Somewhere on the gr continuum of gadget nerdlery, there’s a consumer who will buy a very expensive—almost recklessly expensive—Android ar watch. TAG Heuer had a surprise hit with its original TAG Heuer Connected, now it’s embracing Android ar 2.0 with the Connected Modular 45, an incredibly swank, finely machined, lusciously tactile smartwatch.

No, make that a family. It’s a smartwatch family. No, scratch that. It’s a smartwatch system. Officially described as a Carrera model, the Connected Modular 45 comes in 11 essential designs, with 45 more looks available for special order. But because its lugs, straps buckles are all user-interchangeable, the Modular 45 is, well, whatever you want it to be—if you have the money to spend. icing starts at $1,650 reaches all the way to “If you have to ask…”

I’m a mechanical watch guy, (disclosure) my first big watch splurge was a TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 2006. So I absolutely get the appeal of the Modular 45’s chiseled, brushed titanium case, all the TAG Heuer flourishes design cues. The 45mm case (ergo the name) definitely rises off the wrist with an aggressive posture, but the watches themselves are surprisingly light. The cases will visually overpower smaller anatomy, so small-boned buyers beware.

It took me about 10 minutes to master TAG Heuer’s parts swapping system. Basically, you have three elements in play: The central module itself, then the lugs straps.

Strauss

You first connect the lugs to the straps, which click right in, secure with preciously fine pins. Next you connect the lugs to the case. It can be a fiddly procedure the first five or six times you try, removing all the pieces is even a bit harder: To separate a lug from the case, you push a button, then disengage the two pieces with jusssst the right angle of departure.

But, hey, it’s a fine Swiss watch. If you buy the Modular 45, you’ll probably spend half a day manhling it. You know, just getting to know it—obsessing over your purchase. So that’s plenty of time to master the parts-swapping system. 

Endless customization

Once everything was clicked in secure, I gave my floor model watch a few purposeful tugs wrist shakes. The watch withstood the abuse, but I was still left with sneaking concerns: Did I really lock all the parts together, is this watch really as buckled down secure as my TAG Heuer at home? Only time— customer feedback—will tell. But nonetheless, I was eventually able to disassemble reassemble a watch in under 15 seconds, so the TAG Heuer system is nothing if not expedient. 

I really can’t see more than a hful of people buying multiple parts so that they can frequently change the look of their Modular 45. But you will be able to buy lugs, straps buckles separately, so if you’re TAG Heuer-obsessed, have at it. The much more relevant point is that there are so many complete looks available for purchase.

I would never wear a watch with diamond accents. Ditto rose gold, however stunning it looks in TAG Heuer’s execution. But the basic brushed titanium models exude Swiss craftsmanship, the black ceramic model looks even more interesting. I also love the TAG Heuer bring on the bezel, but unfortunately the bezel doesn’t rotate.

TAG Heuer even has options for mechanical watch aficionados, this, perhaps, is the coolest step of all. The three-h Calibre 5 the gre complication Tourbillon Heuer 02-T are traditional timepieces that employ the same hardware customization system as the Android ar 2.0 versions.

ile I wouldn’t expect a tech geek to get multiple iterations of the ar module, I can see a watch geek buying a smartwatch version the Calibre 5 to swap out looks from day to night. It’s a compelling feature, something only a mechanical watch company can offer.

A bit of Intel engineering

Unlike so many Android ar watches running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon ar 2100 chip, the Modular 45 runs on Intel’s Atom Z34XX, a smartphone processor. Intel worked with TAG Heuer to imbue the watch with a bit of extra artificial intelligence, Intel also worked on special antenna technology to help Fi cut through the all-metal case. In effect, the watch’s antenna signal peeks through a seam between the bezel the case itself.

The watches are water-resistant to 50 meters, the microphone hole can remain open when the Modular 45 is submerged in water. In other words, it doesn’t need a port “door” like the Nixon Mission.

In addition to -Fi G, the Modular 45 includes NFC for secure Android y purchases. There’s a proximity sensor on the bottom of the case that recognizes when the watch is on your wrist, denies payments if you’re not actually wearing the watch. Unfortunately, there’s no heart rate monitor, so untick that feature box quickly.

The 1.4-inch AMOD display looks pretty enough, but I never got a chance to test its performance in sunlight. It’s covered by a sapphire crystal, so you’ll have some nice impact- scratch-protection—plus a traditional Swiss watch bragging point.

Do I want the Modular 45? ll, it’s by far the best-looking Android ar watch I’ve ever seen, among today’s field of absurdly large chunky ar 2.0 models, it’s not even that large. But, frankly, I’m a bit more taken by the mechanical Calibre 5. TAG Heuer’s customization system is a great innovation, it’s a nice addition to the traditional Swiss repertoire. 

us, the Calibre 5 will just keep on ticking ticking, while the Modular 45 needs a recharge by the end of the day. That’s my biggest complaint with smartwatches, Android ar inclusive. But, hey, if you’re going to suffer the daily indignity of recharging, you might as well do it in style.