Montblanc’s luxury Android Wear Summit smartwatch is now available for purchase. UK-based retailer MR PORTER, which also ships to the US, lists the Montblanc Summit starting at $890 with free shipping. At that price, you’re getting a 46 mm stainless steel or PVD-coated case and calfskin leather strap. MR PORTER also sells a $930 version of the Summit with a stainless steel case and rubber NATO-inspired strap option. Additionally, Montblanc also makes pricier editions of the Summit with a titanium case and exotic leather straps, such as alligator skin. The straps are replaceable, and Montblanc sells official straps with a quick release pin mechanism, making it convenient to swap the bands. And even though Montblanc sells different band sizes for different size wrists, MR PORTER’s listing shows the Summit comes in one size. Montblanc’s entry into the luxury smartwatch space will challenge rival Tag Heuer, which recently released its second generation Connected watch with a modular design.
The Summit comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM internally. It supports fitness tracking through a heart rate sensor, and the watch also comes with a light sensor, barometer, digital compass and gyroscope. The watch’s 3,100mAh battery is rated for one day of power reserve, MR PORTER claims on its website. It also has a vibrator, for alerts, and a microphone, which is useful for using with the Google Assistant on Android Wear 2.0. The Summit measures 12.5 mm thick. For comparison, the Tag Heuer Connected 2 is slightly smaller with a 45 mm case size, but a bit thicker than the Montblanc Summit at 13.75 mm.
And while the Montblanc Summit has a digital crown, its functionality is more limited compared to newer Android Wear models from manufacturers like LG. Whereas the crown on the LG Watch Sport can be turned to scroll through menus, the crown on the Montblanc Summit can only be pressed to access the app menu and the Google Assistant. Like the LG Watch Sport, the Montblanc Summit is water resistant with an IP68 certification.
Unlike some inexpensive options from traditional technology companies, the Summit doesn’t come with 4G LTE support — it can connect to your Android phone via Bluetooth LE 4.1 or to Wi-Fi networks — and a speaker is missing, so you won’t be able to use your watch as a speakerphone for taking calls and audible alerts are also not possible. Also missing is support for NFC for mobile payments through Android Pay. Where the Summit stands out, apart from the premium leather straps and Montblanc industrial design, is that it comes with a domed sapphire crystal to protect the 1.39-inch fully round AMOLED screen. Sapphire crystal offers better protection against scratches than competing glass used on more inexpensive smartwatches. For those looking for a more premium smartwatch experience, the Summit comes with Montblanc’s brand heritage and introduces smartwatch wearers to domed screens. If you’d rather not purchase through MR PORTER, you’ll have to visit a Montblanc boutique as the smartwatches aren’t available for purchase on the company’s official website at this time.