Some watch aficionados may see smartwatches as poor excuses for timepieces, built to please the iPhone generation and make amateur athletes feel better when on their morning jogs.

And for a long time, that’s exactly what they were. One of the first modern smartwatches, IBM’s Linux watch, is a perfect example of this. Released in 1999, the watch featured an oversized face and, for an unsightly lump of plastic, a similarly oversized price tag.

But times have changed, and today, giants of the watchmaking world have jumped onboard the smartwatch bandwagon to show tech companies how it should be done.

The result is a handful of timepieces that show convenience and connectedness can combine with elegance and sophistication to make for some truly remarkable wrist wear.

So, if you’re looking for a way to stay on trend without compromising on craftsmanship, or you simply want to marvel at the Swiss take on the smartwatch, then check out these four high-end, high-class timepieces.

TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45

Tag Heuer was the first of the big Swiss brands to grace the smartwatch market by partnering with Google and creating the Connected Modular 45.

TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45

On the outside, the analogue design and bold colours are in line with the company’s traditional approach. While on the inside, it couldn’t look much different: an android operating system, providing email, text, and phone notifications, as well as voice-activated functioning.

And if you get sick of being linked to your phone by your wrist, disconnect the bluetooth. Or better yet, take advantage of the watch’s unique feature by snapping out the smartwatch module and switching it for a mechanical version.

Breitling Exospace B55

Most smartwatches tend to miss the mark when it comes to balancing function with form. But the Breitling Exospace B55 couldn’t have got it more right. And with a retail price of over £5,000, you wouldn’t expect anything less.

Breitling Exospace B55

Rather than activity trackers displaying on its dial, the B55 features flight-time logs, alarms, world time zones, and countdown timers. All perfectly designed to fit with its classic analogue-digital layout.

In this way, the Breitling has designed yet another functional and classic timepiece. Integrating all the smart features you need — calendar, message, email notifications — with a simple beep or vibration of its solid titanium case.

Alpina Seastrong Horological Smartwatch

Looking at its classic dive watch style, you wouldn’t suspect the Alpina Seastrong as a smartwatch. But underneath its black steel sculpted case, it houses the technology for activity and sleep-tracking, notifications, coaching, and much more.

Alpina Seastrong Horological Smartwatch 

A typical dive watch, the Seastrong features a bright timing bezel, rubber strap, and water resistance down to 100-meters. This makes it an all round good looking and functional timepiece that would be at home on any sports or business person’s wrist.

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