Sitting at the top of Garmin’s smartwatch hierarchy is the brand’s MARQ series, which consists of models made from premium materials and equipped with cutting-edge features. Priced at more than 10 times the price of the brand’s entry-level products, the MARQ collection is positioned as Garmin’s premium smartwatch lineup. While most devices labeled “premium smartwatches” are simply smartwatches manufactured by well-known luxury brands, the Garmin MARQ series aims to offer owners expanded features in addition to the premium materials used in the manufacture of the device itself. New for 2023 is the Garmin MARQ Carbon collection, an expansion of the existing second-generation MARQ series, debuting in the form of three different exclusive models with lightweight cases made from fused carbon fiber.
Carbon fiber is currently one of the most popular materials in the watch industry, but not all carbon fiber is created equal. A carbon fiber part is composed of carbon itself and some sort of resin matrix that holds the carbon pieces together. Aside from differences in terms of the percentage of carbon, the length of the fibers, and the chemical composition of the binder, the actual structure of a carbon fiber part can vary significantly depending on the manufacturing process. For example, a primitive form of forged carbon is often a refinement of injection molding using a carbon-infused polymer, while layered carbon fiber typically requires a much more complex manufacturing process and results in a highly organized structure rather than the random, wavy lines that characterize forged carbon.
As for the new Garmin MARQ Carbon watch, the 46mm case and bezel are made from a material the brand calls fused carbon fiber, which consists of 130 layers of carbon fiber sheets arranged at specific alternating angles to increase the material’s strength. After bonding them into a solid mass using heat and pressure and bending them to the rough shape of the component to further increase its strength, the layered carbon fiber block is then machined with diamond-tipped cutting tools over the course of several hours to create a lightweight component with a distinctive spiral pattern running throughout the material itself. The process is very similar to the Carbon TPT technology used by Richard Mille. In addition to creating stronger components, fused carbon fiber also offers an unusual, highly structured design that represents a major aesthetic contrast compared to the asymmetrical, almost organic look of forged carbon.
Garmin’s fused carbon fiber is 62% lighter than titanium and more abrasion resistant. In the new Garmin MARQ Carbon Series, the caseband and bezel are made from fused carbon fiber, while the buttons, outer bezel ring and caseback are all made from grade 5 titanium with a black DLC finish. Additionally, because the MARQ collection is significantly more expensive than the brand’s standard smartwatches, Garmin is extending the warranty period for the MARQ series up to two years and also expanding repair and service options for MARQ owners who may damage their watches through heavy or active use. The battery, screen and case components can all be replaced by an authorized Garmin dealer, meaning the life cycle of a Garmin MARQ watch is significantly longer and there is no need to replace components if they break or fail.
The first of the three new Garmin MARQ Carbon models is the MARQ Athlete Carbon Edition, a versatile sports watch with a wide range of activity tracking and performance coaching features. Preloaded sports include profiles for everything from trail running, hiking, and swimming to rowing, climbing, yoga, and pilates. The MARQ Athlete also features animated in-device workouts that guide you through a variety of activities. Additionally, the Garmin MARQ Athlete Carbon Edition also ships with the brand’s HRM-Pro chest strap monitor to provide more accurate running and heart rate data. Fitted with a premium silicone strap that forms an integrated look with the case, the MARQ Athlete Carbon Edition is perhaps the model with the widest buyer appeal of the three new Garmin MARQ Carbon watches, essentially taking all the features found in Garmin’s most feature-packed sports watch and taking it to the highest level possible.
The second new Garmin MARQ Carbon model is called the MARQ Golfer Carbon Edition, and it takes this latest series’ fused carbon fiber case and turns it into a dedicated smartwatch designed specifically for the world of golf. Preloaded with over 43,000 different courses around the world, the new MARQ Golfer also features an onboard virtual caddy that provides players with information such as wind, elevation, and club recommendations based on personalized swing data. Like other Garmin smartwatches, the new MARQ Golfer Carbon Edition also tracks sleep, heart rate, and various other health and fitness metrics. It’s essentially an ultra-premium version of the brand’s Approach series of dedicated golf watches, with expanded features and a lightweight carbon fiber case. The standard strap on the Garmin MARQ Golfer Carbon Edition is a leather and green FKM rubber hybrid strap with a look inspired by the handle of a golf club, but it also comes with an additional silicone strap and three of the brand’s CT10 sensors that attach to golf clubs and track swing data.
The final watch in the new MARQ Carbon collection is the MARQ Commander Carbon Edition. It is a military-oriented model that features almost the same core features as its siblings, but replaces some of the sports-specific modes with military-oriented features. Unlike its two siblings, the MARQ Commander does not have any small green or yellow accents around the start/stop button, instead opting for an all-black color profile with a bezel engraved with 24-hour UTC marks. Additionally, the buttons on the side of the case have a textured finish for added grip. While the watch comes with a second silicone strap, the primary strap option for the Garmin MARQ Commander Carbon Edition is a jacquard-woven nylon strap with a subtle random pattern woven into it. Unlike other Garmin models, the new MARQ Commander Carbon Edition is equipped with a number of features specifically designed for aviators and navigational calculators, as well as a display screen setting that allows the watch to be used while wearing night vision goggles. Like other military Garmin models, the MARQ Commander also includes a stealth mode setting, which leaves the watch operational but stops storing and sharing GPS data and disables wireless connectivity. Additionally, in case security becomes an issue, the Garmin MARQ Commander includes a virtual kill switch feature that erases all user data stored on the device.
Despite their differences, all three new Garmin MARQ Carbon watches share several key features, including fused carbon fiber cases, domed sapphire crystals, full-color AMOLED touch screens, and 100-meter water resistance. All three new MARQ Carbon models offer a battery life of up to 16 days (six days in always-on display settings) and can be charged to 100% in under an hour via a magnetic charging port located on the caseback. Additionally, because the MARQ series is Garmin’s highest-end collection, you also get a full range of smartwatch features that are standard across the brand’s latest offerings, including multi-band GPS, health and fitness coaching, sleep tracking, contactless payments, and on-board music storage. Additionally, because the new Garmin MARQ Carbon collection is based on the existing second-generation MARQ watches, the basic operating instructions remain the same and all new straps are backwards compatible with the brand’s current MARQ collection.
Garmin makes an amazing variety of smartwatches, and while the brand’s most affordable products start at under a few hundred dollars, the MARQ collection is Garmin’s highest-end series, with the least expensive MARQ models costing several thousand dollars. Furthermore, the fused carbon fiber case makes these new Garmin MARQ Carbon watches more expensive than previous models in the series, instantly taking the top spot as the most expensive smartwatch in Garmin’s entire catalog. Of the three, the MARQ Athlete is the least expensive with an official retail price of $2,950, the MARQ Golfer is in the middle at $3,100, and the MARQ Commander is the most expensive in the series at $3,200. While it’s certainly not a stretch to spend that much on a smartwatch, few people would balk at paying that much for a mechanical watch with a fused carbon fiber case. These new MARQ Carbon models are the best Garmin has to offer. For more information on the Garmin MARQ Carbon collection, visit the brand’s website.
