More and more companies seem to be jumping on the wearable tech bandwagon by releasing their own smartwatches. Here are four of the best.

By Laith Abou-Ragheb

Tag Heuer Connected

Eyebrows were raised when luxury Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer announced it was developing its own Android Wear smartwatch. But the 46mm timepiece still feels suitably premium thanks to its titanium body and hard wearing rubber straps. While inside it packs a powerful Intel Atom processor and a battery which promises to last a whole day on a single charge.

The bottom line: Watch aficionados might sneer at the Connected, but at least it shows that some traditional time piece makers are not taking the smartwatch threat lying down.

                                                                                                   Price: $1,500

Apple Watch

Cupertino’s tech giant has been widely credited for kicking the smartwatch market into high gear with the release of the sleek Apple Watch last year. It’s available in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm, and can be matched with a dizzying array of straps which range from the fairly affordable to the downright pricey.

The bottom line: The Apple Watch is undoubtedly a classy product, but it still needs to be tethered to an iPhone for full functionality. And where’s the GPS tracking for sports fans?

Price: From $350

Samsung Gear S2

Samsung continues to give arch rival Apple a run for its money with its Gear range of Android-powered smartwatches. The latest versions boast slim and sleek stainless steel bodies, which all come with a rather nifty rotating bezle that can be used to scroll through emails, zoom in and out of maps, and skip music tracks. Rounding off the impressive package is an NFC chip for wireless payments and 3G capability.

The bottom line: On balance, this is probably the best all-round smartwatch on the market today.

Price: From $300

Montblanc TimeWalker Urban Speed e-Strap

In a simple design masterstroke, Montblanc has combined one of its finely crafted chronograph watches with an electronic strap that can be connected via Bluetooth to Android and iOS smartphones. The strap comes with a tiny, fully-functional touchscreen that can be used for everything, from viewing emails and social media updates, to tracking activity and controlling a smartphone’s camera and music player.

The bottom Line: Montblanc’s clever hybrid creation manages to please both tech heads and mechanical watch purists.

Price: $3,000