RS Recommends: The Best-Looking Smartwatches (That Won’t Cramp Your Style)
Strapping on a smartwatch doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style. Lately, we’ve been seeing some of the best-looking smartwatches to date — although they can be tough to find.
Smartwatches are an incredible piece of tech. They’re a powerful means of tracking workouts, monitoring health, staying connected with emails and messages, and so much more, but many smartwatches still struggle with something very important: style. A good portion of smartwatches opt for a techie look, essentially miniaturizing a smartphone and adding a wrist strap. But that’s an issue for many of us — and likely one of the reasons why people still wear analog timepieces. The best watches (no matter their intelligence level) should be part utility, part fashion accessory.
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Luckily, a handful of brands have been quietly releasing stylish, capable smartwatches that strike a balance between fashion and function. These pieces mostly come from watchmakers with a history of design, who have now (mostly) worked out any kinks on the technology front.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best-looking smartwatches to pick up right now and outlined some pointers on finding an e-timepiece to suit your personal lifestyle and look.
How to Choose the Best-Looking Smartwatch
Although the Apple Watch gets the most attention (it’s now the world’s best-selling watch), there are plenty of other smartwatches to choose from — some of them better than Apple’s, depending on your needs. Here are a few tips for picking out the right one.
Size: Check a watch’s case diameter to determine if it’s the right size for your wrist. Most smartwatches are on the larger side to accommodate all the tech and make navigation easier, but you still don’t want to feel like you’re lugging a tablet around on your wrist. If you have small or medium-sized wrists, go with something smaller than 45 millimeters. If you have large wrists, you might want something around 45 millimeters or larger for a substantial feel.
Features: All smartwatches (even the best-looking smartwatches) should be jam-packed with features. Look for health and fitness-tracking technology, Bluetooth connectivity, and any other features — the more the better.
Materials: Because most people use smartwatches for fitness, silicone straps and lightweight cases are often preferred. However, we found a couple of examples that integrate metal and even leather straps for a more stylish look. Also, if you love a watch but aren’t sure about the strap, you can always find a replacement strap (or, say, get a silicone strap for workouts and a leather strap for daily wear).
What Are the Best-Looking Smartwatches?
Ready to step up your smartwatch game? Check out the best-looking smartwatches below, including office-ready timepieces, intelligent travel companions, and sleek workout trackers.
1. Skagen Jorn Hybrid Smartwatch
One of the best-looking smartwatches, in our opinion, is this Jorn from Skagen. It boasts a range of wellness-minded functions, including workout tracking and heart rate monitoring. It also connects to your smartphone to display notifications, show weather, and let you control your music. But, judging by the watch’s minimal, classic Scandinavian design, you’d never guess it can do all of this. We like this leather band option, but you can also swap the leather band out for a stainless steel mesh bracelet or a silicone strap.
Buy: Skagen Jorn Hybrid Smartwatch $195.00
2. Montblanc Summit Lite Aluminum Smartwatch
Montblanc’s Summit Lite does a great job of blending tech smarts, ruggedness, and good looks. It has a clean face protected by an anti-scratch crystal that can switch between a convincing traditional watch display and the watch’s apps. As far as tech, you get a heart rate monitor, a microphone, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, GPS, and even NFC payment capabilities. The strap, meantime, is a versatile fabric that looks good with casual or more dressy outfits.
Buy Montblanc Summit Lite $725
3. Emporio Armani Touchscreen Smartwatch 3
If you want a smartwatch with a classic metal bracelet, this one from Emporio Armani is a great option. Besides its clean look, the watch delivers a breadth of tech features. Using the watch’s touchscreen face, you can take calls, see notifications, monitor workouts (including distances with a GPS), and manage your calendars. When you’re not interfacing, the watch has a handsome standby time display too.
Buy: Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 $310.94
4. Citizen CZ Hybrid Smartwatch
Can’t decide between an analog watch and a smartwatch? Check out this Citizen CZ hybrid smartwatch. The watch has a real two-hand time display, as well as a screen to show all your standard smartwatch features like weather, health stats, reminders, and notifications. It also boasts a stylish diver-inspired case with a durable silicone band, combining for a look that works with just about any outfit.
Buy Citizen CZ Hybrid Smartwatch $276.25
5. TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4
Most heritage Swiss watchmakers have yet to make a smartwatch, but TAG Heuer proves that they probably should with this Connected Calibre E4. Perhaps its best feature is a screen that can create sharp time displays that neatly disguise the fact that it’s actually a smartwatch. Using a roller button on the side, you can navigate the watch’s features, which include phone connectivity, heart rate monitoring, and much more. Plus, the watch has a durable sapphire crystal face and a very respectable 50-meter water resistance.
Buy TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 $2,050
6. Fossil Collider Hybrid Smartwatch
Another great smartwatch with a stainless steel bracelet is this Fossil Collider. You get useful health-tracking features for sleep, steps, heart rate, and distance measurement, as well as notifications for texts, calls, and calendar events. When you just need the time, all of these features are replaced by a lifelike, always-on e-ink watch face display.
Buy Fossil Collider Hybrid $179
7. Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar Smartwatch
Most smartwatches are not all that durable, which is why the Tissot T-Touch stands out. It’s got all the tech you need in a smartwatch (health tracking, phone connectivity, navigation, etc), which are accessed with a touchscreen, but it also has the durability of a dive watch. 100-meters water resistance means you can confidently swim with the watch, while a sapphire crystal face and titanium case protect from scrapes. It is on the large side (47.5 case diameter), so wear it around the house for a bit to ensure it doesn’t feel too big.
Buy Tissot T-Touch Connect $1,050
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