Up to the minute: Luxury smart bracelet introduced in time for the holidays

New York – Opening Ceremony and Intel have unveiled My Intelligent Communications Accessory, or MICA, a luxury smart bracelet aimed at highly connected, fashion-conscious women.

MICA will be on sale in Opening Ceremony stores, selected Barneys New York locations and online in time for the holidays, priced at £315 (€395, $495), which includes a two-year wireless plan for the device. It delivers updates from Yelp, Gmail, Facebook and Google Calendar, as well as texts. The bracelet is fashioned from such exotic materials as black water snakeskin, Chinese pearls and Russian obsidian.

Some wonder whether consumers are ready to invest such sums in wearable technology that may soon go out of style or become obsolete. But Opening Ceremony already sells eccentric non-digital accessories at a similar price, such as an amber and crystal embellished headband that goes for £350 (€440, $550). Opening Ceremony customers may be happy to buy expensive wearable technology that lasts only one or two seasons.

‘Today’s modern woman maintains selectivity and exclusivity when choosing accessories, and MICA embodies a beautifully unique statement piece,’ said Humberto Leon, co-founder and creative director of Opening Ceremony, in a statement.

For more on the future of consumer technology, read our Awakening Tech macrotrend.