How the young CEO is balancing the brand's rich legacy in mechanical watchmaking and today's smart technology
Two novelties stand out at the Tag Heuer LVMH Watch Week 2023 presentation. The first is an improved version of the golf smartwatch that was first introduced in 2018: The Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition. At 42mm in diameter (the same as a golf ball), it is now the lightest connected watch yet packed with new algorithms providing a suite of data to optimise your game. This includes the Full Shot Tracking function that records every single shot automatically at every hole until the end of the game. The redesigned interface also features high-resolution 2D maps showing hazards and distances of more than 40,000 golf courses around the world.
It looks as good as it performs. The smaller case size makes it perfect for both men and women. The black titanium is chic and sleek, matching brilliantly with the white rubber strap, with the additional option of a black leather strap with green stitching (we say stick to the white).
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The second highlight is the new Carrera celebrating its 60th anniversary this year—an old but new rendition that Frédéric Arnault, CEO of Tag Heuer, hopes to please both older and younger fans. At the LVMH Watch Week 2023 in Singapore, Tatler catches up with Arnault on the connected watch, the Carrera, and more.
The connected watches have gained quite a following with sportspeople and active folks. What impact do you think they have made in the scene?
We bring smart functions with a touch of elegance. The golf watch is very useful on the golf course but you're also proud to wear it outside the golf course, something you would also love wearing on a day-to-day basis. You can change the face of the watch depending on what you're doing or need it for.
Tag Heuer has more than 100 years of traditional watchmaking. How do you balance between preserving this heritage and the smart innovations?
Traditional watchmaking remains our core business; it's our core DNA. We make sure that smartwatches don't take away the focus and energy from mechanical watches by making the same level of investments in both. The smartwatch is something additional to bring in a new audience to the brand.
Do you want to turn this new audience to your mechanical watches as well? If so, how do you plan to do that?
So, 50 per cent of our connected watch customers were already existing customers of the brand while the other 50 per cent were new. The latter group is passionate about design and elegance, and they understand all the details we bring to a watch. [These details] have a natural link with our mechanical watches; that's how we hope to convert them.
You mentioned earlier about focusing more on high-end watchmaking. How do you define high-end?
When we talk about high-end, it's about investing in our core products and do more creative things with them. One of them is Calibre Heuer 02, which is our own in-house movement. It used to be in a small collection of watches but we have since increased its presence in more watches and we plan to continue expanding it. Our next step is to develop our own three-hand movement; we want it to be among the most creative in the industry. It's too early to talk about it but it will be revealed at [the upcoming] Watches & Wonders.
We're also working on high horology. We used to have that with the Mikrograph but we stopped for some years. Nevertheless, we will come back with some high horology pieces.
