The coming together of animated figures and wristwatches has a storied history, arguably dating back to 1932 when marketing man Kay Kaymen secured the rights to allow the Waterbury Clock Company to produce watches under their Ingersoll brand that featured Mickey Mouse on the dial. Almost ninety years later, TAG Heuer has brought the world of cartoon watch collabs firmly into the present with the launch of the TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited edition.
Touted as the first offering in what promises to be a long-term partnership between the two brands, the new watch takes the already popular TAG Heuer Connected smartwatch and gives it a uniquely Nintendo twist with a number of touches inspired by the Mushroom Kingdom’s favorite plumber. From a physical standpoint, the 45mm smartwatch gets a number of accents in a red enamel reminiscent of Mario’s famed cap on the bezel inserts, pusher, and “M” emblazoned crown. The fixed ceramic bezel features three of the most famous objects from Super Mario’s world, the mushroom, the pipe, and the “super” star at the 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 positions respectively, while the screw-down caseback is inscribed with “TAG Heuer x Super Mario Limited Edition.” Two quick-change strap options are included, both with a nod to Mario’s signature colors- a black leather strap backed in red non-slip rubber, and perforated rubber strap in solid red along with a steel clasp featuring Mario’s “M” logo.
Digitally, the four new watch faces offer a variety of Marios from the original pixelated 1985 version to the present, including two chronograph versions perfect for timing your laps around Koopa Troopa Beach, and a Mario inspired take on TAG’s “orbital” dial. The Mario collaboration takes the Connected’s focus on fitness up a notch as well. The wearer is greeted with an animated Mario whose actions change along with the user’s activity throughout the day, and the mushroom, pipe, and star are highlighted as the wearer hits 25%, 50%, and 75% of their daily fitness goal before reaching the famed Mario flagpole at 100%. All of this is offered alongside the 3rd-gen Connect’s existing in-house TAG Heuer sports app and Google developed Wear OS, which provide a host of connected services for wellness and lifestyle. The TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited Edition will be offered in a run of just 2,000 pieces through select retailers and online at www.tagheuer.com. No word yet as to whether an evil Wario edition is in the works.
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