Richline Group wades into wearable tech

With wearable tech continuing to heat up, a number of companies, including the Richline Group, have announced their entry into the category in recent days with the launch of new smart products.

Brecken Branstrator brecken.branstrator@nationaljeweler.com

Richline Group is partnering with Omate, a Shenzhen, China-based company that creates wearables, to distribute select products from the company. This is Omate’s Lutetia watch.

New York--As wearable tech continues to heat up and just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a number of companies have announced their entry into the category with the launch of new smart products.

Richline Group has released news of two new strategic partnerships to bring their smart jewelry products into its wearable technology jewelry expansion.

The first is with California smart jewelry company Cuff for the exclusive distribution of the companies’ products. Cuff debuted in March 2014, introducing a nine-piece line including bracelets, pendants, necklaces and even key chains that all included the CuffLinc device.

Linked via Bluetooth to the wearer’s smartphone, this device allowed users to set an internal button that can send out an alert to another in case of emergency, as well as provide fitness and social notifications.

Richline also has inked a deal with China’s Omate for distribution of select products. The Shenzhen-based company focuses exclusively on creating wearables, operating as a vertically integrated design house.

The company designs and retails ready-to-wear products that are sold on its website as well as through a portfolio of distributors worldwide.

This month, Montblanc also became what it said is the first luxury brand to combine fine watchmaking and wearable technology to launch its new leather Time Walker Urban Speed “e-Strap.”

The device is launching at the same time as the brand’s upcoming debut of the Montblanc Timewalker Urban Speed collection of watches. Though it is meant to be used with that line as they all will come equipped with it, the piece also can be purchased on its own.

The technical device, which features an inbuilt touch screen to display information and navigation, is surrounded by a stainless steel case that can be easily adjusted with the leather pass-through strap.

The interchangeable strap that features integrated technology to offer an activity tracker to measure the steps per day, calories burned, and distance travelled; smart notifications that alert the wearer through vibrations of texts, emails, incoming calls, etc.; remote controls for the connected smartphone for taking pictures and music; and a “find me” function to search for the watch or phone within a range of up to 30 meters.

The strap connects, via Bluetooth, to select Android and iOS smartphones, and depending on usage, needs to be recharged every 5 days using a standard micro-USB cable.

And lastly, Swarovski has

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collaborated with California-based technology company Misfit to create a line of smart jewelry that also monitors the wearer’s activity.

The centerpiece of the collection is a faceted crystal stone embedded with Misfit’s tracking technology. This piece can measure things like steps, calories burned, distance and even sleep quality.

With the touch of a simple tap, the tracker will display not only the current time but also the status of activity for the wearer so far that day. The tracker also syncs wirelessly with a mobile application on the wearer’s smartphone.

The Swarovksi Shine line includes nine compatible pieces of jewelry that offer both reinterpretations of classic Swarovksi looks like the “Slake” bracelet and “Vio” pendant, as well as new designs using the brand’s signature crystal pavé.

The Activity Tracking Jewelry can be purchased as a set or as single products. The sets include the Swarovski Shine, a bracelet, watch band or pendant, and a sport band designed for athletic activities or to monitor sleep.

Prices range from $169 to $249 for the sets, and from and $69 to $149 for the coordinating jewelry.

The collection is available now for pre-order on Misfit.com, and will be available in select Swarovski boutiques in the United States, China, and Hong Kong in late March.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.