News

Montblanc Combines Luxury With A Twist In Latest Wearable

Montblanc’s new Summit 3 Smartwatch is an exercise in classic watchmaking, but comes loaded with the latest wearable technology.

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2022

Nour Nasir

Montblanc

As a purveyor of fine timepieces, luxury pens and luggage, Montblanc is no stranger to high-end design. The German brand created its first smartwatch back in 2017 and has just released its latest timepiece, the Summit 3, a high-end wearable aimed at a well-heeled “business lifestyle” audience.

Featuring a hand-crafted titanium case with optional calf leather straps, the watch sits at the high end of the wearable genre and manages to make an Apple Watch look positively ordinary by comparison. Here’s what Montblanc’s CEO had to say about the latest release:

“The Montblanc Summit 3 smartwatch takes luxury smart watchmaking to new heights, pairing premium materials with all the functionalities our clients need as they navigate their day more seamlessly and effectively. The personalization options are also extensive to reflect different style identities,” says Nicolas Baretzki, CEO of Montblanc.

montblanc summit 3 smartwatch

The smartwatch runs Google’s Wear OS and includes three different versions under the same Summit 3 line:

Titanium Gray with black calf and blue rubber straps.
Titanium Black with black calf and black rubber straps.
Titanium Bicolor with Montblanc Extreme 3.0 British green calf strap and black rubber straps.

Personalization options are enormous and include variations in the watch face, such as the 1858, Geosphere or Bohème — though all Summit 3 variants feature a raft of modern tech, generating daily progress, health insights and workout goals for the wearer.

Also Read: Fitbit Unveils 3 New Fitness Trackers — Without Wear OS 3

As well as looking and feeling beautiful, the Montblanc Summit 3 features a personal health suite that includes step tracking, sleep monitoring, and blood oxygen measurement. Of course, with OS Wear, it’s also possible to add apps such as Google Maps and Google Pay, whilst Montblanc’s improvements mean that the battery life of the Summit 3 easily beats the outgoing model.

So what will all of this high-tech titanium-wrapped goodness set you back? Expect to pay $1,290 for the base models before adding any extras.

News

AltoVolo Opens Orders For Limited Edition Sigma eVTOLs

Early buyers can now reserve build slots for AltoVolo’s 500-mile hybrid aircraft through a new online configurator.

Published

6 days ago

November 1, 2025

Nour Nasir

AltoVolo

AltoVolo has started taking pre-orders for its first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Sigma, moving the startup closer to commercial rollout. Customers can now secure a build slot with a £860 deposit and customize every detail online — from paintwork to seatbelt stitching. It’s the first configurator of its kind for a civilian eVTOL, mirroring how luxury car brands let clients tailor performance models before production.

The Sigma runs on a hybrid-electric tilting jet system built for long range and low noise. It can travel up to 500 miles at a 220-mph cruise, and is over 80% quieter than a helicopter. The three-seater weighs just 980kg and can maintain stable flight even if one jet fails. Safety systems include triple-redundant controls, thrust-vectoring stability and a ballistic parachute.

“We will be delivering an ultra-refined hybrid electric aircraft,” said founder and CEO Will Wood. “We believe there are thousands of customers for this type of cutting-edge technology”.

The first 100 units will come with exclusive materials and finishes. AltoVolo is also setting up a global service and maintenance network, with early planning for overhaul schedules already underway. The company’s focus on ownership experience echoes its ambition to anchor itself alongside established aviation brands rather than pure tech ventures.

To help new owners train, the company has built a full-scale simulator that replicates the Sigma cockpit in carbon fiber and leather. Pilots can log time toward a license using the system, aligned with the new US MOSAIC rules that ease certification for powered-lift aircraft. Certification work in Europe and the UK continues in parallel, signaling growing international alignment around light sport and eVTOL regulation.

Also Read: Snapchat Opens Qatar Office To Deepen Gulf Presence

Noise inside the cabin has become another design focus. Engineers are refining internal vibration levels and developing a responsive soundscape that shifts with each jet’s power load — part feedback, part theatre.

Urban air mobility projects across the Gulf and elsewhere are pushing regulators and manufacturers to meet in the middle. Dubai, Riyadh and Doha have each outlined plans for air taxi corridors this decade. AltoVolo’s hybrid Sigma, sitting between electric promise and aviation realism, looks built for that middle ground.