A few months ago, the technically functional, yet undeniably chic Ringly finally broke down the barriers between smart jewelry and aesthetically pleasing jewelry. While wearable technology is nothing new – especially not in the realms of fitness and general gadgetry – actually fashionable smart jewelry unfortunately is. And when Ringly ushered in a stylish era where a cocktail ring you’d wear anyway can also improve your tech life, well I was head over heels. Not only did I have a new bauble to add to my perpetual wish list, but I was stoked to see what other smart jewelry designers would step up to the plate.
And today, Cheryl Kremkow is getting us up close and personal with another fabulous, fashionable smart jewelry brand: Beacon & Lively. She was lucky enough to test out the cuff up close & in person, and gives its chic, futuristic-minimal design her much respected stamp of approval. Check it out in her wrist stack:
Fits right in with the fine jewels, right?
Like Ringly, Beacon & Lively’s bracelet aims to loosen smartphone users’ grip on their iPhones. Its tagline, “Putting Technology in its place” resonates with those of us who would love to enjoy dinner with a friend, not the top of said friend’s head while she devotes face time to…um, FaceTime. The bracelet, designed by Anna Couturier, puts real world appreciation before the tech with its form, not just its function. Fittingly for its purpose, the bracelet is appealing on a human level first, and useful as tech next. Couturier (seriously, could she have a better last name?) has a resume dotted with names like Tiffany & Co. and Paul Morelli, so the bracelet’s design is above all else, beautiful from a jewelry standpoint.
To further reinforce its jewelry-first-tech-second status, the bracelet is likely going to be made in a variety of finishes, with sterling silver being a strong contender for the white metal option. The bracelet is still in development, but using sterling silver would solidify its status as a piece of jewelry – something the brand wants to make very clear. It’s looking for retailers who will market the bracelet as jewelry first, tech next.
But the tech is an important aspect. The bracelet will function similar to Ringly, using an app installed on users’ smartphones to communicate via Bluetooth with the bracelet. Users can assign different colors to various contacts and actions using the app, as well as silence the light notifications. Its purpose is the admirable one of getting users to leave their smartphones in their bag, off the table, and still maintain the tether to important communications. As the site says, ” Never miss an important call again. Never be disrupted by calls you can answer later. You decide when to be notified and by whom. Get control of your life…and your phone.”
Pricing is expected to be under $200, and the bracelet itself is expected to be on my wearable tech wish list.
