If you’ve grown tired of waiting for Apple’s iWatch to see the light of day, you might want to consider splashing out on a new smart bracelet from the designers of the Ferrari, particularly if you have $189,000 in your wearable tech fund.
The Armill bracelet is being developed by wearables company Christophe & Co in partnership with Ferrari designers Pininfarina, as reported by Re/code. While we haven’t seen a prototype or any mock-up images, it’s hoped that pre-orders will open in summer 2014.
So what exactly will you get for your cash? The Bluetooth and NFC-enabled device will grant you access to exclusive clubs across the world with a flick of the wrist — the Monte Carlo Beach Club in Abu Dhabi, the Home House in London and the Kee Club in Hong Kong are all said to be on board. Tap a button on the bracelet and you can have your favorite drink waiting for you at the bar.
Alternatively you can tap a different button to place a call to your “dedicated lifestyle manager”, who will presumably be able to advise you on your choice of suit or book tickets for a night at the opera. The device will be powered by kinetic energy generated by your movements.
Further down the line, the bracelet could be used to control your smart home devices or manage a virtual wallet. Christophe & Co CEO Aleksandr Bernhard has raised $100,000 in funding for his idea, and is aiming for the top end of the market: “Our target customer probably owns a Ferrari or at least is aware of Pininfarina. They’re very tech savvy, and they want to be the first to get it — even better if they can be the only one.”
Fortunately for the budget-conscious, cheaper alternatives will be available, starting at $70,000. You will miss out on the gems that Bernhard is planning to embed in the top-of-the-line Armill bracelets though, so choose wisely.
