Who does not enjoy watching a spy action film?
I certainly do. And one of the most beloved characters on all time involves a British spy with a license to kill. He has it all: the looks, the courage, and the skills to save the world from the clutches of evil. One of the things that make those movies enjoyable is the gadgets that he has at his disposal. He has a car that converts into a submarine, a pen that shoots tranquilizer darts, and of course, a host of watches that either contain a circular saw, a laser, and even a magnet to deflect oncoming bullets.
Prior to the release of Kingsman: The Secret Service, I hardly recall much chatter about the movie. But when it did debut, there was much clamor about how great the movie was, of how expectations were either met or surpassed. It was a hit in its own right and the audience wanted a sequel. Though the movie gave me impressions that this may be an “off-shoot” of how a British spy may have started his journey on earning his license to kill, it still offered a great balance of action and comedic interludes with just the right amount of twists to keep the audience in their seats.
Well this year, moviegoers got their wish, as Kingsman: The Golden Circle was released last September. The second chapter of this movie begins with the Kingsman’s headquarters destroyed as the world is being held hostage. In order to save the world, they must join forces with their American counterpart, called Statesman, to battle against their common enemy.
Seeming to be an essential component of a spy movie, Kingsman: The Golden Circle has its share of gadgets: more specifically, a spy watch. In this case, the watch of choice was a TAG Heuer Connected Modular watch. The watch used for this movie is called the KINGSMAN Special Edition.
Matthew Vaughn, Director, Writer, and Producer of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, said: “For Kingsman: The Golden Circle, we needed a connected watch for our agents. We looked at the different options available, but none of them were elegant enough for a Kingsman. Then I saw an interview on Bloomberg TV with Jean-Claude Biver about his connected watch, and it became immediately obvious; the Kingsman agents would wear the TAG Heuer Connected.”
The watches worn by the characters played a very important role in the movie, both plot-wise and actor-wise. For the former, the agents needed a way to communicate with each other. And for the latter, they needed to be tough, able to withstand the action that the actors went through to complete a scene. The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 KINGSMAN Special Edition proved to be both reliable and tough.
The watch’s appearance is certainly stunning, worthy of being worn on a Kingsman’s wrist. It has pink gold lugs and an elegant leather strap with Kingsman print. The watches comes with a second strap in orange velvet, inspired by the iconic orange velvet smoking jacket worn in the film by Taron Egerton. The difference between the Kingsman Special Edition and the core collection is in its dial functions. The KINGSMAN Special Edition is available in either midnight blue or grey, the dial bears the Kingsman inscription and logo at 9 and 3 o’clock. When the time reads 10:10, the dial vibrates for 10 seconds.
The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 KINGSMAN Special Edition presented with pink gold lugs and an elegant leather strap.
Last July 6, the KINGSMAN Special Edition was sold online for one month via MR PORTER, a website launched in February 2011 that offered the world’s best menswear and luxury brands — including Prada, Brunello Cucinelli, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Tom Ford to name a few. This was made possible by the collaboration between Jean-Claude Biver (CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the LVMH Group Watch Division), Matthew Vaughn, and Toby Bateman (Managing Director of MR PORTER).
Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the LVMH Group Watch Division said: “The intersection between Kingsman and TAG Heuer speaks to what defines a gentlemen today: a combination of prestige, avant-garde, and access to a connected world. Our customers are buying through online channels more and more everyday. We need to be where our customers are, which means we need to be online! It is wonderful to be partnering with MR PORTER because it is perfectly in line with TAG Heuer’s e-commerce strategy, providing a new online purchasing platform for the next generation of TAG Heuer fans.”
Toby Bateman added: “We are thrilled that the TAG Heuer Connected Kingsman watch will be the first item to launch on MR PORTER within the ‘costume to collection’ range for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The innovative connected technology and modern aesthetic of the watch will strongly resonate with our customers.”
As with the other connected watches, the KINGSMAN Special Edition was designed, developed, and assembled by TAG Heuer, and carries the interchangeable features. The core collection of connected watches will keep you “in touch” with the digital world, but the KINGSMAN Special Edition can make you feel, and project, on how “Manners maketh man.”
