Second-gen Garmin Marq watches are even more luxurious
Titanium and sapphire toughness meet AMOLED touchscreen tech
Garmin’s Fenix watches might be some of the best multisport models around, but they’re not the last word in luxury. That distinction goes to the firm’s Garmin Marq range, which has just gone even more premium for its second generation. Premium materials promise to survive the elements while also looking the part, and uprated display tech will be even easier on the eyes than the OG models.
The five watch collection is made up of Athlete, Adventurer, Golfer, Captain and Aviator models, each with 46mm faces that’ll have a sizeable presence on your wrist. Golfer is an all-new addition, replacing the Driver model that topped the original Marq range.
Every watch body is made of grade-5 titanium, and uses scratch-resistant domed sapphire glass to protect the face. The designs are all subtle variations on Garmin’s rugged theme, with bespoke straps, bezels and finished setting them apart. A bezel guard on the action button also prevents accidental presses.
While the original Marq models used reflective LCD display tech, the second-generation versions spring for AMOLED panels. They’re brighter, much more colourful, and a whole lot sharper, with bespoke watch faces for each model showing relevant info, like a regatta timer for the Captain and wind speed for the Aviator.
Feature-wise you can expect everything seen on the original models to return, including extensive fitness tracking via an optical heart rate sensor, contactless payments and smartwatch notifications. New for ’22 is a jet lag advisor, which suggests how to adjust your sleep schedule while in another time zone, and support for both multi-band GNSS tracking and multi-frequency GPS.
Battery life also takes a step up, managing 42 hours with constant GPS tracking, or as much as six days away from the mains in smartwatch mode. There’s also a new, smaller charger this time around, which clips on magnetically for convenience.
The second-gen Garmin Marq range goes on sale towards the end of October, but you’ll need to be on a captain’s salary to be able to afford one. Prices start at £1600 for the Athlete, rise to £1900 for the Adventurer, £2000 for the Golfer and Captain, and top out at £2100 for the Aviator.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor