Smart Jewellery and Accessories Are Upping the Style Game

It wasn’t too long ago when street style incorporated visible and wearable tech, such as Casio’s iconic calculator watch that was eventually banned at schools for obvious reasons. However, in the tech world, the 1980s is equivalent to an ancient civilisation, even more so when the first calculator watch was actually introduced in the 70s. Fortunately, in fashion, as technology advances, vintage styles and items make their way back into the zeitgeist, in a never-ending cycling of inspiration. This leads to trendsetters showing their appreciation for them in a unique, personalised fashion. Aside from elevating personal style, smartwatches have become an integral component to many people’s lives who prefer to keep track of their fitness levels, heart condition, access to emergency services, and more.

Year after year, gadgets become significantly advanced and aesthetically pleasing, enabling users to look their best with wearables that serve an essential function. We take a look at a few trending wearables that go beyond your wrist, providing fashionable and easier ways to enhance your lifestyle.

PUT A RING ON IT

Smart rings aren’t new to the scene but have definitely picked up traction as of late. Take the Samsung Galaxy Ring, for example. Built with a durable titanium frame, AI-powered health features, and a lightweight and sleek look, the ring monitors most vital aspects of wellness through seven days of use on a single charge. With the choice of black, silver, and gold, you can easily mistake it for a wedding band if someone decides to wear it on their ring finger. At THB 14,900 from Samsung official stores, the idea is to track your health discretely, with ease, and, more importantly, stylishly.

For those of you on the opposite side of the low-key spectrum, there’s an 18-karat gold smart ring made of material more expensive and precious than what’s on some laptops. The Ultrahuman Ring Rare (a little too on the nose) sells for around USD 1,875 and clearly represents style over substance, or in this case, innovation.

JUST IN CASE

One of the biggest benefits of wearing smart accessories or jewellery is inconspicuously ensuring your safety. Accessories such as smart necklaces offer a range of capabilities, like emergency alert systems, UV exposure monitoring, or even a mini air purifier. They even have microphones integrated into the build for clear communication. It may seem as if it’s been plucked out of a spy movie, but its actual impact is its innovation, improving upon technology’s role in creating a safer society. Other smart necklaces can improve sleep patterns, reduce anxiety, become a friend powered by AI, or act as a digital stenographer in the form of the PLAUD NotePin. The NotePin can be worn both on the wrist or around the neck, and it has the ability to record full conversations and then allow the user to transfer it to the dedicated PLAUD app for automatic transcription of what has been recorded with the help of Chat GPT-4o.

HEAR ME OUT

On a lighter note – a musical one at that – the combination of functionality and fashion also comes in the form of earbud earrings. From real-time language translations, taking phone calls, and, of course, playing music, these particular earrings are possibly the most fashionably attuned accessory on the list. One of the best examples is the H1 Audio Earrings from Nova Audio clip-ons. Although it has functional built- in speakers, it’s actually made with real pearls, giving them the bragging rights of claiming to be “The world’s first and only wireless earphones embedded in real pearl earrings.” As smartphones attempt to avoid stagnation, AI will evolve to take a deeper role in how we utilise smart accessories, which means jewellery like earrings will retain their stylish appeal and provide an extra layer of engagement that isn’t perceived as a gimmick.

BETTER VISION

Ray-Ban was quick to jump to the front of the line of the smart glasses trend with Meta a few years ago, clicking away with its arguably invasive built-in cameras in the corners of the frames. The latest models are boosted by Meta AI, an ultra-wide 12 MP camera, discreet open-ear speakers, voice command, a charging case, and a companion Meta view app to enhance your experience. However, there’s always a competitor that produces a better alternative, maybe even a sleeker and sexier version of shades. A case in point is the Halliday smart glasses, which use an advanced optical module to project information onto the wearer’s view, whereas other smart glasses require an actual lens to display information. The latter is lighter, more akin to a person’s everyday prescription glasses, weighing in at just 35 grams. While it’s only available in certain markets at USD 489, many experts are saying this will become the standard smart glasses of the future.