The Merediist is the first of its kind: a mobile phone from a Swiss watchmaker. What would Edouard Heuer, who first opened his workshop high in the mountains of Switzerland in the year 1860, make of this 21st Century masterpiece? It certainly reflects a strange convergence of ideals, the transience of the modern world meeting the precise traditions of Tag Heuer.

But why not? It seems logical that we should want the same perfection in communication as we do in timekeeping. And according to the Swiss company, the Meridiist ‘is the complete modern expression of everything for which TAG Heuer stands… a true piece of avant-garde engineering’.

The dual display screen, and the TAG Heuer switch, enable both discreet checking of the time and call management. The 316L steel of the Meridiist allows for perfect polished mirror surfaces, while the display front is made from 60.5 carat sapphire glass. Both the steel and the glass are materials taken directly from the art of watchmaking.

There are other ways, too, in which this ‘communication instrument’ bears the classic, unmistakeable hallmarks of Tag Heuer. In total, 430 avant-garde components are used to create the Merediist, resulting, says Tag Heuer, ‘in a heightened level of technological sophistication that exceeds even that of our chronographs’. Its antenna is twice as sensitive as other radio standard-compliant products, while battery life allows for 28 days of stand-by power or seven hours of continuous talk time. There’s also a ladies’ version of the Meridiist, graced with 2256 diamonds totalling 6.54 carats.

For prices and further details, see www.tagheuer.com.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photos: Tag Heuer