It's been a good week if you're in the market for a luxury smartwatch from Europe. First, Tag Heuer introduced its new Connected Modular 45, and now Montblanc has thrown its hat into the smartwatch ring for the first time.
The Montblanc Summit, launched on Thursday, is 1.4 inches of curved sapphire glass with an Android Wear 2.0-powered AMOLED display underneath. It won't go on sale in the US until May, but The Verge reports that it will start at $890, which seems expensive until you consider that the Modular 45 starts at nearly twice that price with nearly the same specs.
Those specs are fairly standard for high-end wearables. Connectivity options on both watches include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and each one has 512MB of RAM and 4GB of flash storage. The main difference is in battery capacity: the Summit has a 300mAh battery that Montblanc says should last all day before needing a charge, while the Tag Heuer's 410mAh battery could last for up to 25 hours. The Modular 45 also adds NFC capabilities for mobile payments.
You can pair your Summit to your phone and customize it using the standard Android Wear smartphone app, which lets you personalize the watch's face, among other options. Physical customizations, meanwhile, include a choice of four different steel watch cases—black, stainless, steel, a combination of the two, and titanium—as well as rubber or leather straps.
If you opt for a rubber strap, you'll feel comfortable going for a swim with your Summit, which comes with an IP68 waterproof rating. Expect to see the Summit on sale exclusively at men's fashion retailer Mr. Porter in May, according to The Verge, with wider availability this summer.