Montblanc introduces e-strap to make traditional watches ‘smart’

 /  03 Jan 2015 , 09:19

Thanks to the likes of the Apple Watch and Moto 360, smartwatches have been the talk of the town in the tech space for quite some time now. Having said that, smartwatches haven’t really caught on with the mass market yet. While mobile giants are busy churning fitness-based watches that work in tandem with your smartphone, traditional phone makers have also geared up to ensure that they keep up pace with this latest fad.

Adding ‘smart’ functions to a traditional timepiece may have been the biggest worry for good ‘ol watchmakers, but looks like Montblanc found a solution to the problem. It has introduced e-strap, a four-centimeter device that can be placed inside of the watchband, featuring a screen and notification system.

It is connected to a smartphone app and displays all standard notifications when combined with the accelerometer data that is used in step-tracking apps. “It doesn’t have the more advanced health-monitoring sensors you’d find in Apple’s iWatch or the more advanced fitness trackers, but even the basic notifications and step-tracking represent a huge leap forward for an industry that has often viewed smartwatches with suspicion,” states TheVerge.

It’s a high-end leather strap with carbon fiber texture called “Extreme Montblanc Leather” that is produced in Florence, Italy. Under the wrist, comes the electronic module made from DLC (diamond like carbon) coated steel or in gray steel, according to Techcrunch. One can also expect a few colour and size options, too.

It costs 250 pounds which translates into Rs 24,546. Now, that’s a hefty price tag for a device that relies on a watch in order to work. You could buy a complete  smartwatch at the same cost, though it could be a great add-on for your favourite mechanical watch. As of now, it’s not clear if the e-strap will work only with Montblanc products or can be used with other watches too.