STONES GO SMART
THE AGE-OLD COMPROMISE BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE RESOLVED TO A PINPRICK OF LIGHT BY THE BEST WEARABLE BRAND
WEARBALE TECHNOLOGY DISGUISED AS JEWELLERY
In the modern woman’s lexicon, diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend. A pompous diamond ring, irrespective of an astronomical price tag, doesn’t hold a candle to a chunky cocktail ring that’s labelled ‘smart’. This is for the sort of woman who chucks her heels for leopard print pumps and pencil skirts for palazzos. The things she owns are picked out with a lack of ceremony, but more often than not are from brands particular about employing responsible practices down the supply chain. In a market swamped with glitz, she has an uncanny ability of honing in on genuine functionality. That’s how you know that the nifty accessory on her finger that you mistook for a cocktail ring is actually a wearable technology nugget called Ringly. HOW DOES IT WORK? Launched by a prototype of the modern woman, Christina Mercando, CEO and cofounder of Ringly, is a UX (user experience) designer with an incredible sense of utilitarian style. As an insider to the rapidly evolving field of ergonomics, the 34-year-old has successfully tweaked the more common fitness band-type wearable to a ring that everyone’s talking about. It was pure genius because it’s a far cry from rubbery wristbands with fiddly straps and buckles that have till now typified wearable technology.
What you get instead is an unobtrusive statement accessory that doesn’t draw attention to itself, except on the trend and fashion front. Mercando clarifies the source of her inspiration and says, “I have degrees in Fine Art and Human Computer Interaction, so I’ve always had an interest in bringing the arts and technology together in meaningful ways. I started working with a jewellery designer to prototype different designs back in 2013. Our biggest challenge was to get the tech aspect as small and compact as possible. We were very clear about ruling out any feature or hardware that was bulky and tech-y or replaced the phone in any way.” To make the “technology disappear”, the ring is fitted with a tiny LED light embedded on one side of the 18-carat matte gold setting.
The semi-precious stone that forms the outer bulk of the ring comes in options of rustic, muted colours that gel effortlessly with daily wear. Cushion-cut pink sapphire, lapis, black onyx, pink chalcedony, quartz, labradorite, moonstone and emerald lend the rings much of their understated vibe. The Bluetooth-enabled wearable is synced with your smartphone (a one-time affair),
letting you keep tabs on as many as 20 apps (ranging from calls and emails to tweets). Compatible with over a 100 apps, including your default messaging app, it has a process of accepting more based on user recommendations. Alerts glint through the tiny orifice on the side of the ring, with each coloured light being paired with a vibration patterns depending on levels of priority. One colour can be customised for a single person or a group of contacts. The brand admits it could take a few weeks to get the hang of buzzes and lights based on the combinations set. The charge on the ring lasts, even with heavy use, up to 48 hours. DISCREET TECHNOLOGY The most distinct feature of Ringly is the filtering of low urgency notifications while most other wearables want to clue you in on every digital burp. It is designed to be used as a last resort gadget; ironically it is about disconnecting, switching off and concentrating, in situations like meetings and social gatherings. The logic behind light and vibration patterns is to make it unobtrusive, which also ruled out the possibility of a screen. Designed for the wearer who does not want to feel anxiously tied to her smartphone, it offers solace in prioritising. Ringly allows a degree of delinking that’s comfortable. “The idea was to create a signature style piece that you’d want to wear even without the technology,” says Mercando. LOOK AND FEEL The Aries Collection takes the original inspiration of the brand further. Now available in gorgeous bracelet form, with other features remaining constant, the accelerometer is a solid addition. From calorie output to receiving alerts on goals, it has all the works and the looks. The dainty, gold-plated feel can be accentuated with stud or crystal details. Optimising interaction with one’s environment is key to that elusive attainment of zen. For Mercando, a lot of her fulfilment lies in being able to start that process for women. The physicality of the device is so restrained as to operate as a silent message for the wearer. The woman in the palazzo pants agrees.
Prices upwards of $200 Availability https://ringly.com/shop