In conjunction with its 30th anniversary celebration, Garmin has introduced its MARQ series of smart tool watches for the South East Asian market. These are Garmin’s most premium wearable devices yet that are engineered for individuals that have a passion for flying, racing, sailing, exploring and sports performance.
Instead of calling it a smartwatch, Garmin says the MARQ series is a collection of tool watches that are forged from its heritage in aviation, automotive, marine, outdoor and sports markets. According to Garmin, these are the ultimate timepieces that are equipped with the modern utility of smart features. The MARQ series comes in five different variants – MARQ Athlete, MARQ Expedition, MARQ Captain, MARQ Aviator and MARQ Driver.
The MARQ series is made with titanium which is both lightweight and incredibly strong for high performance in all activities. Garmin uses sapphire crystal that’s formed under extreme heat and pressure to create an extremely durable lens that’s over twice as hard as glass. In addition, all watches are engineered with ceramic bezel inlay for better protection against wear and tear.
All watches under the MARQ series offer an always-on sunlight-readable display that comes with GPS and premium smartwatch features. It supports notifications, activity tracking, music storage and it also comes with wrist-based heart rate and pulse ox2 sensor. In some markets, there’s also Garmin Pay which allows direct contactless payments from your wrist.
According to Garmin, the MARQ series offer up to 12 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. You can also get up to 48 hours of usage in UltraTrac mode and up to 28 hours in GPS mode. For those who wish to customise their MARQ watches, all models are compatible with Garmin’s QuickFit solution that allows you to swap between various strap and bracelet designs.
MARQ Athlete
The MARQ Athlete is the most affordable variant of the series and it is designed for aspiring athletes. It comes with a VO2 max and recovery time scale on the bezel, which is helpful for athletes. The watch also packs advanced running dynamics to further track workout stats, measure progress and to fine-tune form. There are additional sensors for various biometrics which include a Pulse Ox sensor to see how well your body is absorbing oxygen.
MARQ Expedition
The Expedition is engineered for the modern explorer and it comes with TOPO mapping, altimeter, barometer and compass. The watch also gets ClimbPro which provides real-time info on your current climbs such as gradient, distance and elevation gain. The MARQ Expedition even allows you to send and receive text messages from your wrist as it allows you to remotely control the Garmin inReach Mini satellite communicator. To enable this feature, a satellite subscription is required and it starts from $11.95/month on an annual contract.
MARQ Captain
For those that spend a lot of time at sea, the MARQ Captain is engineered with a host of marine features. It has a regatta time bezel, coastal charts, tack assist and a port conditions watch face to stay updated on the conditions of your port of choice. You can also get current wind speed, temperature and tide information directly from your wrist. Unique to the MARQ Captain is a jacquard weave strap that’s crafted for exceptional performance in salt water environments.
MARQ Aviator
For pilots and aviation enthusiasts, the MARQ Aviator is packed with smart features for those that spend a lot of time in the cockpit. It includes aviation maps and advanced safety features such as Nexrad Weather Radar, airport information and Garmin cockpit integration. It also includes a 24-hour GMT bezel and it can provide quick access to two additional time zones which is useful for long-haul flights.
MARQ Driver
The MARQ Driver is the most expensive model in the series and it is designed for those that have a passion for racing. It comes pre-loaded with 250 global race tracks and it features a tachymeter bezel to measure speed. There’s also a diamond-like carbon coating that not only can withstand daily wear and tear but also high vibrations in racing environments.
Pricing and availability
We are told that the MARQ series will be available in Malaysia in the coming months. Unfortunately, we don’t have the local pricing details yet and below is the pricing of the MARQ series in the US:
MARQ Athlete – US$1,500 (about RM6,194)
MARQ Expedition – US$1,750 (about RM7.226)
MARQ Captain – US$1,850 (about RM7,639)
MARQ Aviator – US$1,950 (about RM8,052)
MARQ Driver – US$2,500 (about RM10,323)
For more info, you can learn more about the MARQ series at Garmin’s website.
