CES 2015: Swarovski introduces first wearable device

The centrepiece of the Swarovski Shine is a large circular crystal about the size of a fifty pence coin. Thanks to Misfit’s tracking technology, the faceted stone can measure steps, calories burned and sleep quality, just like any other activity tracker. It looks a lot better than most activity trackers, though, being a genuine piece of jewellery rather than a gadget.

None of these vital sign measurements is very useful if the device isn’t being worn, so Swarovski designed nine different holders for the stone, each suitable for a different occasion. During the day you might wear the white rubber wrist strap, in the evening the elegant silver pendant. To change from one to the other, simply pop the stone out of one holder and slot it into another.

Swarovski has also developed a solar-powered version of the crystal, eliminating another barrier to the adoption of wearable technology, which is the amount of charging the devices usually need.

‘We have entered this space to bring activity trackers to women in a way they would find possible to wear,’ Yelena Aschberger, Swarovski director of global PR, tells LS:N Global.

To see another Swarovski collaboration, watch our video interview with Lauren Bowker, founder of arts collective The Unseen.