Smartwatches, for the most part, tend to look pretty plain. Most of the time they feature square/rectangular displays and aren’t exactly the epitome of elegance. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, like the Moto 360 by Motorola, and now the Kairos smartwatch. However unlike normal smartwatches that features a digital watch design, the Kairos smartwatch will set itself apart by calling itself a mechanical smartwatch hybrid.
What this means is that the watch itself will feature a mechanical timepiece complete with the hour and minute hands which will be used to tell the time. However what makes it truly unique is the fact that it will come layered with a transparent OLED display on top of it. This means when the screen is off, it looks like a regular mechanical watch, but when you receive a notification, it will appear on top of the watch, like in the image above.
It’s a pretty cool concept, we have to admit. Other features of the watch includes Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, a 3-axis accelerometer, vibration motor, and a 180mAh battery which is apparently enough to last anywhere between 5-7 days. Customers will also be able to choose between a 21-jewel Miyota 9257 Japanese automatic movement or a 25-jewel Soprod A10BV-2 Swiss automatic movement.
Unfortunately the Kairos smartwatch is not available for purchase at the moment, although the company is taking pre-orders for it. The device will be priced at a whopping $1,199 and is estimated to begin shipping in December 2014. However if you were to pre-order it, you will be able to nab one for yourself for a more affordable $499. For those who prefer a gold model with the Swiss movement, that will be priced at $2,149, but will cost $1,199 if pre-ordered.
Pre-orders are expected to end in June, so if you’d like to learn more or place your pre-order, head on over to Kairos’ website for the details.
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