Gooseberry Wants To Make Your Watch Smart!

With their new Smart Buckle.

Courtesy of Gooseberry

Having tried a few smart or connected watches, I generally return to my favorite mechanical (or in the case of the Gavox Aurora, even quartz) watches before too long.  More often than not, I tend to come to the same compromise - connected watch on my right wrist, preferred "real" watch on my left.  The connected watches thus far have failed to live up to both the hype, and then the adjusted expectation level.  In some instances the functions do not work as promised, in others the watch breaks down quite shortly after purchase, becoming a somewhat frustratingly expensive paper weight.  The frustration level for the customer I suspect only increases when it seems that the brand is more intent on spending money on brand ambassadors and events and not worry too much about after sales support.  Because if we're honest, if it doesn't work as advertised, as the customer you are more apt to abandon the whole idea and stop wearing the now apparently "not-so-smart" watch.


MMT offered up the E-Strap this past year, but if I am being completely honest, it is still a limiting solution as it requires you to purchase the entire strap.  So this begs the question, what do you do when the strap is worn out, or if you would prefer to switch straps?  More to the point (and I will gladly accept being corrected if I have gotten the wrong end of the stick) my understanding is that the MMT Smart Strap is strictly a "B to B" solution, meaning that as a consumer, you can't go out and buy one for yourself.  You buy it from the watch brand as an OEM item.  Which means, you guessed it, you're going to be dipping pretty deeply into your pocket for it, and as it is an OEM item, it is going to be as challenging as getting any other OEM item in the post sales environment.  Meaning you will wait months, and frequently not be able to get it in a reasonable amount of time, and it is going to be expensive.

So let's get down to brass tacks -

Courtesy of Gooseberry

As a reminder, this solution as proposed is a buckle with the smart technology component built into it.

Courtesy of Gooseberry

It offers what is pretty much the expected level of features currently found in the majority of connected watches -

Courtesy of Gooseberry

My understanding is that additional features will be forthcoming as they are created and stabilized to ensure their functionality, so I will be curious to see how this develops over time.

Courtesy of Gooseberry

The buckle itself is rechargeable and is reported to last on average 7 days presuming a usage level of 8 to 10 hours.   The good news?  Only 60 minutes (1 hour) to recharge.

You can order the new Smart Buckle through Gooseberry's Kickstarter and save a good margin on the $99 US retail price point.

I have not personally used one, but I can say that if it does perform as advertised, it could be a very interesting step in the evolution of the connected watch.  

I will keep you posted - stay tuned!

A Few More Minutes on Connected Watches

Peter Stas was kind enough to answer a few specific questions that I sent his way -

Courtesy of Frederique Constant

Tempus Fugit -

While it does seem that the connected watch trend is growing, it still seems that there is a hesitation by many (both traditional watch folks and non-watch people) to totally embrace it.  Do you see that starting to shift?

Peter Stas - 
Yes, it is slowly changing. The Fossil Group is at a hundred thousand connected watches.  MMT based Horological Smartwatches are also growing fast.  The most interesting feedback is the SWATCH Group's Announcement of February 4th  that they will start to develop their own Connected Watch OS with CSEM.  It seems that Mr. Hayek finally understands the future and is joining the trend! Please note they expect to be ready only by the end of 2018 (source Swatch Group website) whereas MMT already has a full platform available to watchmakers, including a secure cloud protected under Swiss Privacy rules.

TF - I was at the MMT launch in San Francisco two years ago, and the understanding that I had at that time was that in order for new features to be updated/adapted, the watch itself would receive a physical upgrade whereby a new module would be swapped out.  Has the process for this update/upgrade begun with new options possibly available?

PS - So far, we have been able to upgrade everything OTA (Over The Air), so no hardware upgrade has been necessary or foreseen.

TF - With new smart watches coming out more rapidly, where do you feel Frederique Constant fits into this new category?

PS - Horological Smartwatches now represent 10% of Frederique Constant's volume.  We will continue to develop new models and drive this category.

TF - Frederique Constant was certainly one of the first to launch a connected / smart watch.  Judging from the dearth of Mondaine connected watches that found their way to the grey market here in the US, they might not have fit in the demographic.  How have FC and Alpina done with the first generation of connected watches?

PS - Frederique Constant and Alpina have done very well.  Positioning at CHF 995-1395 probably better fit the overall brand positioning of Frederique Constant and Alpina.  We have also done intensive trainings to make retailers comfortable with the new product category.  Sales increased significantly in 2016 versus 2015 and we forecast further growth in 2017.

TF - As the Frederique Constant models use (as far as I understand it) the same modules as those sold to other watch brands, is there a plan to make a module with features unique and specific to Frederique Constant and/or Alpina?

PS - Currently only Frederique Constant and Alpina sell watches with the new 281 (ladies HSW caliber) and 282 (4 years battery life caliber). These watches were introduced in November of last year, and we expect more brands to incorporate these calibers.  In the future, we expect to have a specific Alpina caliber with special functions for the brand.

Peter Stas on Connected Watches

While the arguments could go back and forth as to who did what and when in the area of connected watches, it is fair to say that Peter Stas, with his co-creation of MMT and its adaptation by Frederique Constant and Alpina fired the first real shot in the connected watch revolution.

Mr. Stas and the folks at Frederique Constant took the time to put together a bit of a Q & A briefing paper which shares a lot of his insights and opinions into this rapidly evolving segment, and I wanted to go ahead and share it with you in its original form, enjoy!

What induced Frederique Constant to invest a lot of money in the Horological Smartwatch in 2014?

Back in 2010, the Frederique Constant Group started to research three smartwatch projects: a) the Alpina Mountain Watch; b) Android Wear; c) the Horological Smartwatch. We were intrigued by how it was possible to add smart features to simple quartz watches. We saw an opportunity to develop exciting connected watches with extensive information and graphics displayed on smartphones. Our company has INNOVATION as one of its core values. It is only logical that we decided to invest a significant part of our R&D budget in connected watch technology.

With its analog display, the Horological Smartwatch has a rather conservative look about it. What is the target group that Frederique Constant and Alpina are aiming at?

The target group for Horological Smartwatches are businessmen and women who want more than to just be able to consult the time on their wrist. It is customers who have previously purchased a ‘simple’ quartz watch, so we’re talking about a market of 21 million Swiss Made watches per year. We predict that 30-40% of this Swiss Watch Industry production will turn to smart technology in the next three to five years.

In comparison with its competitive environment, the Horological Smartwatch represents a relatively high investment. What will your customers get for their money?

Horological Smartwatches are priced €595-€1395 at retail (MRRP), so it’s the same price as typical chronograph quartz watches. However, Horological Smartwatches feature a GMT WATCH FUNCTION, ACTIVITY TRACKING, SLEEP MONITORING, NOTIFICATIONS, ALARMS, DYNAMIC COACH. The MMT-365 App on iOS or Android (both platforms!) gives plenty of information to aid self-improvement through features that can be individually adjusted, all for an exciting user experience well beyond an 'old' quartz watch.

Smartphones are obsolete after three or four years. What are the prospects for a Horological Smartwatch?

We worked hard to ensure longevity of Horological Smartwatches. With Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates, we can upgrade the firmware on Horological Smartwatches compatible with the latest smartphone technology and even add additional features. Moreover, the Horological Smartwatch Caliber has a modular construction and so it is easy to exchange the PCB if hardware changes in the long-term (>10 years). New PCBs are approx. CHF 25, so it’s very low cost.

The first generation Horological Smartwatch was developed in collaboration with specialists in the US. For the second generation, Swiss skills predominate. What are the reasons for this?

In March 2016, the technology company behind the Horological Smartwatch decided to invest in a software team in Geneva. We felt that we needed a team of technology experts located close to the Swiss Watch Industry to be able to react fast to any developments. We have a highly capable team of firmware, iOS apps, Android apps and Cloud storage engineers located in Geneva, who exclusively work on Horological Smartwatches. This ensures rapid response, both for watchmaker training and for developing new Smartwatch functions.

Frederique Constant stands for affordable luxury in watches. Where is the Horological Smartwatch positioned in the broad spectrum between fine mechanical watchmaking and convenient quartz technology?

Design is the primary strength of a Horological Smartwatch. We choose to create a smartwatch with a traditional watch dial and hands. Dials are finished with delicate patterns, applied indexes, galvanized colors. Hands are diamond cut. These design details ensure that Horological Smartwatches look like  luxury Swiss watches. This has been an essential requirement for Frederique Constant, we do not believe that our customers are interested in wearing a smart watch with just a screen that is off most of the time, we do not believe in these ‘blank’ watches.

The people who buy a Horological Smartwatch entrust their personal activity and sleep data to a specially developed smartphone app. How does Frederique Constant ensure that such data cannot be misused?

MMT runs the cloud in Switzerland, so it’s under Swiss Privacy Laws. The Swiss are known for their discretion and their banking confidentiality. We have specifically chosen a cloud in Switzerland to be able to offer our customers the best privacy possible.

The Horological Smartwatch certainly gives an indication of incoming calls or personal news, but cannot show the content because it has an analog display. Is there a reason for the decision not to include a digital display?

Current models of Horological Smartwatches do not have digital display. Especially on classic watches, we feel that a display will not look good. We are however working hard on integration of a small digital display on future generations of Horological Smartwatches to give customers the option of having additional alphanumeric information on their watch. We believe that pure Horological Smartwatches and so called “Anadigit” smartwatches will live side-by-side. The range of different Horological Smartwatches will be increased to offer multiple designs, which we know is an important driver of success in the watch industry.

How do your personally see the prospects for the smartwatch in general and the Horological Smartwatch in particular?

We believe we are only at the beginning of the development of this category, which we think will have a huge role in the future. If we take the 21 million quartz watches produced today as a base, in 2020, six to eight million quartz watches produced in Switzerland will be smart. Some brands are already ahead in this new product category and investing heavily, others will still have to start or lose out on a major segment of the Swiss watch industry.

A Connected Strap

When Alpina, Frederique Constant and Mondaine collectively released their first connected watch a few years ago in San Francisco, it was an interesting product that offered connectivity to a more traditional watch design.  Now what many of us have been waiting for is a connected option that will allow us to wear our favorite watches and have some connected features.

Courtesy of MMT

Unfortunately, this one is not quite there yet. 

Yes, the new E-Strap is reported to offer the same features of the MMT supplied connected watches - and that is good, don't get me wrong.  But like all first series products, it is not quite yet what many of us are waiting for.

And perhaps my single biggest issue would be that it has a reported power life of 7 days.  And then...
you need to recharge it. 

Now I would also take pains to say that I have not personally seen, tried or used this on an extended basis and it might just be the shit that killed Elvis, so I look forward to hearing from early adapters, other bloggers, or if MMT wants to offer me a "test drive" I will be happy to give an unvarnished opinion ; )

But here is the release information in its entirety -

E-Strap: Make Any Watch Smart

Courtesy of MMT

Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva – MMT launches its new high-tech marvel,

the “E-Strap”, and offers product OEM to watch manufacturers.

MMT E-Strap is a patented smart buckle and strap that fits on any watch. Hence our slogan: Make Any Watch Smart. Built by the watch industry experts that created the Horological Smartwatch, MMT’s E-Strap is a logical next step to add smart functionality to existing watches. The ultra-small buckle extension can hardly be seen, as it is thin and covered by the leather strap. Make no mistake however, the MMT E-Strap is built on the full MMT Smartwatch Platform and has its sophisticated functionality. The MMT Platform is the only proven and tested solution with +70’000 modules sold. The same MMT-365 Apps that accompany Horological Smartwatches is available to MMT E-Strap customers. MMT E-Straps track ACTIVITY with GET ACTIVE ALERTS as well as MONITOR SLEEP with SMART SLEEP ALARMS. 

Most importantly, MMT E-Straps are available for US$ 199-249, which includes beautiful leather straps in a variety of materials and colors.

Since the introduction of the Horological Smartwatch in 2015, MMT has been gaining real world customer feedback on smartwatch functions. Our customers have told us that the primary smart features they desire are fitness and health based. We can see other smartwatch manufacturers starting to see that ACTIVITY and SLEEP are the killer apps of smart sensors worn on the body. Such sensors only measure accurately when close to the wearer’s body.

At the same time, we have had plenty of people telling us they hate the silicon fitness bands. Especially Europeans refuse these fitness bands as they consider them ugly and unfashionable. People do not want to be seen with them. Neither do they want to replace their luxury watches with plastic or otherwise less luxurious smartwatches. So, what to do with all these requests to add smart features to existing watches?

Enter the MMT E-Strap. Straps determine the look and feel of a person’s timepiece. Brands offer a variety of leathers and finishes. Typically, watch straps last one to two years if regularly worn. After a watch strap has aged due to wear & tear it needs to be replaced. Then, MMT offers a replacement strap that is Smart, enabling a whole new experience to for the user. A beautiful strap and buckle combination connected to the MMT-365 smartphone apps tracking Activity and monitoring Sleep with all accompanying alerts, alarms and dynamic coaching.

Features of the E-Strap

Activity Tracking: Keep track of daily steps, calories burnt, and distance.

Sleep Monitoring: Wear the E-Strap at night or put it under the pillow to record the sleep pattern. A sleep tracking function provides details on how much time you spent in deep sleep, light sleep, or awake.

Sleep Cycle Alarm: Set a smart sleep alarm that will help you to wake up at the best appropriate time in your sleep cycle so that you wake up refreshed.

Get-Active Alerts: Set an alert to remind you to move if you’ve been idle for a set amount of time; you can customize your Get Active Alerts directly through the MMT-365 app.

Dynamic Coaching: Receive suggestions, tips, and information catered specifically to you based on your activity and sleep goals.

Cloud back-up and restore: Recover all of your data, even if you lose your E-Strap or phone. The E-Strap independently stores your activity and sleep for 30 days without having to synchronize it to your smartphone. A great way to collect and keep your data on-the-go!

Autonomy: 7 days (rechargeable battery)

Water-resistant: 3ATM/30M

About MMT

Manufacture Modules Technologies Sarl. is the Swiss company established in Geneva in 2015 for the development and commercialization of Horological Smartwatch modules, firmware, apps and cloud. MMT offers a tightly integrated End-to-End Solution for Horological Smartwatches: Firmware, iOS and Android Apps, Cloud, OTA, Manufacturing and Service Applications. MMT modules have been implemented by brands such as Frederique Constant, Movado, Mondaine, Ferragamo and Alpina. The company has a production of over 70’000 modules.

A Connected Diver

From Alpina -

Courtesy of Alpine

This is a BaselWorld preview from Alpina.

Courtesy of Alpina

 The Sestrong Horological Smartwatch will be available in four different versions.

Courtesy of Alpina

 A black PVD case with a variety of bezel color options.

Courtesy of Alpina

Here are the details of the connected functions, straight from Alpina -

Features of the Horological Smartwatch
Notifications: This feature sends you a notification whenever you receive an email or as calls from your contact numbers.
Activity Tracking: Keep track of daily steps, calories burned, and total distance. Sleep Monitoring: Wear the watch at night or put it under the pillow to record the sleep pattern. A sleep tracking function provides details on how much time you spent in deep sleep, light sleep, or awake.
Always On-Time & Date: You never have to set a time and date – traveling across time zones, the Horological Smartwatch picks up the time from your smartphone and displays new time automatically.
Sleep Cycle Alarm: Set a smart sleep alarm that will help you to wake up at the best appropriate time in your sleep cycle so that you wake up refreshed.
Get-Active Alerts: Set an alert to remind you to move if you’ve been idle for a set amount of time; you can customize your Get Active Alerts directly through the MMT- 365 app.
Dynamic Coaching: Receive suggestions, tips, and information catered specifically to you based on your activity and sleep goals.
Cloud back-up and restore: Recover all of your data, even if you lose your watch or phone. The Horological Smartwatch independently stores your activity and sleep for 30 days without having to synchronize it to your smartphone. A great way to collect and keep your data on-the-go!
Worldtimer 24 time zones: Frequent traveler? Keep track of your hometown’s time by simply entering your city into the app. You’ll always be able to know instantly when is the ideal time to call your loved ones or business partners back home.
The MMT-365 app which connects to the smartwatch via Bluetooth is available on both iOS and Android systems. 

The New Horological Smartwatch

From Alpina -

Now despite several efforts a year back to do a review of one of Alpina or FC's Smart Watches, I came up empty.  So in all honesty, I am in no position to give a lot of feedback either way on how good or not good their smart watch is because I have not used one.  Having said that, this is the latest offering in their smart watch collection, and in fairness it is a good looking watch.

Courtesy of Alpina

So these are the features as outlined in the press release, and there appears to be one new feature -

Functions of the Horological Smartwatch
Activity Tracking: Keep track of daily steps, calories burned, and total distance.
Sleep Tracking: Wear your watch at night or put it under your pillow to record 

your sleep. Sleep tracking function provides details on how much time you spent in deep sleep, light sleep, or awake.
Always On-Time & Date: you never have to set a time and date – traveling across time zones, the Alpina Horological Smartwatch picks up the time from your smartphone and displays new time automatically.
Smart Sleep Alarm: set a smart sleep alarm that will help you to wake up at the best appropriate time in your sleep cycle so that you wake up refreshed. Get Active Alerts: set an alert to remind you to move if you’ve been idle for a set amount of time. Customize your Get Active Alerts from the MMT-365 app. Dynamic Coach: get suggestions, tips, and information catered
specifically, to you based on your activity and sleep goals
Cloud: recover all of your data, even if you lose your watch or phone. The Horological Smartwatch independently stores your activity and sleep for 30 days without having to synchronize it to your smartphone. A great way to collect and keep your data on-the-go!
On top of all these, Alpina is pleased to offer the latest new function: Worldtimer: Frequent traveler? Keep track of your hometown’s time by simply entering your city into the app. You’ll always be able to now instantly when is the ideal time to call your loved ones or business partners back home.
2+ years battery life: Your Alpina Horological Smartwatch is a real Swiss watch in its pure tradition. Your timepiece features an electronic movement with 2+ years battery life. 

Now I know that someone over at the big H has a bit of a hard-on for the Horological Smartwatch line, and also seemed a wee-bit under informed about the spin off of the MMT unit from the overall holdings of FC/Alpina when it was formally announced a short while ago.  I can only assume that he didn't read the entire press release when the sale of FC/Alpina, et. al. was announced a few months ago where it was clearly stated that it included everything BUT the MMT unit.  I guess it can be challenging to cover everything in depth, what with all of those cocktail parties to attend, so I sympathize.

At any rate, here are the pertinents -

Reference AL-285NS5AQ6

Movement
MMT-285, Horological Smartwatch
All connected functions operated by crown pusher 2+ years battery life


Functions
Always-on time & date Activity tracking
Sleep monitoring
Sleep cycle alarms Get-Active alerts Dynamic coaching
Cloud backup and restore World time 24 time zones


Case
Polished and brushed 2-parts stainless steel case 44mm diameter
Dome shaped scratch-resistant sapphire crystal Water-resistant up to 100m/330ft/10ATM Threaded crown with connected functions pushed


Dial
Navy sunray dial with applied beige luminous indexes
Connected activity, sleep and date tracking by hand at 6 o’clock Hand-polished hours and minutes hands with beige luminous treatment

Strap
Brown genuine leather strap with red lining

Hold your Breath, Make a Wish, Count to Three

So fresh off a phone call with Yasmina Pedrini of Frederique Constant / Alpina / Ateliers deMonaco I am now better informed about what today's news from Tokyo really means.  To re-cap, Citizen has agreed to purchase Frederique Constant, Alpina and Ateliers deMonaco.  One important note, the purchase does not include MMT.

And to help illustrate it, I am going to call on Willy Wonka himself:

The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last.

For some of us, the notion that Frederique Constant might be looking for a strategic partner / buyer was something we had been chewing on for the last year or so. This was not to say that we felt that Frederique Constant's business was bad. In fact, it was just the opposite - things seemed pretty good! As we all recall from our high school economics class - the time to sell is when the price is high!  If you are going to sell, you want to do it when you are in a position of some strength.  Frederique Constant had been making moves that at least some of us viewed as strategic in what appeared to be a preparation for a possible sale/acquisition/merger.

So we waited, many theories were bandied back and forth during BaselWeek at the Ramada and other less savory venues as to who the potential buyer might be.  And in all honesty, the idea of an investor from the east was in contention.  But the idea that it would be one from Japan?  That had not really occurred to most of us, despite how clever we like to think that we are.

I can't go on forever, and I don't really want to try. So who can I trust to run the factory when I leave and take care of the Oompa Loompas for me? 

Now to be 100% clear, I am in no way, shape or form comparing the FC/Alpina/Ateliers deMonaco staff to Oompa Loompas ; )

But in our conversation, Ms. Pedrini shared some very interesting points with me that shed a great deal of light on why Peter and Aletta Stas felt that the time had come to sell, and why they have structured the type of arrangement that they have.  Frederique Constant is a company, but a company that was built by a lot of hard work and passion.  They wanted the company to not simply cease to exist after they retired, so in looking for a possible partner or buyer, they wanted to ensure that the brand would live on.  

It also was clear to them that their children were not really interested in carrying on the family business as they had other passions of their own.  And it is refreshing to know that the Stas parents felt that their children should pursue what they were passionate about - even it it wasn't the family business.  So as it seemed clear that there would not be a successor, it was time to ensure the continuity of the brands.

So shines a good deed in a weary world.

Ultimately, it should be about people.  No one individual builds a brand, a brand is built by a group of people working together towards a common goal.  And this came up in my conversation with Yasmina.  Peter and Aletta Stas wanted to be certain that in selling the company, they would not simply be leaving their team high and dry.  There is no shortage of people with money out there who want to own a watch brand, so the challenge really became finding a buyer who valued the same things that they did.  And in Citizen, they found the right fit.   So to be clear, no redundancies, no terminations - things stay as they are.  The agreement is that the Stas team will stay on for five (5) years to ensure continuity and continue the projects that are already in motion.  In addition, the people behind the scenes will be staying on as well.  Now I am fairly certain that the number I heard was five (5) but in fairness I was making an espresso just at that moment (it was early here at Tempus Fugit HQ), but I am fairly certain that was the figure.

So when you look at this news, it should send shock waves through the industry - but not for the reasons that my more "well-fed/well-rested" colleagues would posit.  In fairness they've had a grueling week of day trips and heavy meals, so it's understandable that they might be a bit groggy this morning ; )

The shock waves are that the days of the mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful Swiss group might be over.  At a time where brands are laying off staff then spending millions on America's Cup sponsorships and the inevitable wining, dining and gifting that go along with it to keep the retailers and press members purring, this is a completely different approach.  This is a brand that put its PEOPLE above its own vanity.  Moreover, they put their people above making a fast sale.  For this alone, they should be commended and frankly, they should be seen as the example for how this type of thing should be handled.

Moreover, it really shows that it is not always the shiniest bauble in the jewelry case that is really the most valuable.  Citizen is now poised to become one of the biggest, most influential groups in the world.  Yes, that's right, Citizen.  Citizen may not be sexy, but they are rational, careful and thorough.  They are perhaps the most ideal stewards for the Frederique Constant stable of brands.  

And more than anything else - Congratulations to Peter and Aletta Stas and the teams at FC, Alpina and Ateliers deMonaco!

Willy Wonka: 

But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. 

Charlie Bucket: 

What happened? 

Willy Wonka: 

He lived happily ever after.

A "Smart Watch" that's Actually Smart

Okay pals and gals, there's been tons of talk about the "smart watch".  Some of it informed, some of it not so much.

Courtesy of Frederique Constant

This past Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse at a new platform for smart watches that just might have the opportunity to offer something that is actually, well, smart.

Courtesy of Frederique Constant

A little background - Peter Stas started thinking about creating a smart watch, and it was not really based on the "iPhone for the wrist".  He reached out to Philippe Kahn the CEO of Fullpower Technologies, who's "greatest hits" includes the invention of the camera phone.  In his "pitch" to Mr. Kahn, Mr. Stas set forth a very basic, very simple brief in terms of what would be wanted, needed and expected for this project.  The end result had to be a watch that:

1.  Had a minimum of 2+ years of batter life - just like current quartz watches.  The biggest challenge the raft of new smart watches faces is the need to re-charge the watch on a nightly basis.

2.  Could be termed as "Always on Time" - with the correct date as well to account for February and leap year, etc.

3.  Had a so-called "automatic cross timezone adjustment".  Meaning that just like your smart phone adjusts when you turn it on after landing in a new timezone, the watch would do the same thing.

4.  That it would not be chained to a single platform of smart phone - so this will work with both iOS and Android.

5.  That it offers a functionality that was referred to as "Quantified Self".  Now granted, this event did take place just across the bay from "The People's Republic of Berkeley", but this is not a new-age thing.  It is actually taking some of the most popular apps that people use in their daily lives to help promote better health.  The Quantified Self feature (at least in the pieces that were previewed) will monitor and track your sleep and evaluate it.  Think that sounds silly?  Well, you may think so but there are too many people out there using sleep analytic apps on their phones and tablets to dismiss it.  I personally would use this feature.  In addition it tracks physical activity not unlike a Fitbit.  

And I think we can all agree that this is an insanely popular item.  These are the first two pieces of "smart technology", and it is based on sane, rational market analysis.  If there are millions of Fitbits shipping as I write this, I think it is safe to say that this is technology that people want to have and presently use.

6.  A long term road map.  To paraphrase Mr. Stas's comments - we don't really know where the hell the future is going to take us, so it is important to establish a logical baseline, but then be ready to grow and evolve as the technology advances.

7.  "Eternal Beauty" - essentially to stay true to the traditional watch design, but one that can be updated and not need to be discarded after just a few years.

8.  Modular Electronics Always Updated - essentially that your MMT equipped smart watch will not become an ironic relic in a few years' time.  Much of the updating can take place virtually via cloud technology.  But also that the electronic components "under the hood" are modular, and therefore easily serviceable and replaceable.  Think that's no big deal?  Try getting your OMEGA watch serviced through OMEGA authorized service.  And that's just the time involved, think about those Texas Instruments watches from the 70s.  I had one of the first ones available.  It "lived" for about 2 weeks.  My father sent it for repair, and a brand new one was sent, which promptly died.  I have no idea what my grandfather paid for it, but suffice it to say that based on that experience my father stuck to his Mido.  Electronics and quartz technology have improved dramatically since those dark days.  But I couldn't help but think back upon that disappointing experience when Apple debuted their smart watch.  It is too much, more than you will ever use.  iWatch owners will not abandon their iPhone, or iPad for the watch.  But they will abandon their iWatch out of obsolescence.  But with the MMT platform, your beautiful timepiece will always be just that.  the "guts" will be the parts that if they become outdated will be replaced as part of a normal service interval.

Based upon these 8 requirements, a collaboration was born between Fullpower and what would come to be known as Union Horlogere Holdings began.  The result is the Manufacture Modules Technologies (MMT) platform.  And this is where it becomes interesting.  This is NOT an item just for Frederique Constant and Alpina.  It is a platform that will be made available to the watch making world at large.

Courtesy of Alpina

To that end both Frederique Constant and Alpina will be releasing watches with this technology.  In addition, the first "external"partner was announced - Mondaine.  Word around the campfire is that there will be more brand partnerships announced at BaselWorld.  

Courtesy of Alpina

Point of full disclosure - I am not a "tech" guy.  I still have a Filofax and always have a pen at the ready.  But I honestly feel that of all the smart watch ideas that have been floated so far, this one actually seems to be something that is practical and useful.  And the fact that this is intended to be a platform, it strips away the "one and done" problem that so many brands rushing to put out a smart watch will encounter.  I think that by making a "less is more" smart watch, Mr. Stas has reminded us of why he and Ms. Stas had so much success in breaking into the Swiss watch world where so many have failed before.   They picked an idea, they kept it simple, and they made sure it was adaptable.

For those of you out there crying foul, saying that this is a "bastardization" of a watch, consider some very salient points regarding the watch industry as a whole.  Per Mr. Stas's comments - there is currently a production annually of about 28 million watches.  60% of the world's total production takes place in Switzerland.  21 million of those watches are quartz.  So think about just that topic for a moment.  Despite what some dyed-in-the-wool, self-appointed experts will tell you - that it was mechanical watches that saved the Swiss industry, if we are being truly honest it was the SWATCH watch and the arrival of Mr. Hayek the Elder on the scene.  It was stripping away all of the many tiers and layers of the antiquated Swiss industry and simplifying it that saved the industry.  It was rationally adapting to the reality of quartz and learning to produce quartz pieces at competitive, rational prices that saved the industry.  

I personally do not think that mechanical watches will die, and I certainly don't believe that quartz watches will vanish.  And I would be less than forthcoming if I did not say that I think that the Apple Watch will be a player, but one that is tapping a completely different market.  The Apple Watch customer is not someone who will even care about these new MMT equipped watches.  That is the reality of the market place.

But I do think that in the same way that "team Stas" realized that there was an opportunity in the market for "affordable luxury", it seems that they have really looked into the smart watch market in a logical, pragmatic way and produced a smart watch that is actually SMART.

As with all new things, time will tell.

Here are the specs direct from Frederique Constant -

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT AND ALPINA

ANNOUNCE THE SWISS HOROLOGICAL SMARTWATCH,

POWERED BY MotionX®

The Horological Smartwatch: the bridge between Silicon Valley and the Swiss watch industry

Powered by MotionX®, the Swiss Horological Smartwatches are capable of bi-directional communication with iPhone and Android apps. The Swiss Horological Smartwatch is the synthesis of high-tech innovation and traditional Swiss watch craftsmanship; it is the link (no pun intended) between modern and classic, and the bridge between Silicon Valley and Switzerland. There is no digital screen on the Swiss Horological Smartwatch. Instead, the beautiful laser cut hands on the watch dial display information in analog form. The Swiss Horological Smartwatches retain their natural classic beauty and can deliver the benefits of the quantified self, all without ever having to recharge a battery.

The first Swiss Horological Smartwatches will support the following functionality:

- Always-on time & date

- MotionX® activity tracking

- Sleeptracker® sleep monitoring

- Sleep cycle alarms

- Get-Active alerts

- Adaptive coaching

- 2+ years battery life

- MotionX® cloud backup and restore

The beautiful Swiss watch that you love to wear that is now smart and connected, powered by MotionX®

The MotionX patented sensor-fusion engine tracks activity and sleep patterns with high accuracy. Activity and sleep information is presented in real-time on the Swiss Horological Smartwatch using beautiful traditional analog dials. The Swiss Horological Smartwatch synchronizes automatically with applications on Apple and Android smartphones. On the iOS and Android apps, simple and easy-to-understand graphics highlight how much one has moved and slept during the day, week, or month. This data will assist users to better understanding themselves, and along with appropriate goal setting and intelligent coaching, will improve their well being. Better sleep and a more active lifestyle are widely recognized as simple, but effective, positive behavioral changes. The Swiss Horological Smartwatch now combines the features and functionality of the MotionX® technology platform with a luxury timepiece.

MMT

MMT (Manufacture Modules Technologies Sàrl) is a new Swiss joint venture formed by Fullpower Technologies, Inc. of Silicon Valley and the owners of the Frederique Constant Group. Its mission is to bring the MotionX-365® Horological Smartwatch Open Platform to the Swiss watch industry. Fullpower creates and licenses the schematic design, firmware, smartphone applications, and cloud infrastructure to MMT. MMT manages the development and production of Swiss watch movements (also referred to as modules) incorporating Fullpower’s technology, and licenses, and provides support for, the MotionX-365® Horological Smartwatch Platform to the Swiss watch industry. MMT’s headquarters are in Geneva.

Peter Stas quote: “We love working with Philippe Kahn and his team, their approach to technology craftsmanship very much matches our company culture. Our intense collaboration and combined strengths have enabled us to realize the super exciting Swiss Horological Smartwatch today, and will lead to so much more that is still to come. The Swiss Horological Smartwatches released today truly show the strength of our partnership.”

Philippe Kahn quote: “We looked for innovative partners in the Swiss watch industry to collaborate with. Peter’s efforts to develop his own high caliber product were unprecedented, so we immediately clicked and went to work to help reinvent the Swiss watch industry.”

Frederique Constant and Alpina will launch 10+ different Horological Smartwatch models in 2015 in styles for both ladies and gentlemen.

MMT’s initial partners are Frederique Constant, the Geneva based luxury watch manufacturer of classical watches; and Alpina, the Swiss sports watch manufacturer founded in 1883. These leading brands will offer 10+ different models in designer collections for both ladies and gentlemen, powered by MMT’s MotionX® technology platform, delivering 24/7 MotionX® activity tracking and sleep monitoring, with over two years battery life, and compatible with Apple and Android smartphones worldwide. Swiss Horological Smartwatch in styles for both ladies and gentlemen will be available in stores worldwide starting in June 2015.