Bell & Ross Unveils World War I-Inspired Watches

Watchmaker Bell & Ross introduces a watch line based on a World War I-era pocket watch. The Vintage WW1 (Wrist Watch 1) pays tribute to the first wristwatches worn by pilots during World War I with its very simple design consisting of just a black face with silver hands and case, removable wire lugs welded to the sides of the watch and an elegant-looking leather strap.

The WWI-92 edition watch (which goes by the nick name “Military”) has a mat grey steel housing and distressed strap. Its face is inspired from military aviation watches as the graduation emphasizes the minutes instead of hours. Meanwhile, the WWI-97 (code name “Reserve de Marche”) has a simpler clock face with a large date, crocodile leather strap, and a power reserve indicator.

If you want to go really retro, the PW1 (Pocket Watch 1) would be your thing. This B&R pocket watch features similar design details from the WW1 line. It also comes with a chain, a polished case, and a barleycorn guilloché caseback.

Check out the rest of the Bell & Ross WW1 and PW1 watches on its official website. They may be expensive, but B&R would rather cater to what the call “true purists.”

Tokyoflash Japan Announces Their First Touchscreen Watch

The Kisai Rogue Touch LED watch started out as a concept on the Tokyoflash Design Studio Blog less than a year ago, and it's now available for purchase.  Tokyoflash Japan says  the Rogue Touch has “time, date, alarm, dual time zones, animation feature, LCD ‘always on' display, and LED backlight at a touch.  The watch has a perfectly round form since there are no buttons on the case.”  The watch has a polished gunmetal-colored case and band and a slightly recessed mineral crystal lens.  The watch has four touch “hot zones” (top, bottom, left, and right) that switch between modes; touch and hold on a hot zone to enter setup mode for that function.  The touch screen has a lock mode to prevent accidental input.  The Rogue Touch is available with a “natural” background with blue LEDs, blue background with blue LEDs, red background/red LEDs, or green background/green LEDs.  Tokyoflash is offering a special discounted price for a short time after release.  If you order before Sept. 30 at 10 am (Japan time), you can get the Rogue Touch for $179 and free shipping.  The normal price for the watch is $199.

Kidrobot for Swatch Watches

Swatch has teamed up with Kidrobot, an art-driven toy and lifestyle brand, to create a series of eight Kidrobot for Swatch watches.  The watches are based on the unisex Gents model watch, and each watch comes with a coordinating Dunny, the bunny-like 3″ toy.  The eight artists who designed these watches are: Gary Baseman, Jeremyville, Frank Kozik, Joe Ledbetter, MAD, Tara McPherson, SSUR, and Tilt.  The eight models are available at Swatch and at points-of-sale around the world.  Each watch and Dunny set is $70.

HEX Icon Watch Band For iPod Nano

The new Apple iPod Nano has just been introduced several days ago. And just like with all things Apple, many companies are also racing to come up with third party accessories that owners will use along with them. One of the earliest accessories to be introduced for the new iPod Nano is the new line of HEX Icon Watch Bands.

The new HEX Icon Watch Bands are designed for the Generation 6 or 7 iPod Nano. Since these new iPod Nano designs came out, they became quite popular not only as portable media players. People seem to fancy them as great timepieces as well with watch bands designed specifically for them. The HEX Icon Watch Bands provide some added elegant choices for this lot who enjoys using their iPod Nano as a wearable watch. The Hex Icon Watch Bands are available is several color choices at the HexShop for US$40. The iPod Nano's are sold separately.

Atomic time is so yesterday . . .

Most watches require the time to be set manually.  Some watches have the functionality to auto set to the correct time when it receives a signal from an atomic clock.  The Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave watch gets its time differently.  Like its name, this Citizen watch gets the time directly from satellites orbiting the earth.   No need to worry about batteries because the Eco-Drive technology inside runs off the sun or any light source.  With the Satellite Wave, you'll have the correct time whether you're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, stuck in the Sahara or lost in the Artic Circle.  That is if you have $3,000 to spare before this limited edition watch runs out.

Motorola Introduces MotoACTV Smart Watch

Motorola has another card up its sleeve during its press event in New York, where everyone expected the company to unveil its latest Droid smartphone, as it announces the MotoACTV, a “smart watch” for the sporty kind.

The MotoACTV features a 600MHz processor, a built-in heart rate monitor (without the chest strat), an FM radio, and weighs just 35 grams. It is a GPS-enabled watch with a “smart” music player. Smart because it takes notes of songs that makes users work out harder and plays them more often. The watch also relays every performance stat, from average heart rate to calories burned, to the user through a bluetooth headphone set.

The device can also sort out your performance stats based on your activities–whether it is running, walking, and cycling outside, or treadmill and step machine while indoors. It also syncs with your PC, providing access to a dashboard of performance stats saved at MotoACTV.com.

The MotoACTV smart watch will be available in the United States on November 6. The 8GB version will cost $249.99, while the 16GB model will cost $299.99.

New smartphones connected to G-Shock watches

NTT Docomo spoke about the new phones coming up in early 2012 called the Medias LTE N-04D and Medias PP N-01D.

Even though most of the technical specifications are still unknown at this time, it was told that both models will support Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Low Energy).

On the same day, Casio announced the new GB-6900 also equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 LE, this watch will enable you to synchronize time across your devices, but also receive notification of incoming messages and calls on your watch. This watch will go on sale on December with a price tag of 235USD.

Tokyoflash Tron-Inspired Wristwatch Costs $99 Until October 27

You really have to hand it to Tokyoflash for turning the boring task of telling time into a confusing, brain-squeezing activity with its complex ways of determining the time of day. The tradition continues with this Tron-inspired wristwatch called the Kisai Seven.

This watch takes its design cues from the classic sci-fi film from Disney, consisting of just two pulsing LED rings (available in blue and white) that are reminiscent of “identity discs,” the movie's weapon of choice. The rings can be customized by three animation pre-sets.

The Tokyoflash Kisai Seven is now available at its online store and you need to buy quick. That's because the company offers a special two-day sale (ending October 27) wherein the watch can be yours for only $99 and after that it is back to its original $139 price tag.