Exploring the TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition
Tuesday - 10 August 2021
“It’s Mario time” at least – it is now that TAG Heuer has partnered up with Nintendo’s platform game series to create a connected wearable. There are just 2000 watches of the TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition series available, with prices expected to rocket on the pre-owned market.
If you’re an avid gamer, you already have two major things in common with the TAG Heuer’s CEO Frédéric Arnault; expertly crafted luxury wristwatches and video games. Both TAG Heuer and Super Mario have joined forces by incorporating the watchmaker’s 2020 Connected module with an interactive watch face. Luxury watches and game characters are nothing new to the industry but in this design, there is a strong personal connection between the video game industry and the man behind TAG Heuer watches himself. The Connected watch is still very much Arnault’s baby. The chairman for LVMH is one of the youngest CEOs in Switzerland and seized an opportunity to enter a joint project with Nintendo 2 years ago. A Mario fan by heart, the symbiotic connection between the two, with shared values in orchestration, precision and accuracy, seemed like a natural fit. Arnault expands on the influence behind the new limited edition Connected watch a little further;
“I am a Mario fan. Playing Mario Kart with my brothers? It does happen. We felt that integrating some gamification to the fitness experience on the Connected, which is a product that is supposed to have an influence on people’s behaviour and life, was important. And instead of trying to build this gamification by ourselves, it made sense to find a partner for that.”
The famous Mario red colour fills the pushbuttons, the crown logo and bezel graduation of the new TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario watch. Other references to the gaming platform include an “M” engraved onto the buckle of the strap. The 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions also feature a Super Mushroom, a Pipe and Super Star icon that only reveal themselves when the wearer reaches their daily goals.
It appears that the new TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition watch of just 2000 pieces has launched in a very timely manner. Civil life the way we used to know it looks as though it could finally resume. The human race is re-surfacing, emerging from behind closed doors and daring to imagine a time when we can get on with normal life. Right now, you’re either on one side of the fence or the other. You’ve either become a fitness fanatic through sheer lockdown boredom, or you’ve “relaxed” a little. If it’s the latter for you, you’ll be looking for something like the new TAG Heuer Connected Limited Edition watch to get you up and out and on-the-go again. And who better to get you off the couch than Super Mario himself? Aside from seeing his face and several colourful animations on the screen, the TAG Heuer Connected watch comes with some innovative features that a primed to motivate you to get active once more.
Wake up each morning and you’ll be greeted by Mario with a welcoming salute. Hit a target and you get a little animation. You may as well have stepped right into the game itself. The colourful displays will highlight when you’ve reached a quarter, half, three-quarters or all of your daily step target. The faces of the Connected watch have also been updated for this special edition. Super Mario special versions have been integrated into the options and the traditional watch face has been reskinned for a more retro feel that takes inspiration from the 1985 Super Mario Bro’s pixels. The chronograph dial with red and blue counters offers a completely different experience to daily timekeeping compared to the Orbital watch face, which boasts a Super Mario “Stars” design with stars that move and rotate in a captivating motion.
Whilst the iconic red and blue Mario colours add vibrancy and interest to this version of the Connected watch, TAG Heuer has also paid special attention to executing the exterior of the watch to meet the brand’s usual high standards. A fixed black ceramic bezel with a 60-minute scale sits on top of a 50-meter water-resistant stainless steel case. The Connected watch with built-in GPS navigation features “TAG Heuer x Super Mario Limited Edition” lettering has been engraved into the surface of the caseback. The model comes on a rubber and leather strap with folding clasp push buttons crated from fine brushed stainless steel.
There is good news and bad news to be had about the TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition watch. The bad news is that all 2000 pieces sold out within minutes. The good news is that those who own a Connected Generation 3 watch will be able to make use of a special Super Mario “Hero” animation watch face. Due to the popularity of the model, prices are expected to soar on the pre-owned market. The Connected watch is sure to become a collectable novelty with plenty of investment potential. You can, of course, check out the rest of the TAG Heuer Connected watch range on our Jura Watches site by visiting the link here.
