With the advent of smart watches and wristbands that have been growing in popularity by the day, old school mechanical watchmakers have been forced to rethink their strategy. Some have even come up with their own smartwatches to rival the upcoming AppleWatch. But, what if you want the premium feel of a mechanical watch along with the benefits of a smart wearable? Montblanc, the luxury watchmaker, has come up with an ingenious idea to blend traditional watchmaking with smart technology. The brand has announced an optional e-Strap that’ll equip its Timewalker Urban Speed Collection. The e-Strap brings the usual activity tracking, notifications, music controls, remote camera trigger and other usual features found on wrist-worn wearables.
The e-Strap band adds a four-centimeter widget to the inside of the watchband, complete with screen with a notification system. It can be connected with a smartphone app and handle all the standard notifications. The band itself is Florentine leather and the widget is made from a carbon material that Montblanc calls “diamond-like carbon” giving it a premium touch. As for the pricing, the watch itself ranges from €2,990 up to €4,690 (about $3,319 to $5,675), and the smart band is said to add another €250 (around $300).
[Via – A-Blog-To-Watch]
