Hybrid smartwatches, those combining traditional watch designs with smart functionality, are the ideal midway point for anyone wanting more style than a fitness band without going all futuristic with a full-on smartwatch. Swedish watch brand Kronaby is the latest to blend the two worlds with four new connected models — the Apex, Sekel, Nord, and Carat — that will go on sale in Europe on March 31.
Kronaby’s watches all have stainless steel bodies, in either 43mm or 38mm sizes, with a sapphire-crystal-covered, domed face that has been engineered to minimize distortion. Each model is water resistant up to 100 meters, and has either a 22mm or 18mm strap in leather, mesh, or stainless steel, depending on your style preference. In total, there are 24 configurations available across the four models. At first glance, you’d never imagine these are anything other than a traditional watch.
However, each Kronaby model connects to your Android or iOS phone, with each button on the watch corresponding to a particular function, which can be assigned in the app. If all this makes you worry about owning another gadget that needs to be charged, don’t — Kronaby says the battery inside its watches will last two years before it needs to be changed. Two years? We can live with that.
What smart features do the Kronaby watches have? They track steps, and have a smart alarm to wake you up in the mornings, move alerts, music controls, and options for activating a geotag to remind you where you parked the car. Notifications can be delivered to the watches, and can be identified by different vibration patterns, plus there’s an emergency message feature for GPS tracking.
The Kronaby range are watches first, therefore each model has its own style — the Apex is sportier, the Nord minimalist, the Sekel a classic, and the Carat more classy — plus there’s a choice of strap for each. The prices range from 395 euros to 595 euros, or around $425 to $636 U.S. depending on the model and strap type, and they’re up for pre-order through Kronaby’s website now.
Shipping will begin at the end of March, and Kronaby says the collection will hit stores in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom in mid-April. At the moment, it appears the company won’t deliver to the United States — only to Europe.
