Baselworld 2017 was huge for smartwatches, with luxury watchmakers announcing quite a number of smart wearables at the annual watch and jewelry show in Basel, Switzerland. More smartwatches from fashionable brands is good, as it could help lift interest in the declining market.
Some of the companies that made waves at the show include the likes of Michael Kors, Tag Heuer, Swatch, Fossil, and more — and many of those devices come with Android Wear 2.0, Google’s latest and greatest smartwatch operating system. Here’s everything we saw at Baselworld 2017.
Fossil
Fossil had a big show this year, both with the Fossil brand and the range of brands that fall under its umbrella. For starters, the company launched a range of new Android Wear watches, including the Fossil Q Venture and Q Explorist. The former device comes with a 11.5mm case, while the Explorist’s case sits at 12.6mm. Both feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor paired with a 4GB of RAM. They’re not on sale just yet, but they’ll be available sometime this year. The price ranges between $255 and $275.
Android Wear watches aren’t the only devices that were launched by Fossil. The company also announced a new hybrid devices called the Q Accomplice and the Q Activist. While the watches may not have a screen, they can still deliver email alerts, activity reminders, call notifications, and more. They’ll be available later this year and will have a low price range between $155 and $175.
Diesel
Diesel falls under the Fossil brand, and during the show it dipped its toes into the Android Wear world too. The device, called the Diesel On, puts a typically Diesel spin on Android Wear devices with a massive watch face and and angular design. The watch also comes with a brown leather strap and features the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, as well as Android Wear 2.0. We’re not sure exactly when it’ll be available for purchase, but we do know it will start at $325.
Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger launched the TH24/7 Android Wear 2.0 watch at Baselworld 2017. The device has a very casual design with a standard metal link bracelet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have NFC or a heart rate monitor — but if you’re looking for a stylish Android Wear watch for telling the time and for notifications, this could be the device for you. The TH24/7 is expected to go on sale later this year for a starting price of $300.
Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss also made its grand entrance into Android Wear smartwatches. Unlike the Tommy Hilfiger device, this one does come with NFC — but it won’t offer a heart rate monitor. The watch offers a slightly different design, too, swapping out the metal band in favor of brown or black leather. It looks similar to the Fossil Q Founder in design, although it doesn’t seem to have the flat-tire display. This watch will go on sale in August for $395.
Michael Kors
Michael Kors, another Fossil brand, also announced a few new Android Wear 2.0 devices. The two watches include the Access Sofie, which is built for women, and the Access Grayson, for men. The devices are built for fashion — so you won’t see too many fitness tracking features or a GPS.
The Sofie is a little smaller and daintier than your typical Android Wear 2.0 watch, while the Grayson offers a much more typical smartwatch look. Thankfully, display technology seems to have improved — and neither of the two devices have flat tire screen issues. They also both offer Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor.
Emporio Armani
The next Fossil brand with a new smartwatch is Emporio Armani, which offers a clear resemblance to other Armani watches. The two devices have two buttons, as well as an extended crown. It offers Android Wear 2.0 and runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor. The display is said to be “high resolution,” but exactly how high that resolution is remains to be seen. Pricing and release date has yet to be announced, but it’s likely we’ll hear more about the device in coming months.
The company also unveiled a number of hybrid watches, and while details are currently a little scarce, Fossil notes that the watches will offer discreet notifications and some activity tracking.
Movado
Movado announced the Movado Connect watch slightly before the event, but it still showcased its new watch at Baselworld. The Movado Connect is available in a hefty five different styles, and actually looks very sleek. The device comes with Android Wear 2.0 and offers a massive collection of 100 watch faces — but they’re all variations of Movado’s iconic dot design.
The Movado Connect also has NFC, which can be used for Android Pay. It’s not yet known exactly when the Movado Connect will ship, but it should be sometime in the fall. It will set you back $495.
Veldt
Perhaps the most unique launch at the show is Veldt’s new device, called the Luxture. The device itself boasts a quartz movement with a relatively slim 38mm body, which comes in at around 11mm thick. According to Veldt, the watch is aimed at offering a smartwatch option for women, and the smarts inside of it are pretty interesting. The way it shows notifications is through a series of 24 LED lights, which sit under the bezel and light up. For example, if there’s a weather update saying that it’s sunny outside, the watch will light up yellow.
Of course, the device won’t come cheap — you’ll have to shell out between $500 and $2,000 to get one for yourself, and it’ll ship at some point in December 2017.
Kronaby
Kronaby isn’t diving into Android Wear devices, as the company is better known for its hybrid devices. The company launched the Connected Movement line last month, which offers connectivity with both Android and iOS devices, as well as filtered notifications, music control, and more. We had a chance to check the watch out in person during the show.
The range includes four models, including the sportier Apex, the classic-looking Sekel, the Nord, and the Carat. When it comes to pricing, the watches sit between 345 and 545 euros, or $370 to $585, and they’re currently available for pre-order.
Tag Heuer
Tag Heuer is a growing influence in the smartwatch world, and for good reason. Its latest launch is the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 — and it’s built for style. In fact, there are a hefty 500 different style possibilities you can get, thanks to a huge range of interchangeable parts available for the device.
The Connected Modular 45 was officially unveiled a week before Baselworld 2017, and we managed to check it out in person during the show. Under the hood, the watch features Intel’s Atom processor. It connects via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC, and also runs Android Wear 2.0, the latest and greatest version of Google’s wearable OS. Last but not least, it has a 1.39-inch display and is water resistant.
Guess
Guess jumped the gun and announced its new range of smartwatches, the Guess Connect line, before the show officially kicked off. These new watches are the result of a team-up with Google and Qualcomm — and the result is a range of high-spec Android Wear 2.0 devices with Qualcomm’s smarts under the hood. We were able to check the watches out for ourselves during the show.
There are two main versions of the Connect on offer, including a smaller 41mm version billed as being built for women, and a larger 44mm model. The models aren’t just different in size — they also feature various color and style options. The smaller device is available in silver, gold, or rose gold, and features crystals around the case. The larger watch, comes in both classic and sport styles. Both devices will have access to a range of custom watch faces.
