Tag Archives: Watches

Forget bulky multitools, this titanium Apple Watch bracelet hides 24 EDC tools on your wrist

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Your wrist might be the most underutilized piece of real estate you own. Most smartwatches promise everything at your fingertips, tracking steps and heart rate while delivering notifications in real time. But what happens when you need to fix something physical, tighten an actual screw, or open a stubborn bottle? That digital magic suddenly feels pretty limited. Remember that bonkers Smartlet concept from CES that tried cramming an Apple Watch AND a Rolex on your wrist? Weird execution, brilliant insight. The watch strap has serious potential as a wrist-borne utility belt, and Woods Design seems to have cracked the code with something actually wearable.

The TiLink is a 24-in-1 titanium bracelet that doubles as a watch strap, creating this interesting yin-yang of capabilities. Compatibility spans across all watches with lug widths between 18-26mm, which means the TiLink can attach to the Apple Watch as well as Garmin, Samsung, Google Pixel, and analog watches. One side tracks your biometrics and messages, the other has screwdrivers, wrenches, a magnifier, and a fire starter machined from aerospace-grade titanium. Full transparency: you’re probably not getting through airport security without some explaining, and this definitely isn’t for minimalists. But for EDC enthusiasts who love flaunting their gear, or anyone who believes in being prepared for whatever life throws at them, this bracelet does something clever. Instead of just holding your device, the strap itself becomes the utility belt, merging analog preparedness with digital functionality in one surprisingly balanced package.

Designer: Russell Wu (Woods Design)

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $259 (31% off) Hurry! Only 15 left of 300. Raised over $139,000.

Woods Design chose GR5 titanium, the aerospace-grade stuff that shows up in aircraft components and surgical implants. The entire bracelet weighs just 138.8 grams despite packing 24 tools across 230.5mm of length. That’s lighter than most steel watches while being significantly stronger and completely corrosion-resistant. Every link gets CNC-machined for precision, which means tight tolerances and smooth articulation that stays consistent over time. The 35mm width sounds chunky on paper but makes sense once you see how the tools integrate into each module. Your Apple Watch will become obsolete e-waste in five years while this thing keeps working indefinitely.

Three flathead screwdriver sizes (SL3, SL4, SL5) integrate directly into the bracelet structure, covering everything from eyeglass screws to home appliance panels. Hex bit holders accept both 4mm precision bits and 6.35mm standard bits, giving you genuine versatility instead of that fake multi-tool marketing where one size supposedly handles everything. The 4mm bit extension bar reaches recessed screws in tight positions without needing adapters or workarounds. You can swap bits on the fly, choosing configurations based on what you actually need that day. Eyeglass adjustments, toy repairs, electronics tinkering, small hardware fixes, all the annoying little tasks that require tools you never have handy.

An adjustable wrench covers M4 to M8 nuts and bolts, replacing an entire wrench set with one modular link. Traditional hex wrenches deliver solid torque but disappear into drawers and take up pocket space. Mini versions fit on keychains but lack leverage and get lost in couch cushions within days. This integration gives you proper wrench functionality without the carry hassle. The spoke wrench includes three sizes (3.6mm, 3.9mm, 4.4mm) for common spoke nipples, which tells me they actually consulted cyclists during design. Roadside wheel truing without carrying a separate tool bag changes the calculation for anyone who rides regularly and has dealt with wonky spokes mid-ride.

A built-in magnifier handles small text, component inspection, or marking verification without pulling out your phone and fumbling with zoom controls. The eternal pen requires zero refills, won’t leak ink all over your stuff, and stays permanently attached so it can’t vanish. I’m honestly uncertain how often I’d write with a bracelet pen, but jotting quick notes or reminders beats typing on a phone screen when your hands are already busy. The double-hole survival whistle produces louder, sharper sound than standard single-hole designs, making it effective for emergencies, signaling in crowds, or outdoor scenarios. Being permanently integrated means you can’t lose it, unlike those keychain whistles that fall off within a week.

Fire starting capability feels niche for urban carry but makes perfect sense for actual preparedness. The striker produces sparks without fuel or batteries, and a rubber o-ring seals the compartment against moisture. For camping, hiking, emergency kits, or survival situations, having a fire starter that physically cannot run out of fuel beats carrying lighters or matches. For everyday city life, you’ll probably never use it. Here’s where the modular design earns its keep: remove the links you don’t need, keep what you actually use. The bracelet adapts to your reality instead of forcing you to carry someone else’s idea of essential tools.

A nail file smooths rough edges or tidies nails when needed. Wire gauge holes measure five common sizes (3.5mm, 3mm, 2.5mm, 2mm, 1.5mm) accurately without needing dedicated calipers. The bottle opener works exactly as expected, which sounds mundane until you need one and realize your entire keychain, wallet, and pockets contain zero bottle-opening capability. These small inclusions prevent those specific frustrating moments where you’re almost prepared but missing one crucial thing. They fill the gaps between major tools without adding bulk or complexity.

Two optional modules extend the system further. A liquid compass uses premium white mineral oil for smooth operation and minimal temperature sensitivity, staying functional across a wide range of conditions. Sliding it off the bracelet and placing it on the ground eliminates magnetic interference from other tools, giving you accurate readings. When GPS satellites become unreliable or your phone battery dies at the worst possible moment, having mechanical directional finding matters. Tritium tube slots (1.5mm x 6mm) accept glow inserts that work continuously for 25 years without batteries, charging, or external light exposure. That’s legitimate low-light visibility plus understated aesthetic appeal for people who appreciate functional details.

Apple Watch connectors transform the entire premise. Any Apple Watch model attaches and locks securely into place without extra tools or complicated procedures. This creates a genuine hybrid: your watch handles notifications, fitness tracking, payments, and connectivity while your band contains physical tools for fixing actual things. Digital and analog utility coexist on the same wrist, each handling what it does best. When you need to check your heart rate and tighten a loose screw within the same five minutes, having both capabilities right there makes a surprising amount of sense. That being said, the Watch integration isn’t mandatory – you can still wear the TiLink as a regular bracelet too, keeping your smartwatch unencumbered by these massive new responsibilities.

Each link connects and disconnects cleanly for tool-free size adjustment. Add links for a looser fit, remove them for tighter wear, customize tool selection while you’re at it. The precision machining ensures every link articulates smoothly and maintains consistent tolerances, which matters for something rubbing against your wrist all day. You’re essentially building a custom toolkit that also happens to be a watch band, selecting exactly the modules you’ll actually use instead of carrying a pre-configured set that includes stuff you’ll never touch.

As with every EDC, this watch strap has a time and place, and I’m not entirely sure if wearing this universally would work (the same way carrying a Swiss Army Knife everywhere is a tad risky). For example, airport security will absolutely flag this. TSA agents see a metal bracelet with integrated tools and fire-starting capability, they’re pulling you aside for additional screening. Office environments, malls, and public transit systems might consider it too tactical depending on where you live. But for EDC enthusiasts, makers, cyclists, outdoor types, or anyone who regularly encounters small problems requiring tools, wrist-mounted organization beats pocket clutter or carrying bags just for gear. Woods Design built something that respects both form and function, achieving a balance that’s surprisingly rare in products that usually sacrifice one for the other.

Pricing starts at $179 for early backers, hitting $199 at standard retail for the titanium version. Quality titanium watch bands that do nothing except hold your watch regularly cost $150 to $300, so you’re paying a comparable rate for the band itself while getting 24 integrated tools as a bonus. An aluminum version exists at $89 for people who want the functionality without premium material costs. Individual modules run $19 each if you prefer building your configuration gradually or testing the concept before committing to a full bracelet. Single modules come with paracord so you can wear them immediately as standalone pieces.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $259 (31% off) Hurry! Only 15 left of 300. Raised over $139,000.

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Casio’s Origami-Inspired G-Shock watches blend Japanese craft with everyday toughness

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Casio G-Shock line has seen so many variants over the years, still they feel refreshing every time a new version is released. The hand-forged tsuiki edition is one of their unique releases that’s forged by a single Japanese master edition. Each one of them is unique with hammer-print bespoke patterns, and Casio nailed the craft using titanium alloy and the DLC coating.

Now another edition showcases the brand’s love for Japanese artistry with two origami inspired variants. Although these are not hand built or carry the bespoke design element, still they are unique in their own rights.

Designer: Casio

Predictably, the two variants: DW5600RGM-1 and DW6900RGM-5 reflect the folding patterns of origami with the dotted lines. This gives off the illusion of mountain and valley folds with washi paper like texture on the bezel and band.  The origami theme carries further into the watch details. On both watches, Casio has included the silhouette of a crane – a globally recognized symbol in origami – within the LED backlight and engraved on the case back. The special packaging also echoes the traditional paper folding craft, enhancing the presentation with design cues drawn from folded forms.

Casio’s choice of materials balances durability with aesthetic intent. The cases, bezels, and bands of both models are made from bio-based resin that retains the strength and impact resistance expected of G-Shock watches while supporting the distinctive textured finish. Despite the artistic approach, these watches maintain the toughness that the G-Shock line is known for, including shock resistance and a 200-meter water resistance rating suitable for swimming and surface water sports.

In terms of dimensions and wearability, the DW-6900RGM-5 is the larger of the two, with a case measuring approximately 53.2 × 50 × 18.7 mm and a weight of about 67 grams. The DW-5600RGM-1 is more compact at around 48.9 × 42.8 × 13.4 mm and weighs roughly 53 grams, catering to those who prefer a smaller profile on the wrist. Both watches use mineral glass and offer comfortable fits for a range of wrist sizes

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Underneath the origami-inspired shell, the core functionalities are consistent with what buyers expect from a digital G-Shock. Each model includes a 1/100-second stopwatch, a countdown timer with auto-repeat, a multi-function alarm, and an hourly time signal. Additional features include an LED backlight with afterglow, flash alerts linked to alarms and the timer, and a full automatic calendar that runs through the year 2099. Timekeeping supports both 12-hour and 24-hour formats with a monthly accuracy of ±15 seconds.

Powering these functions is a long-lasting CR2016 battery that Casio rates at up to five years under normal use. This longevity, combined with the rugged build and everyday tools, positions the origami editions as practical timepieces for daily wear rather than purely collector items.

Pricing for the DW-5600RGM-1 and DW-6900RGM-5 in the United States is set at around $165 each, making them accessible within the broader G-Shock lineup while offering a distinctive design narrative rooted in Japanese culture.

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Urwerk 100V “LightSpeed” Ceramic limited-edition watch tracks propagation of light through space

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The way life moves on earth, we often undermine the vastness of the universe and the simple fact that whatever we see in it is always already the past. Now, Urwerk has conceptualized a limited-edition timepiece that merges concepts of time and space showcasing the time light takes right from the sun to reach each planet in the solar system. The Urwerk UR-100V “LightSpeed” Ceramic is a timepiece that translates the journey of light across the solar system in a mechanical watch display.

The brainchild of Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, co-founders of the Swiss-watchmaker established in 1997, the UR-100V features the company’s iconic satellite display, differing in a way to display propagation of light across the solar system – telling time it takes a sunbeam to reach the eight different planets. So instead of just marking hours and minutes, this watch, with a white ceramic composite case, creates the wandering satellite display into a moving cosmic reference point.

Designer: Urwerk

“Wearing this creation (the UR-100V “LightSpeed” Ceramic) is like carrying a fragment of the universe on the wrist, a miniature vision of the cosmos scaled to human perception,” Martin Frei said about the watch measuring 43mm wide and 51.7mm long. About 14.55mm at the highest point, the UR-100V features Urwerk’s proprietary white ceramic case with silver fiberglass fabric and carbon inserts. The case with a screw-down crown offers durability to the timepiece with cosmic-inspired aesthetics.

The dial has been tweaked to achieve the latter. When the hour satellite leaves the minute track, it follows the path of light, tracing the journey of a sunbeam from the Sun toward the eight planets in our solar system. The astronomical data is converted into mechanical motion with exact scientific data points like 3 minutes required for sunlight to reach Earth or 4.1 hours it takes to reach the farthest planet Neptune.

The UR-100V LS Ceramic draws its power and finesse to pull of the celestial brilliance from the in-house calibre UR 12.02. The self-winding mechanical movement by Planetary Turbine Automatic System beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides the watch with a 48-hour power reserve. Water-resistant up to 5ATM, the Urwerk timepiece features micro-blasted, DLC-treated grade 5 titanium caseback revealing a satisfying sight of a self-winding rotor inside.

The UR-100V LightSpeed Ceramic comes with two choices of strap colors. It’s a textured rubber strap in black or white color. The limited-edition watch is priced at 67,000 CHF (approx. $86,500) and is available on the company’s official website. We are not sure how many units of the watch are going to be available, but we are sure the watch will sell out really fast for its ability to track propagation of light through space.

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Chopard and Zagato collaborate for the breathtaking Lab One Concept watch, limited to just 19 examples

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Cars and watches share a lot in common; the biggest intersection point is, of course, design. Inspired by the automotive brilliance of Zagato, the Chopard Lab One concept watch is a fine example of what I mean. This collaborative watch from Chopard and Zagato is a manifestation of automotive thinking realized in a wrist-sized form factor, highlighting structure, lightness, and engineering – the three main stakes of the Italian coachbuilding brand, founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919.

Of course, when something so impressive and open-worked shows up on the horology map, you begin to wonder how the manufacturer has pulled it off. Before I could sit down and ponder, I realized that is not the first time the two stalwarts from their respective niches have come together. If you remember, the two brands previously collaborated in 2020 on the Mille Miglia Lab One, which was also inspired by high-performance race cars.

Designer: Chopard x Zagato

Arguably, haute horlogerie collides at the peak of innovation with the Zagato Lab One Concept, which is not really a conventional production model but a technical study of the application of motorsport engineering principles in watchmaking. The racing car image instantly comes to mind at the first glimpse at this 42mm case watch, which is made from ceramicised titanium and exudes tubular architecture characteristic of the car chassis.

The Chopard x Zagato Lab One Concept watch – owing to its construction – is exceptionally robust and scratch-resistant. The watch weighs only 43.2 grams (including the strap) and features a box-shaped sapphire, giving you a completely unobstructed view of the chrome-toned skeletal dial integrated right into the movement. It is also machined from ceramicised titanium also, and has a raised interpretation of Zagato’s stylised “Z” motif, which is finished with rhodium-plated bevels.

The watch ditches traditional lugs and replaces them with pivoting tubular loops that can rotate up to 45 degrees. This design allows the case to sit flush with the wrist, delivering exceptional wearing comfort. On the dial, the open-worked hour and minute hands and the gauge-style power reserve at 12 o’clock are reminiscent of the motorsport theme. This mechanical marvel is powered by a hand-wound L.U.C 04.04-L calibre movement offering COSC-certified chronometer-level accuracy, operating at 28,800 vph, and has a 60-hour power reserve. The bridges and mainplate are also made from ceramicised titanium.

The Zagato Lab One Concept watch has a 60-second tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock and protects the movement against shock via silent-block elastomer dampers and four lever arms. Water resistant up to 50 meters, the watch comes with two strap options: a fabric strap with hook-and-loop fastening, and the other is a calfskin leather strap. According to press information, only 19 examples of the watch are available, and each is priced at CHF 130,000 (approximately $170,000).

 

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This $50 Smart Ring Has a Screen (And Works Like A Tiny Smartwatch)

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The smartwatch got smaller. Then the smart ring arrived. Now Rogbid has released something that splits the difference and costs less than a nice dinner: the Fusion, a hybrid device that looks like someone shrunk a fitness tracker and stuck it on a ring band. For fifty dollars, you get a legitimate OLED display, actual health sensors, and the ability to wear your technology on whichever body part feels right that day.

This is more than just miniaturization for the sake of novelty. The Fusion measures 20.6 x 21 x 8.2mm and weighs about as much as three quarters stacked together, yet it monitors heart rate, tracks sleep, measures blood oxygen levels, and survives underwater thanks to 5ATM water resistance. Rogbid includes both a finger-sized adjustable strap and a wrist band, turning the device into whatever you need depending on your outfit, activity, or tolerance for questions from strangers. Battery life hits five days with regular use, which means this tiny screen actually pulls its weight between charges.

Designer: Rogbid

You have to give Rogbid credit for seeing Casio’s G-Shock ring sell out and thinking, “we can do that, but with actual tech inside.” That Casio piece was pure nostalgia, a fun gimmick that proved a market existed for finger-watches. Rogbid’s move feels like the logical, if slightly unhinged, next step: taking the novelty and injecting actual utility.

We’re talking over 100 sports modes, which is a software problem I don’t even want to think about navigating on a half-inch screen. But the hardware is there: an optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, and all the usual motion tracking. They even added prayer time reminders and a “couple interaction mode” for sharing codes, which feels like they just kept adding features from a hat until they ran out of room. It’s the kind of feature creep that’s almost admirable in its audacity, especially when most competitors are still trying to get basic step counting right in the ring form factor.

This whole thing is a fascinating gamble on what people want from a smart ring. The entire appeal of the Oura and its competitors is their subtlety; they disappear into your daily life. The Fusion, however, plants a glowing OLED screen right on your knuckle and demands attention. It’s a complete rejection of the minimalist aesthetic that defined the category. Maybe that’s the point. For fifty bucks, Rogbid isn’t trying to compete with the thousand-dollar jewelry pieces. They’re creating an entirely new, wonderfully weird sub-category of wearable that’s too cheap and too interesting to ignore.

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This Art Deco Watch Looks Like a City on Your Wrist

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You know that feeling when you spot something so unexpected it makes you stop mid-scroll? That’s exactly what happened when I saw MB&F’s latest creation. The HM11 Art Deco doesn’t just tell time, it looks like someone shrunk an entire 1930s metropolis and strapped it to your wrist. And honestly, I’m here for it.

Let’s talk about what makes this thing so wild. MB&F introduced their HM11 series back in 2023 with the Architect edition, which already pushed boundaries with its architectural inspiration. But the new Art Deco versions, released in 2025, take that concept and run it through a time machine straight to the Jazz Age. Instead of the organic, humanist forms of the original, these new editions embrace the geometric vocabulary of 1930s design, complete with vertical lines, stepped profiles, and those signature sunburst graphics that defined the era.

Designer: MB&F

The case itself is a masterclass in three-dimensional thinking. Picture this: a central atrium surrounded by four peripheral pods, each covered with its own sapphire crystal window. The whole thing sits under a double-domed sapphire roof that creates this incredible play of light and shadow. It’s like looking down at a miniature cityscape from above, which is exactly what MB&F intended. The titanium construction keeps it surprisingly wearable at 42mm wide, though at 23mm tall, this isn’t exactly a watch that’s going to slip under your shirt cuff.

What really gets me excited are the details. MB&F released two versions, and each one has its own personality. The blue dial version features 3N yellow-gold-toned bridges that catch the light beautifully, while the green edition goes for 5N rose-gold-toned bridges. The display markers aren’t your typical hour indexes either. They’re laser-cut with a circular grain finish that echoes Art Deco’s obsession with geometric patterns. And those hands? They’re white gold skeletons with transparent red enamel inserts that create this stunning stained-glass effect when light passes through.

Here’s where things get really interesting from a mechanical standpoint. The movement inside is a fully in-house creation that’s basically a three-dimensional sculpture. It features a flying tourbillon (that’s the fancy spinning cage that helps with accuracy) and uses bevel gears to distribute the mechanics throughout those four pods. The power reserve clocks in at 96 hours, which means you can take it off Friday night and it’ll still be running Monday morning.

But my favorite quirk? You don’t wind this watch with a crown. Instead, you wind it by rotating the entire case clockwise. It’s such a tactile, engaging way to interact with your timepiece, and it completely fits the architectural theme. You’re literally turning a building to power it up. The straps deserve a mention too. The blue version comes on a white lizard leather strap, while the green gets a beige lizard strap, both with titanium folding buckles. They’re textured and refined, adding another layer of 1930s luxury to the whole package.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the price. At CHF 198,000 (or about EUR 215,000), this is firmly in “if you have to ask” territory. But for that price, you’re getting one of only 10 pieces per color. Twenty watches total for MB&F’s 20th anniversary. This is wearable art that happens to tell time, not just another luxury watch.

What makes the HM11 Art Deco so compelling is how it refuses to play by conventional rules. In a world where most high-end watches still look fundamentally like, well, watches, MB&F went ahead and created something that challenges every assumption about what can sit on your wrist. It’s bold without being gaudy, complex without being cluttered, and somehow manages to be both a tribute to 1930s design and utterly futuristic at the same time.

Whether you’re into horology, design history, or just appreciate objects that make you think differently about everyday things, the HM11 Art Deco is worth paying attention to. It’s the kind of piece that sparks conversations and makes people question what’s possible. And in a market saturated with safe choices and heritage reruns, that’s pretty refreshing.

The post This Art Deco Watch Looks Like a City on Your Wrist first appeared on Yanko Design.

Pebble Round 2 Fixes the Bezel and Battery After an 11-Year Wait

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The 2015 Pebble Time Round stole a lot of hearts by looking like a real analog watch and still being a Pebble, but it shipped with a tiny screen, a huge bezel, and battery life that lagged behind its siblings. It remained the thinnest smartwatch ever made, yet always felt like a beautiful compromise waiting for a second chance, the kind of product people kept wearing despite its flaws because it looked better than anything else on their wrist.

Pebble Round 2 is that second chance, part of the broader Pebble relaunch. It keeps the same ultra-slim stainless-steel profile, just 8.1 mm thick, but fixes the two big complaints: the bezel is gone, and the battery now lasts around two weeks. It is framed as the most stylish Pebble ever, but this time without the asterisk or the mental math about whether style was worth the compromises.

Designer: Pebble

The new 1.3-inch color e-paper display covers the entire face, 260 × 260 pixels at 283 DPI, twice the resolution of the original. The always-on, reflective screen still behaves like a classic Pebble, readable in sunlight and gentle indoors, but finally looks proportionally right. Wrap that in a stainless-steel frame, and you get something that reads as a watch first, gadget second, which has always been the goal.

The two-week estimated battery life, made possible by newer Bluetooth chips and Pebble’s frugal OS, brings the Round in line with the rest of the lineup. Interaction stays very Pebble, four physical buttons you can use without looking, plus a touchscreen you do not have to rely on. There is a backlight for night glances, but the default state is that calm, always-on face that does not glow at you during meetings.

The software side stays fun, quirky, and open source. PebbleOS powers everything, with an open-source mobile app that works with iOS and Android. The Pebble app store has over 15,000 apps and watchfaces, and the SDK is there if you want to build your own. Health tracking covers steps and sleep, enough for everyday awareness without pretending to be a hardcore fitness or sports watch.

Dual microphones handle speech input, from interacting with AI agents to replying to messages on Android, with iOS support coming in some regions. Water resistance is targeted at 30 m, enough for daily life. Style-wise, you get matte black with a 20 mm band, brushed silver in 14 mm or 20 mm, and polished rose gold in 14 mm, all with quick-release bands and room for standard straps.

Pebble Round 2 speaks to people who miss glancing at a watch that is always on, who like the idea of weeks-long battery life and tactile buttons, and who want something that looks good with a shirt cuff as well as a hoodie. It is not chasing the latest sensor arms race; it is doubling down on the idea that a smartwatch can still feel like a watch, just one that happens to run PebbleOS in 2026, with a full-face display and enough battery to forget about charging for 14 days.

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This $418 French Strap Solves the Watch vs Smartwatch Problem

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Look, we all know someone who wears a beautiful vintage Rolex or Omega but keeps glancing at their phone every five minutes to check their step count. Or maybe you’re that person. There’s this weird tension happening right now between watch lovers who appreciate the craft and heritage of mechanical timepieces and those of us who genuinely need the convenience of a smartwatch to get through the day. Enter Smartlet, a Paris-based startup that’s decided this whole either-or situation is kind of ridiculous.

The Smartlet dual-watch strap does exactly what it sounds like. It lets you wear both a traditional watch and a smartwatch on the same wrist, simultaneously. One sits on top of your wrist like normal, the other hides underneath. Flip your wrist one way to check the time on your classic timepiece, flip it the other way to see your notifications, heart rate, or whether you’ve hit your daily movement goal.

Designer: David Ohayon for Smartlet

Created by engineer David Ohayon, who himself couldn’t decide between his beloved mechanical watches and the practical features of modern smartwatches, the Smartlet system uses a patented modular design that lets you clip and unclip watches in seconds without any tools. The strap itself is made from stainless steel and comes in different finishes (Classic, Shadow, and Titanium), so it’s not trying to look like some weird tech gadget. It actually resembles a regular metal watch bracelet, which means it won’t clash with the aesthetic of luxury timepieces.

Now, before you start imagining some clunky contraption, the total weight of the setup sits between 60 and 100 grams with both watches attached, which is comparable to most steel bracelets already on the market. The thickness is between 9 and 12mm, compared to 4 to 8mm for classic watches, so yes, it’s noticeably thicker but not absurdly so.

The system is compatible with watches that have 20mm or 22mm lug widths, which includes iconic brands like Omega, Tudor, Tag Heuer, Rolex, Breitling, and Zenith. On the smartwatch side, it works with Apple Watch, 41mm Google Pixel Watch, various Samsung Galaxy Watch models, and even fitness trackers like Whoop 4 and Fitbit Charge. So whether you’re Team Apple or Team Android, there’s room for you here.

But here’s the thing about Smartlet that gets interesting. It’s not just about convenience, it’s about something deeper that watch enthusiasts understand. There’s emotional value in wearing a watch your grandfather gave you, or a piece you saved up for years to buy. These watches tell stories and carry memories. Yet in 2025, we’re also living in a world where contactless payments, fitness tracking, and instant notifications have become genuinely useful features we don’t want to give up.

The Smartlet has already won a bronze medal at the prestigious Concours Lépine 2025, a French innovation competition that’s been recognizing inventions since 1901. It’s also been featured across major watch publications and tech outlets, with some calling it a potential game-changer for the industry.

Of course, there are practical considerations. Wearing a smartwatch on the underside of your wrist means it’s in regular contact with desks, armrests, and tables, which could lead to scratches or damage. And aesthetically, this is clearly designed for people who want the best of both worlds without compromise, which admittedly might not be everyone. The marketing does lean heavily into “modern gentleman” territory, but honestly, the concept itself is pretty gender-neutral. Anyone who loves watches and also wants smart features could find this useful, whether you’re tracking workouts, managing notifications during meetings, or just want your health data without sacrificing style.

What makes Smartlet genuinely clever is that it doesn’t ask you to choose. It recognizes that technology and tradition aren’t enemies, they’re just different tools for different needs. You can protect your luxury watch from daily wear by keeping it underneath while your smartwatch handles the heavy lifting on top. Or you can showcase your mechanical masterpiece while discreetly monitoring your fitness data from below.

Is it for everyone? Probably not. But for the growing number of people caught between worlds, wanting both the soul of traditional watchmaking and the brains of modern tech, Smartlet offers something genuinely new. It’s a design solution that says you don’t have to pick a side anymore. Your wrist, your rules.

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The iMac G3-Inspired Apple Watch We Never Knew We Desperately Needed

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The iMac G3 was discontinued in 2003, around the same time Apple began pivoting to its clean, color-free aesthetic. Cut to a few years later and Apple transitioned entirely to aluminum for its devices, ushering in an era of sleek, and a few more years later, Apple built a computer small enough for your wrist. That means there was a little over a decade between Apple’s era of color, and the Apple Watch. Sadly, the two didn’t coexist in the same timeline, but that doesn’t mean a guy can’t imagine, right?

Saffy Creatives’ Apple Watch G3 concept brings the two together in what I can only describe as sheer nostalgic dream-come-true. The two design worlds collide perfectly – the body of a Watch with the soul of Apple’s G3 devices (tbh even the MacBook was absolute eye-candy). The results don’t just look fantastic, they honestly look wearable – like I would absolutely like to be caught with this piece of hand-candy across my wrist, even if its vibrant colors feel less serious than the cool metallic finish of your standard Watch.

Designer: Saffy Creatives

It’s worth noting that this isn’t just an existing watch with a plastic body. There are a few changes to the design itself to make it stand true to its inspiration. For starters, the watch has a chonky bezel, quite like the G3 iMac did. The bezel separates itself from the body by being made of an entirely separate plastic component. This is further reinforced by the watch’s two-tone colorway. The bezel adopts a clear white plastic design, while the body itself goes for the transparent tinted plastic that G3 fans know too well. The watch ditches all perceivable metal components, barring probably the crown, which looks like metal anodized to match the body’s color. The power button on the side is clear plastic, as are the lugs, and even the strap!

The G3 trend even carries to the Apple’s colored logo, which features on the bezel of the watch. It’s rare for the watch to have a logo on the front, but then again, it’s entirely inconceivable for Apple to make a plastic watch. But, like I said, a guy can dream! The colorful logo sits on the front, right above the standard touchscreen display with its curved glass almost perfectly mirroring the iMac G3’s CRT display.

The watch comes in a variety of colors, all celebrating that short but iconic era. You’ve got the truly legendary Bondi Blue, along with the Strawberry, Lime, Tangerine, and Grape variants. Like I said, this is, for most parts, an entire redesign of the watch itself. It isn’t really possible to make a watch case that captures the retro beauty of this watch – unless you expand the design outwards to give the watch a true bezel, or cut into the watch’s screen to keep the exact proportions as shown here. That being said, I’d like to see Spigen or any other company try giving the Apple Watch a retro flavor. That being said, this iMac G3-inspired Watch Charger from Spigen is perhaps the closest we’ll ever come to seeing anything!

The post The iMac G3-Inspired Apple Watch We Never Knew We Desperately Needed first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Dial That Swallowed the Watch

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Most dive watches announce themselves through function: rotating bezels, legible numerals, confidence-inspiring depth ratings. The Nereide Opale acknowledges all of that, then pivots. Venezianico constructed a 200-meter tool watch with a tungsten bezel and Swiss automatic movement, but none of those details survive first contact. The dial dominates. Blue shifts to green shifts to purple shifts to pink as the wrist rotates, a geometric light show housed in familiar steel.

Designer: Nereide Opale

The design bet is specific. Venezianico assumes a buyer who already owns the matte-dial diver, the heritage reissue, the affordable Swiss workhorse. This watch exists for the collector who wants to break the pattern, to own something that photographs like nothing else in the box.

Kyocera’s Controlled Chaos

Natural opal presents challenges for production watchmaking. According to the Gemological Institute of America, high heat or sudden temperature changes can fracture opal and cause crazing, a network of fine cracks that destroys the stone’s visual appeal. Add the inconsistency of natural specimens, where one piece might display dramatic fire and the next a muddy gray, and the material becomes impractical for a 500-piece limited run. Venezianico needed opal’s visual effect without the gemstone’s vulnerabilities.

Kyocera, the Japanese ceramics company, developed an alternative decades ago. Their lab-grown material reproduces the layered internal structure that creates opal’s color play: light enters, bounces between microscopic layers, and exits as a spectrum of shifting hues. The composition, 80 percent silica and 20 percent clear resin according to Venezianico’s specifications, yields a dial plate stable enough to machine cleanly and survive the thermal cycles a dive watch encounters.

The result reads differently than natural stone. Where a mined opal might show soft, nebulous color zones, the Kyocera material presents sharper facets, more crystalline geometry. The rainbow effect is more deliberate, more designed. Some buyers will prefer the organic randomness of natural opal. Others will appreciate that each of the 500 Nereide Opale dials carries unique patterning without the lottery of stone selection.

Practical concerns disappear. The dial survives the thermal cycles a dive watch encounters. It accepts the date aperture at three without cracking. And Venezianico can promise visual consistency across a limited run, something impossible with harvested material.

Steel as Stage

Every design decision surrounding the dial serves a single purpose: stay neutral. The 42mm case wears a mix of brushed flanks and polished bevels, the standard dive-watch treatment, but entirely in silvered steel. The five-link Sansovino bracelet continues the theme: metallic, reflective, monochrome. No color. No contrast. No competition.

The hands required particular care. Venezianico chose an obelisk profile, tapering to a point, finished in mirror polish. Against the shifting opal, they occasionally catch light and flash, but they never anchor the eye. Applied baton hour markers follow the same logic: minimal, metallic, filled with Super-LumiNova for low-light legibility but invisible against the dial’s daytime performance.

Typography stays restrained. The applied cross logo at twelve uses the same polished metal as the hands. The date window at three sits in a polished frame that matches the logo. A colored date wheel, a contrasting brand name, any additional detail would fracture the opal’s dominance. Venezianico understood this and resisted.

The overall effect is a watch that reads as a single material statement. Steel holds the opal. Opal performs. Everything else recedes.

Tungsten as Anchor

The bezel insert breaks the monochrome, but only in value, not hue. Tungsten’s deep gray sits between bright steel and the kaleidoscopic dial, a tonal step-down that prevents the transition from feeling jarring. The material choice is also functional: tungsten rates 9 on the Mohs hardness scale against stainless steel’s 5, making the rotating bezel highly scratch resistant in normal daily wear.

The 60-minute dive scale, the lume pip at twelve, the coin edge for grip: none of this is novel. But tungsten elevates familiar geometry. The material carries literal weight, densifying the watch’s top half, and perceptual weight, grounding a piece that might otherwise feel purely decorative.

The Workhorse Inside

Venezianico selected the Sellita SW200-1, the Swiss automatic that powers divers from Christopher Ward to Marathon to Unimatic. The 4Hz beat rate represents proven reliability, not innovation. Power reserve figures vary across coverage, with some outlets reporting 38 hours and others 41, and Venezianico’s official spec sheet omits the number entirely. Expect something in that range. The movement answers mechanical questions without drama, leaving the dial to carry the conversation.

Through the exhibition caseback, a customized rotor appears with radial Côtes de Genève finishing, a gesture toward decoration that stops short of competing with the front side. The rotor treatment suggests care without demanding attention, exactly the balance the watch needs.

The movement choice anchors value. At 1,395 USD (1,295 EUR), the Nereide Opale occupies the same price bracket as competitors using conventional dials. The Kyocera opal and tungsten bezel represent material upgrades at cost parity, the kind of calculation that rewards enthusiasts who know what they are giving up (nothing) and what they are gaining (a dial that behaves like no other in the segment).

Five Hundred Pieces, One Specific Buyer

Venezianico caps production at 500 numbered examples, with preorders opening December 24. The exact time varies by source: Venezianico’s communications indicate 3:00 PM GMT+1, while at least one outlet reports 2:00 PM GMT. If timing matters to you, confirm directly on Venezianico’s signup page before the window opens. The scarcity is real but modest: enough to create urgency, not so limited that secondary market access disappears entirely.

The tension in this watch is deliberate. Dive watches earned their reputation through legibility and durability, through being tools that happen to look good. The Nereide Opale inverts the formula: it is a visual object that happens to function as a tool. The 200-meter rating is real. The tungsten bezel will survive years of daily wear. The SW200-1 will keep time reliably. But none of that is why someone buys this watch.

The buyer profile is narrow. Collectors seeking another black-dial diver will find nothing here. Those who treat watches as mechanical jewelry, as objects that reward attention, will find a dial that changes with every movement, backed by engineering that does not apologize for the spectacle.

Venezianico’s bet is straightforward: a dial material can carry a watch in a market saturated with homages and heritage plays. The Nereide Opale stakes everything on that slab of lab-grown stone. The case, the bracelet, the bezel, the movement: all of it exists to frame the opal and let the color do the work.

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