Swarovski will unveil its first take on wearable tech today, emphasizing form in a market still dominated by sportier, function-driven styles.
The crystal-centric accessories company’s Activity Tracking Crystal was designed in collaboration with Misfit Wearables and is the focal point of Swarovski’s Shine wearable collection. It can count a wearer’s steps, track sleep patterns and measure distance traveled and calories burned.
The tracking crystal is compatible with any of the nine accessories in the Swarovski Shine range — including bracelets, watchbands and pendants — and will sync with a Swarovski smartphone app, which also launches today.
“What’s available is too focused on function and not sexy,” said Joan Ng, Swarovski’s senior vice president of product marketing for the Asia-Pacific region, adding that it’s hard to find options to wear to work or in the evening. “Our consumer also wants some glitter.”
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The wearable market is starting to see styles that place a greater weight on design, including Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch, Intel and Opening Ceremony’s MICA bracelet and, of course, the forthcoming Apple Watch.
The new Swarovski range, which began development about a year and a half ago, will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Prices start at $69 for a wrap bracelet adorned with Swarovski crystals (not including the tracking crystal) and go to up to $249 for a set that contains the tracking crystal, a Swarovski Vio crystal pendant and a silicone sport band. The Vio pendant is reversible — one side comprises clear crystal pavé; the other, black crystal pavé — and can be worn with or without the tracking device. It’s also sold on its own for $149.
Two other pendant styles — slightly smaller and not reversible — are sold separately and will retail for $125 and $149, respectively.
Other options that include the tracking crystal are a $169 set with a wrap bracelet and a silicone sport band and a $199 set with a crystallized silicon band and a sport band.
The tracking crystal and nine-piece accessories collection will be available for pre-sale on Tuesday at misfit.com, with orders set to be fulfilled at the end of March. Come spring, Swarovski Shine will be sold at misfit.com, swarovski.com and Swarovski retail doors in the U.S., Hong Kong and China.