We poke fun at it, but finding a good looking wearable feels like a fool’s errand. A very few are well made and striking looking but they are still, well, tech-y. A few months ago we covered a watch that looked ready to change that, the Olio One. The limited edition watch focused on traditional watch looks, a subtle custom interface, and quality materials. The concept resonated and the stunningly designed wrist piece sold out in a matter of days. Yesterday the company opened up orders for its second batch of smartwatches. In addition to adding gold and rose gold options (priced close to $1,000), Olio has also slashed the price of its stainless versions by $250 dollars!
The news comes on the heels of an announcement that Olio has raised $10.2 million in VC to continue creating the smartwatch. At Circuits and Cable Knit, we are looking forward to hearing from people who were able to secure one of the initial Olio Ones, scheduled to ship in August. The interface throughout the watch was created to thoughtfully displaying information in unique and informative ways. The iOS / Android compatible smartwatch is based on an intriguing app-less concept. Olio plans to integrate needed functionality directly into the watch’s OS and has already expanded the watch’s software so that it can do things such as control your Nest or start your car. Designed to be a niche device, it will be interesting to see how the Olio One is received. The watch starts at $395 and if you are interesting in securing one for Fall delivery, I would not dally; approximately half of the allotment has sold out over the past 24 hours.
