in the Swiss timepiece industry was that smartwatches by tech brands like Apple would make traditional watches a thing of the past. Luckily for the luxury timepiece industry, Apple’s smartwatch reveal was met with much criticism. Their watch, which is available in multiple variations, can cost as much as $10,000- a big chunk of change for a piece of technology which will likely be outdated within two years. Aesthetically, the Apple Watch isn’t very pleasing either. It’s been likened to wearing a computer monitor on your wrist- not very stylish!
TAG Heuer has decided to answer Apple’s unspoken challenge with one of their own: TAG aims to create a watch that’s technologically advanced, with roots in quality Swiss timekeeping (they’ve been in the business of luxury watchmaking for well over 100 years,) and is a stylish accessory that people enjoy wearing. Rumor has it, the brand is using a version of their greatly-loved Carrera model for the upcoming smartwatch. A modern top-selling variation of the Carrera model- only time will tell if TAG Heuer’s new smartwatch will be similarly styled
However, it’s undeniable that the Apple Watch has put the concept of wearing a watch firmly at the forefront of young people’s minds. This is a definite turnaround for a generation that previously had abandoned watches in favor of digital displays on cellphones. For this, TAG CEO Jean-Claude Biver is grateful. “Apple will get young people used to wearing a watch and later maybe they will want to buy themselves a real watch.”
Frederique Constant and Alpina to Release The Swiss Horological Smartwatch, Powered by MotionX®, at Baselworld 2015
2015 is still in it’s infancy, and it’s already proven to be a year of unprecedented progress in the Luxury Timepiece Industry. Technology giant Apple released information about their smartwatch to mixed reviews, but Swiss watch brands still felt an oncoming threat and struggled to stay relevant in today’s technology-fueled world.
Montblanc was the first brand to really commit to this new age- creating a watch strap which could instantly transform (almost) any watch into a smartwatch. The concept was great and gave consumers who loved their existing timepiece the option to simply give it an easily-removable facelift. Still, as first of it’s kind there were bound to be some setbacks. The position of the screen (underneath the wrist) makes it almost impossible to avoid banging it into your desk, counter, etc on a daily basis. There’s also the fact that it was made to fit a specific Montblanc model, not just any timepiece you have laying around, and it is only available in one size; your go-to watch just may not fit the bill. All in all, the concept was innovative and ultimately very impressive.
The real game-changer, however, is set to be released at Baselworld 2015 when Frederique Constant and Alpina plan on revealing The Swiss Horological Smartwatch. Two pieces are set to be equipped with the cutting-edge smart technology powered by MotionX®, and all without sacrificing the classic look of a Swiss timepiece. There are no digital screens to be found, only classic dials in analog form. The wearable technology syncs with either your iPhone or Android smartphone to track of your daily activity and sleep habits.
Shop Our Selection of Frederique Constant Watches Now!
The Frederique Constant smartwatch, shown above, is reference FC-285V5B4
Case
Polished rose gold plated stainless steel, diameter of 42 mm
Convex sapphire crystal
Water-resistant to 5 ATM
Movement
FC-285 quartz caliber, functions adjustable via the crown
2+ years battery life
Functions
Always-on time & date
MotionX® activity tracking
Sleeptracker® sleep monitoring
Sleep cycle alarms
Get-Active alerts
Adaptive coaching
MotionX® cloud backup and restore
Dial
Silver dial with hand-applied indexes
Hand polished rose gold plated steel hands
Brown leather strap with folding buckle
The Alpina smartwatch, shown above, is reference AL-285BTD3C6B
Case
Polished and brushed stainless steel case, 39mm diameter
Dome shaped scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Water-resistant up to 100m/330ft/10ATM
Movement
AL-285 quartz caliber
All functions adjustable via the crown
2+ years battery life
Functions
Always-on time & date
MotionX® activity tracking
Sleeptracker® sleep monitoring
Sleep cycle alarms
Get-Active alerts
Adaptive coaching
MotionX® cloud backup and restore
Dial
Black dial with guilloché triangle pattern and 11 hand-set diamonds
Hand polished hands with white luminous treatment
Steel bracelet with folding buckle
We’re so excited to see these smartwatches in action at Basel this March. What do you think? Do you prefer a smartwatch that looks more futuristic, or are you a fan of the more traditional style smartwatches like the ones shown here?
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