Apple’s Watch may be one of the only smartwatches to go after the fashion appeal, but it won’t be the only one full stop, as Huawei’s Watch is released for a different crowd.
Huawei has this week joined forces with fashion brand Vogue in Australia to find a way to “blur the lines between fashion and advanced technology”.
The result of this experiment is the Huawei Watch Elegant and Huawei Watch Jewel, editions of last year’s metal Huawei Watch that have this time been “designed specifically for women”, delivering a shiny gold casing and what would normally be seen as leather straps commonly used on leather watches.
The two models are technically identical under the hood, with pretty much the same hardware as the 2015 Huawei Watch, including a Snapdragon 400 processor, half a gig of RAM, 4GB storage, and Google Android Wear running under a 1.4 inch 400×400 screen. That’s inside the smartwatch, and there’s a microphone on the watch too allowing you to speak into the watch.
Over on the outside, though, it’s a very different watch, because gone is the massive meaty stainless steel body, replaced with a rose gold frame and either a knurled pattern around the ring in the Watch Elegant (right) or a circle of Swarovski Zirconia in the Watch Jewel (left).
Both include leather bands that can be replaced with 18mm straps, and there’s even a heart rate sensor that sits on the wrist and can monitor your health.
More importantly, though, Huawei wants its Watch Elegant and Watch Jewel to be seen like watches, and so have brought over 40 customisable watch faces including 10 which it claims are “exclusive feminine designs”, though of course, you can bring your own.
“The female watch represents Huawei’s continued commitment to design; seamlessly integrating cutting edge technology within a luxury fashion accessory,” said Marc Di Giacomo, Head of Consumer Marketing at Huawei Australia.
“Unique in its design, character, and quality, the female watch offers a fashionable yet functional alternative to a classic timepiece, making it the perfect companion for fashion- forward women.”
Huawei’s Watch Jewel and Watch Elegant can be found in stores from April 20 for a recommended retail price of $699 each.
