The saturation of mobile phones has created a trifecta of consumers. One group feels they no longer need to wear a watch
since their phones keep perfect time and are always at hand. Others
believe a classic wristwatch is the appropriate accessory in a world
filled with tech gadgets.
Then there are the folks who just want the coolest high tech watches they can find. If you match that description, this article is for you.
"Cool" may be a subjective thing, but you know it when you see it. We've covered as many bases as possible in our search for the coolest wrist wear. Some of these are inexpensive and some will set you back. All of them, however, are unique.
What's cooler than that?
1. HD3 Slyde
$10,995
You would be hard pressed to count the seemingly infinite number of components and movements packed precisely into the black PVD steel and rose gold case of the HD3 Slyde. Watch Journal Magazine (www.watchjournal.com) writes "it's a concept that is made possible by the use of cutting-edge electronics and touchscreen technology combined with an haute horlogerie objective." That's fancy talk for fine watchmaking, and this Swiss beauty sure is fine. The domed sapphire screen is shot-peened, a cold working process that is similar to sandblasting but on a refined, precise scale. It also features an LED screen with a sapphire crystal cover that conforms to the curves of your wrist. If Bruce Wayne were real, he'd probably wear this watch.
(https://www.slyde.ch/en/)
2. Kisai Uzumaki
$129
Uzumaki may sound like a sushi roll, but it's actually the Japanese word for whirlpool. Once you get a look at this watch you'll notice the lens' descending concentric circles, and you'll get the idea. The hands descend into the center of the watch with the hour hand on the outside edge, the minute's on the inside. It is back-lit and can be submerged, which is typical, but it is the Uzumaki's style that truly stands out — especially when you consider it was built from a user-submitted design.
(http://www.tokyoflash.com/)
3. Seiko Astron
$3,100
This stainless steel, solar-powered watch comes from one of the world's most reputable brands. Its classic styling means it will go well with any fashion or occasion, and it has some cool tech under its classy hood. The Astron features GPS controlled time and time zone adjustment, world time functions that recognize 39 time zones via satellite, and a perpetual calendar.
(http://seikousa.com/index.html)
4. de Grisogono Occhio
$300,000
This watch is not only for (wealthy) fans of the latest tech and style, but for fans of watch craftsmanship as well. The Occhio is three repeaters in one. A repeating watch has a chime alarm to mark specific intervals of time — such as a Grandfather Clock that chimes on the hour. The fact that this watch is a three repeater means it was incredibly difficult to make, a badge of pride for true watch fans.
To marvel at this mechanism, one only has to open the face of the watch while the chimes are going off. At this price point few of us will ever be able to see that in person, but you can find videos of the watch in action on Youtube.
(http://www.luxurybazaar.com/)
5. Remix Watches
$44.95 to $54.95
The most inexpensive watch on our list is also the most customizable. The stylishly bold Remix Watch comes with bright flexible silicone bands in 11 different colors. They are unisex (although some women may find them rather large), water-resistant and can be interchanged to create over 120 different color combinations. A hidden button on the side of the watch triggers an LED illuminating lights display behind the face of the watch creating a vibrant light show right on your wrist. These are simple timepieces with a lot of style and a reasonable price.
(www.remixwatches.com)
6. Gentleman's Faceless Watch
$149.95
This watch looks like just a fancy, stainless steel bracelet until you take a closer look. Press a button on the side and the previously hidden red LEDs light up to show you the time. The top row displays the hour and the lower row displays the minutes. What else does it do? It tells you the date. That's it. This watch's appeal is in its spy-like appearance and illusion. The stainless steel band has a durable electroplated finish and comes with two additional links.
(http://www.hammacher.com/)
7. iPod Nano Watchstrap
From $24.95
A list about cool tech is bound to have at least one item that's designed to go with an Apple product. As Apple accessories go, this one stands out.
If you have a sixth-generation Nano this strap lets you turn it into a pretty cool watch. It is lightweight and well built, so you don't have to worry about the Nano sliding out by accident (although the company warns against using it while working out). The strap offers easy access to all the Nano's buttons and connections, and it will fit wrist sizes from 5.5 inches to 8 inches.
(http://www.kubxlab.com/collections/ipod-nano-watchstraps)
8. Caller ID Watch
$80
If you're a special kind of lazy — meaning you can't be bothered to reach into your pocket when your phone rings to see who's calling — this is the watch for you. It's a Bluetooth watch that vibrates when you receive a call. It will show you the caller ID on a small screen located at the bottom of the watch face and it also allows you to 86 the call with the press of a button.
(http://www.thinkgeek.com)
9. Sony SmartWatch
$150
Not an Apple fan? Then you might enjoy this Android-powered, Bluetooth-enabled Sony SmartWatch. It sure looks a lot like an iPod Nano, but it's not. You can read text messages, e-mail, status updates and screen incoming calls on this sharp little watch.
You can also download additional apps via Google Play. Sony says this watch is "smarter than your average smart watch." We're not sure about that, but it sure is cool.
(http://store.sony.com/)
10. Nooka Zizm
$375
It might be hard to tell from the photo, but this is a stunningly beautiful watch. It has a nice weight and a unique faceted crystal lens that produces a refracted view of time on the ZenH display. This faceted surface creates a pattern that continues throughout the entire design of the timepiece, which includes Nooka's first silicone strap. The Zizm is sized by cutting the silicone strap to create the perfect fit for each wearer (you do it yourself).
That's all well and good, but how do you read this thing? The top line shows the hour, the middle shows the minute and the bottom the seconds.
Then there are the folks who just want the coolest high tech watches they can find. If you match that description, this article is for you.
"Cool" may be a subjective thing, but you know it when you see it. We've covered as many bases as possible in our search for the coolest wrist wear. Some of these are inexpensive and some will set you back. All of them, however, are unique.
What's cooler than that?
1. HD3 Slyde
$10,995
You would be hard pressed to count the seemingly infinite number of components and movements packed precisely into the black PVD steel and rose gold case of the HD3 Slyde. Watch Journal Magazine (www.watchjournal.com) writes "it's a concept that is made possible by the use of cutting-edge electronics and touchscreen technology combined with an haute horlogerie objective." That's fancy talk for fine watchmaking, and this Swiss beauty sure is fine. The domed sapphire screen is shot-peened, a cold working process that is similar to sandblasting but on a refined, precise scale. It also features an LED screen with a sapphire crystal cover that conforms to the curves of your wrist. If Bruce Wayne were real, he'd probably wear this watch.
(https://www.slyde.ch/en/)
2. Kisai Uzumaki
$129
Uzumaki may sound like a sushi roll, but it's actually the Japanese word for whirlpool. Once you get a look at this watch you'll notice the lens' descending concentric circles, and you'll get the idea. The hands descend into the center of the watch with the hour hand on the outside edge, the minute's on the inside. It is back-lit and can be submerged, which is typical, but it is the Uzumaki's style that truly stands out — especially when you consider it was built from a user-submitted design.
(http://www.tokyoflash.com/)
3. Seiko Astron
$3,100
This stainless steel, solar-powered watch comes from one of the world's most reputable brands. Its classic styling means it will go well with any fashion or occasion, and it has some cool tech under its classy hood. The Astron features GPS controlled time and time zone adjustment, world time functions that recognize 39 time zones via satellite, and a perpetual calendar.
(http://seikousa.com/index.html)
4. de Grisogono Occhio
$300,000
This watch is not only for (wealthy) fans of the latest tech and style, but for fans of watch craftsmanship as well. The Occhio is three repeaters in one. A repeating watch has a chime alarm to mark specific intervals of time — such as a Grandfather Clock that chimes on the hour. The fact that this watch is a three repeater means it was incredibly difficult to make, a badge of pride for true watch fans.
To marvel at this mechanism, one only has to open the face of the watch while the chimes are going off. At this price point few of us will ever be able to see that in person, but you can find videos of the watch in action on Youtube.
(http://www.luxurybazaar.com/)
5. Remix Watches
$44.95 to $54.95
The most inexpensive watch on our list is also the most customizable. The stylishly bold Remix Watch comes with bright flexible silicone bands in 11 different colors. They are unisex (although some women may find them rather large), water-resistant and can be interchanged to create over 120 different color combinations. A hidden button on the side of the watch triggers an LED illuminating lights display behind the face of the watch creating a vibrant light show right on your wrist. These are simple timepieces with a lot of style and a reasonable price.
(www.remixwatches.com)
6. Gentleman's Faceless Watch
$149.95
This watch looks like just a fancy, stainless steel bracelet until you take a closer look. Press a button on the side and the previously hidden red LEDs light up to show you the time. The top row displays the hour and the lower row displays the minutes. What else does it do? It tells you the date. That's it. This watch's appeal is in its spy-like appearance and illusion. The stainless steel band has a durable electroplated finish and comes with two additional links.
(http://www.hammacher.com/)
7. iPod Nano Watchstrap
From $24.95
A list about cool tech is bound to have at least one item that's designed to go with an Apple product. As Apple accessories go, this one stands out.
If you have a sixth-generation Nano this strap lets you turn it into a pretty cool watch. It is lightweight and well built, so you don't have to worry about the Nano sliding out by accident (although the company warns against using it while working out). The strap offers easy access to all the Nano's buttons and connections, and it will fit wrist sizes from 5.5 inches to 8 inches.
(http://www.kubxlab.com/collections/ipod-nano-watchstraps)
8. Caller ID Watch
$80
If you're a special kind of lazy — meaning you can't be bothered to reach into your pocket when your phone rings to see who's calling — this is the watch for you. It's a Bluetooth watch that vibrates when you receive a call. It will show you the caller ID on a small screen located at the bottom of the watch face and it also allows you to 86 the call with the press of a button.
(http://www.thinkgeek.com)
9. Sony SmartWatch
$150
Not an Apple fan? Then you might enjoy this Android-powered, Bluetooth-enabled Sony SmartWatch. It sure looks a lot like an iPod Nano, but it's not. You can read text messages, e-mail, status updates and screen incoming calls on this sharp little watch.
You can also download additional apps via Google Play. Sony says this watch is "smarter than your average smart watch." We're not sure about that, but it sure is cool.
(http://store.sony.com/)
10. Nooka Zizm
$375
It might be hard to tell from the photo, but this is a stunningly beautiful watch. It has a nice weight and a unique faceted crystal lens that produces a refracted view of time on the ZenH display. This faceted surface creates a pattern that continues throughout the entire design of the timepiece, which includes Nooka's first silicone strap. The Zizm is sized by cutting the silicone strap to create the perfect fit for each wearer (you do it yourself).
That's all well and good, but how do you read this thing? The top line shows the hour, the middle shows the minute and the bottom the seconds.
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