Misfit and Swarovski team up for the most fashionable health trackers yet
Leave it to Misfit, one of the first companies to deliver some truly attractive health gadgets, to be the first wearable startup to team up with a fashion icon like Swarovski. The two companies unveiled the Swarovski Shine Collection today at CES, a suite of jewelry and accessories that combine Swarovski's iconic crystals and Misfit's svelte Shine health tracker. They're among the first gadgets for tracking your steps, sleep and overall activity that you could actually wear out in the open at a fancy party. The Shine Collection, available in three introductory sets ranging from $170 to $250, offers a health-tracking spin on Swarovski's existing bracelet and pendant designs. In addition to running over six months on a watch battery (just like the original Shine tracker), there's also a violet Swarovski Shine model with integrated solar charging. Technically, that won't ever need a battery replacement (unless you live in a cave). You can pre-order the Swarovski Shine Collection today, and they'll also be available in Swarovski stores this spring.
The two companies have been working on this fashionable collection of wearables for over 17 months, according to Joan Ng, Swarovski's SVP of product marketing for jewelry and watches in Asia. Indeed, they seem like natural partners. Misfit's original Shine tracker was widely praised for its clean design, featuring a small metal frame and smooth curves. It was the ideal wearable for Swarovski's fashion-conscious fan base. Those early Misfit adopters can snap up one of the new Swarovski Collection wristbands to add a bit of bling to their health tracking.
We've already seen Samsung plug Swarovski crystals onto its Gear S smartwatch, but the Swarovski Shine Collection is a much deeper collaboration. And it may be a sign of where wearables are going later this year. Now that basics like step and sleep tracking are covered, we're seeing companies focus on making their devices more sophisticated (like Jawbone's Up3 and InBody's Band) and fashionable (like Withing's Activité). Expect even more devices to focus on one of these two paths.
