Category: Watches and Jewelry

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Connected Objects Watches and Jewelry

Tago Arc bracelet uses E-ink to switch up its designs

Jewelry is so 20th century. Lately, though, many wearables have come onto the scene looking to link style up with technology. Most of these wearables serve a purpose, acting as smartphone notifiers or fitness bands, but not many focus on style which is the whole point of jewelry in the first place.

Tago Arc combines jewelry with technology for the sake of fashion. This bracelet features an E Ink surface, the same stuff used by e-readers, which allows its design to be changed on a whim. From the accompanying smartphone app, the wearer can choose from a myriad of black and white designs. The smartphone simply needs to be held close to the bracelet for it to change. Tago Arc even lets wearers upload their own images for use.

While this is certainly a novelty, it’s a fun one, especially for purchase by or as a gift for women. The customization option is especially appealing. Interested backers can have one of their own for $149 with delivery in December 2015. Tago Arc is looking to raise $40,000 on Indiegogo with a stretch goal of $100,000.

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Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects Watches and Jewelry

NFC-enabled Memento Pearl makes a world of messages your oyster

Technology often elicits negative feelings bolstered by claims of anti-social and insensitive behaviors. But with technology being as ubiquitous as it is, it doesn’t necessarily mean sentimentality is out the window — contrary to what many may believe.

The Memento Pearl by Galatea is a perfect example of the sort of technology aiming to connect families, friends, and couples rather than serve as a barrier between them. The hand-crafted white freshwater or black Tahitian pearl pendants, rings, or earrings come set in a variety of materials like sterling silver or 14K gold, and feature an NFC chip within. Thoughtful types can record messages using a companion app that will playback from the pearl itself when tapped to any NFC-enabled device. Sterling silver options range from $130-$150 while 14K gold and other, more luxurious options are available at similarly luxurious price points. The campaign is looking for $50,000 and is expecting to ship the product in April of 2015

For now the system will only work with Android phones since Apple’s NFC is locked down, but offers a compelling and sincere take on modern connection. Most connected jewelry has a focus on fitness, but the Memento Pearl does something a little different and should get some attention for it.

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Watches and Jewelry

Feelings Bangle displays your relationship status without electronic gadgets

For those who have become weary of the guessing game where a person’s dating status is concerned, here is a product that will allow emotions to be worn on the wrist. Feelings Bangle is a bracelet that lets the wearer to communicate whether or not they want romantic attention.

The silicone-looking wrist bands come in nine different colors, with a corresponding word for publicly displaying one’s status. A few of the options include ‘party animal’, ‘friend zone’, ‘in love’, and others. Perhaps the most amusing is the ‘complicated’ status… whatever that means. Too bad there’s not a line of these for gag gifts that say things like ‘loser’, ‘out to lunch’, or ‘gold digger’.

The bracelets are touted as being easily seen within 10 meters, and they can be personalized with charms or a small pendant. But even if this product actually catches on, it will probably still be necessary to have a good pickup line prepared. Interested backers might also like to check out myOki.

This campaign seeks to raise $42,000 by March 23. For $5, backers get one product with an expected delivery in July of this year.

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Music Watches and Jewelry

EarAngels earplugs hang from earrings, offer peace in style

People who enjoy a life filled with adventure often spend time in some noisy environments. While activities such as racecar-driving, plane-flying and performing concerts can be fun adventures, they can also damage a person’s hearing. EarAngels was created for people who like to walk on the wild side of life.

What sets these earplugs apart? They attach to jewelry—and they are touted as fitting any type of earring. The high-fidelity ear protector allows her to hear even a concert with the proper highs and lows—it’s just quieter so that hearing doesn’t get damaged. The product and its packaging are reusable, and the washable earplugs can be stored right in the package. EarAngels don’t have a noise reduction rating yet, but the point of this campaign is to raise funds to discover that, and get the proper legal paperwork to prove it.

EarAngles seems like it may offer some worthwhile convenience for earring-wearers. This campaign seeks to raise $5,800 by March 4. Early bird backers get one pair for $5 with an expected delivery in March of this year.

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Fitness Watches and Jewelry Wearables

Mira fitness tracker boosts ego, blasts laziness

Many fitness devices and trackers offer the same thing. They track activity and create graphs and charts to see progress. Few, however, really take on the motivation of a trainer in order to push users to do more.

Mira is the first wearable fitness device designed just for women. The tracker itself is small and black and either fits onto a stylish bracelet, clips onto clothing or fits in a pocket. With its accompanying smartphone app, it measures steps taken throughout the day along with other activities put in manually. In addition, it tracks food and water intake. Mira makes it easy to see activity and calories consumed per day all in one place.

Perhaps the most unique thing about this product, however, is the tips and tricks it provides, called boosts. These boosts can range from advising users to drink water when they get up in the morning to saying that sweat is really “fat crying”. Anyone using Mira can ask for a boost when they need it. At the end of the day, you can look through how you did in order to determine what to do more or less of.

All in all, Mira is a great product for women, or men too for that matter. Mira should be careful, however, not to fall into the Bic Pen for Her trap, making their product a caricature of what women really need. The boosts are borderline at best, some reminiscent of what a mean girl would say with a sneer, like the above crying fat comment. Even so, the intent behind the product is definitely good. One package including tracker, bracelet and app will cost backers $149 with an estimated delivery of January 2015. Mira is looking to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter.

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Watches and Jewelry Wearables

Ear-O-Smart measures activity levels in an earring

Most wearables devices come as wristbands that can be pretty bulky. Companies are just now getting around to the fact that most people don’t want to wear these ungainly devices despite whatever benefits they may offer, and designs are starting to reflect that. In all of this, though, the market for women-worn wearables is practically non-existent.

BioSensive Technologies Inc. has noticed, and has designed the Ear-O-Smart, a connected earring aimed specifically at women. The earring is Bluetooth LE enabled and syncs with any iOS/Android phone to provide an activity tracker, heart rate monitor, and a calorie monitor to better inform users of their body states. The campaign is looking for $30,000 CAD (~$26,300 USD) to get the $149 CAD (~$130 USD) earrings out by June 2015.

This company has truly taken a chance in designing an accessory for women as the challenge, first and foremost, is a design one and not a technological one. In addition, that market is extremely saturated and most women enjoy a large selection of accessories at any one time, so asking for the repeated use of just one will be a long shot. The Ear-O-Smart attempts to address these points by being customizable, but even a few different looks may not be enough.

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Watches and Jewelry

Rhino rubber wedding ring shows your commitment to an active lifestyle, betrothed

Rhino RingMost married men want the message out there that they’re taken. The best way to do this is to wear a wedding ring. Some, however, work in harsh conditions where any expensive ring may be damaged. In this situation, the Rhino Ring comes to the rescue. This is a synthetic ring made of rubber to be worn just like a wedding ring. It’s durable enough to withstand hazardous environments, while still getting the message out to stay away. The ring looks like any traditional band and is a cool way for rugged married men to maintain their marital commitments. One costs backers $10 with a campaign goal on Kickstarter of $1,800.

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Camping Watches and Jewelry

Recon 6 timepiece could watch out for your life in the wilderness

Recon 6 WatchHere is a watch that goes beyond keeping time and is likely to give every wilderness lover that owns one piece of mind. The Recon 6 Watch stores survival tools such as a compass, bottle opener, can opener, flashlight, rescue whistle, 25 feet of fishing line with two small hooks, fire starter and more. The rugged time piece is also scratch and chip resistant. Early bird backers can get theirs for $275 with an expected delivery of September 2014.

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Watches and Jewelry

The 720 Watch gives you a new face for each minute of the day

The 720 WatchDon’t like how it looks right now? Just wait a minute. It’ll change. That’s the premise of The 720 Watch. The face of the watch changes every minute…literally! Why 720? Because there are 720 minutes in a 12 hour day, and 720 photographed watch faces that rotate through the 1” x 1” illuminated color screen. The watch is battery operated and can be recharged via the included USB cord. Though it’s not a smart watch, it should keep you amused for a couple of days at least. For $45, backers get one product and an expected delivery of September 2014.

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Health and Wellness Watches and Jewelry

Dog Tag Pill Box lets you carry meds on a chain

Dog Tag Pill Box 97a54248737b91db2115ffa16053c03d_large[1]As if being tied to a prescription isn’t inconvenient enough, there is also the added annoyance of having to carry it around if you are on-the-go a lot. A pill box is one option, or if you don’t mind carrying your meds around via modified dog tags, that is now also an option. The passion that the developer of The Dog Tag Pill Box shines through as he makes an off-the-cuff appeal for his pill holder. It’s being developed in multiple metals with a potential Italian leather interior and  remains securely sealed with neodymium magnets. However, it’s definitely straddles the jewelry category with a price tag $34 when you can buy even a swank pocket pill box for far less. Expected delivery is July 2014.