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Garmin MARQ: a collection of 5 connected luxury watches

by Philippe Baudoin © Copyright (published 30/03/2019)
5 watches from the garmin MARQ series

Exceptional watches for aviation, the sea, the automobile, the mountains and sports

Garmin launches the MARQ series, a collection of five connected watches that are extremely versatile, elegant and carefully crafted. These "Tool Watches" have been designed to accompany you in your sporting activity, whatever your lifestyle.

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5 luxury watches for demanding sportsmen

The MARQ collection offers exceptional, modern and authentic watches combining quality and high technology. Particular care has been taken in the assembly. The materials selected are of superior quality: titanium, sapphire, ceramic, Italian cowhide leather, nylon woven by a specialized workshop, etc.

Garmin targets a targeted audience with a certain purchasing power. It costs between 1500 and 2500 € to buy one of these luxury watches.

In terms of technology, the series incorporates the best of today's Garmin watches (Fenix 5 Plus, Quatix 5, D2 Delta PX) with common functions and specificities specific to the five proposed activities:

  • MARQ Driver: designed for racing drivers and fans, it contains data from 250 racing tracks
  • MARQ Aviator : this watch designed for aviators offers avionics functions, flight charts and detailed NEXRAD weather radar
  • MARQ Captain: this marine watch has advanced nautical functions and can even be used to control a boat from the watch
  • MARQ Expedition: this special model includes all the useful instruments for skiing, hiking and high mountain expeditions
  • MARQ Athlete : this "Tool Watch" offers integrated maps and advanced tools to help athletes as well as new functions.

Each model is equipped with a curved sapphire crystal, a bezel and a titanium case.

Common features

The five watches in the MARQ series incorporate the best of today's Garmin sports watches. In addition to the specific functions described briefly below, they all incorporate the same sensors and features:

  • Many sensors for navigation and tracking: altimeter, barometer, compass, GPS, thermometer, gyroscope
  • A new optical heart rate sensor including a red LED for measuring blood oxygen saturation (as on Fenix 5X Plus).
  • Advanced navigation features with topographic maps and pre-loaded ski resort maps, road maps and bike paths, guidance, liveTrack and Group LiveTrack functions, breadcrumb trail, altitude profile, ClimbPro ascent planner, and more
  • Advanced sports functions (biometric data, race dynamics, race predictor, swimming metrics, physiological measurements, cadence measurements, power, speed, etc.)
  • A Garmin Pay contactless payment function to pay for small purchases without having to carry a smartphone or credit card
  • Activity monitoring (tracker) and sleep analysis
  • A bluetooth wireless mp3 player that can play up to 2000 songs (twice as many as a Fenix 5 Plus) and offers streaming music via Deezer or Spotify. No more need for a smartphone to listen to music during your sport!
  • 41,000 golf courses worldwide preloaded and advanced features for golf
  • An oximeter (measurement of blood oxygen level)

Quality

The series is intended to be chic with a choice of quality materials and a very particular care taken in the manufacture of bracelets designed according to the activity practiced: Italian cowhide leather with refined details for the MARQ Expedition, "Jacquard" style woven nylon, made by craftsmen from the South of France on a shuttle loom for the MARQ Captain, brushed titanium fitting precisely on the wrist for the MARQ Aviator, black titanium alloyed with red silicone recalling a famous sports car brand for the MARQ Driver. The titanium and ceramic bezel gives the watch an authentic appearance. The case is also of high quality and neat appearance. In short, the MARQ series looks great.

Garmin launches the MARQ serie, a collection of five polyvalent and ultra complete luxury watches

MARQ Driver: for motor racing enthusiasts

Luxury watch Garmin MARQ Driver

The MARQ™ Driver watch is a versatile, modern watch, equipped with functions useful to drivers and car racing enthusiasts. It is equipped with a tachometer and more than 250 race tracks worldwide.

It is equipped with a black titanium strap with a red silicone interior for optimal comfort. An amorphous carbon coating with ceramic dial inlay gives it a great look.

This model offers among other things:

  • More than 250 famous preloaded race tracks with display on the watch of some tracks
  • An application displaying circuit data and calculating intermediate auto laps from GPS
  • Audio reports of each tour
  • An electronic tachometer integrated into the bezel and a chronograph for calculating the speed of a car on a circuit
Designed for racing drivers and fans, the Garmin MARQ Driver contains data from 250 racing tracks

MARQ Aviator: live your passion for aviation

Garmin luxury watch MARQ Aviator

The MARQ™ Aviator model is a luxury Tool Watch for aviators. It offers intelligent functions for navigation, a world aeronautical database, the display of your flight path on a scrolling color map, access to NEXRAD weather radar data. From takeoff to arrival, it tells you the direction to take and the estimated time of arrival.

The watch is compatible with Garmin devices that can be found on board aircraft

It features a brushed titanium strap that fits precisely on the wrist and a mirror-polished GMT 24-hour dial that allows you to view the time in 2 time zones.

Its main characteristics are:

  • A global database of airports and aerodromes, NAVAID and intersections
  • A "direct-to" emergency navigation function to quickly reach the nearest airport
  • Wireless reception of flight plans from Garmin Pilot™
  • The HSI heading display
  • A 3-axis electronic compass with horizontal situation indicator
  • A scrolling map of aviation waypoints
  • Access to detailed NEXRAD weather data on a scrolling map
  • Compatibility with Garmin cockpit devices
MARQ Aviator : a watch designed for aviators with avionics functions, flight maps and detailed NEXRAD weather radar

MARQ Captain: a marine watch for offshore racing

Luxury watch Garmin MARQ Captain

This marine watch will delight all boating fans. It offers the intelligent nautical functions of the Quatix 5 and new advanced functions. It includes a regatta chronometer with GPS, transfer assistance, a "man overboard" button, the possibility of controlling your boat by the watch and more.

The MARQ Captain is chic with its navy blue ceramic bezel and a superb "Jacquard" style woven bracelet, resistant to salt water and made by craftsmen from the South of France with a shuttle loom.

This watch offers among other things:

  • Preloaded navigation profiles (boat, sail, fishing)
  • Assistance with tacking
  • Control of the autopilot to change course, turn the boat or manoeuvre the boat directly from the watch (requires compatible Garmin equipment)
  • Broadcasting boat data and adding waypoints to the boat's plotter from the watch (requires compatible Garmin equipment)
  • Information on wind direction, temperature, tides
  • Remote control of compatible products (stereo device, etc.)
  • An anchor alarm
MARQ Captain : a marine watch with advanced nautical functions that can be used to control a boat

MARQ Expedition: for adventurers and explorers

This luxury "watch tool" designed for exploration will delight mountain and exploration fans, including mountaineers, skiers and high mountain enthusiasts.

Filled with measuring instruments and intelligent navigation functions, it will guide you anywhere. It includes topographic maps and real-time ascent data.

For adventures at very high altitudes, an oximeter (Pulse Ox sensor) allows you to check your good acclimatisation by measuring the oxygen saturation of the blood.

Its cowhide leather strap gives it a chic style and offers excellent grip on the wrist.

The MARQ Expedition includes:

  • A 360-degree compass with engraved bezel and an orientation function to navigate with a compass superimposed on a map background
  • ABC sensors (altimeter, barometer, 3-axis compass)
  • Colour topographic maps including ski slopes
  • Access to trail names and difficulty levels for 2000 resorts around the world and maps to never get lost
  • A popular Trendline" route generator that offers routes frequented by other members of the Garmin community
  • The ClimbPro function which displays information about your current or future ascent (distance, slope, altitude difference, etc.)
MARQ Expedition : a special model with all the tools you need for skiing, hiking and high mountain expeditions

MARQ Athlete: for demanding athletes

Luxury watch Garmin MARQ Athlete

The MARQ Athelte is a remarkable watch and a valuable help for athletes of all levels. This luxury "tool watch" offers all the functions needed by athletes to train, optimize their performance, monitor their progress and find their bearings.

The watch offers tools such as biometric data, advanced race dynamics, a race predictor. It offers running and cycling routes thanks to its library of itineraries and on-board maps, including the cycle paths of Europe. Golfers will find complete tools and more than 41,000 courses on board.

Its ultra-light titanium case and a brushed amorphous carbon dial.

This model includes:

  • The display of the recovery time and your VO2max by 2 small arrows directly on the watch dial (new function) to know at any time your performance and progress
  • Performance metrics indicating your level of form
  • Running dynamics (stride length, rebound, ground contact rate, etc.)
  • A race predictor to evaluate the average speed, for example, or the expected time of arrival at a race (marathon, etc.)
  • A popular route generator offering the best running and cycling routes around you and their display on the map
  • The ClimbPro function which displays in real time the data of your current or future ascent (altitude difference, slope, etc.)
MARQ Athlete: advanced functions for training and monitoring the athlete

Our opinion on the MARQ series

Garmin wants to stand out from the competition by offering very high-end luxury and advanced technology. These 5 exceptional watches with an authentic look offer the best of today's technology. Luxury watch lovers who are looking for beauty, quality and intelligent features should therefore be satisfied.

The MARQ series is obviously aimed at people who can afford to pay between 1500 and 2500 € for a sports watch.

However, the price seems high to us despite the functions offered and the care taken in the design of the watch. Admittedly, the on-board functions are impressive but most of them are already available on the Fenix 5 Plus or on other specialized watches (Quatix 5 marine watch, D2 Delta PX aviation watch). The materials are of high quality but those of the Fenix 5 are also of high quality depending on the models. Does this justify the extra 850 to 1850 € to be paid for the MARQ series? This is especially true for the MARQ Athlete which is nothing more or less than a Fenix 5X Plus at a much higher price.

In addition, a luxury watch is made to last. These will be obsolete in a few years or even unusable with the wear and tear of the battery. In addition, the Fenix 6 should soon be available and will bring new features that the MARQ series will not have.

That said, these considerations should not be a problem for wealthy people who want to indulge themselves. These exceptional watches can be added to a collection and replaced in 2-3 years when a new series comes along.

These models have the advantage of combining the best of Garmin watches and also offer new functions that are perfectly adapted to the practice of the sports on offer. They are beautiful and of high quality. They can be worn on a daily basis, at work or in the city, in addition to sports. The quality and interest of Garmin watches is well established.

We liked
  • The chic side of the watch and the richness of the features offered
  • New functions appropriate to the sport in question
  • The quality of the materials and their choice according to the sport
  • The care taken in the manufacture of the watch and bracelet
  • The best of Garmin watches in an exceptional model
We would have liked
  • The price seems high compared to other top-of-the-range Garmin watches close to the series (Fenix 5 Plus in particular)

Price and availability

The Garmin MARQ series will be available for sale in the first quarter of 2019 at a recommended retail price of €2,500 (MARQ Driver), €1,950 (MARQ Aviator), €1,850 (MARQ Captain), €1,750 (MARQ Expedition) and €1,500 (MARQ Athlete). It will only be available in certain jewellery stores. Garmin offers the list on its website.

Buy MARQ luxury watches

Merchant
Price (from)
 
Amazon
1950 €

Commercial links. Prices are not contractual. Please visit the merchant site.

Buy Fenix 5 Plus

Merchant
Price (from)
 
i-Run
1099 499 €
Amazon
699 467 €

Commercial links. Prices are not contractual. Please visit the merchant site.

Philippe Baudoin
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