Until now, Bluetooth watches have been a rather niche affair due to their design. Bluetooth watches tend to hold a sportier look. Their design is based on their utility. While there is no issue with this, it certainly doesn’t help those of us who like our watches to look a little more elegant. This is where the Citizen Proximity Bluetooth Watch steps in. If you’ve been on the lookout for a Bluetooth watch with a more sophisticated design, look no further.
A Whole New Look?
Initially, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Citizen Proximity was just a standard Citizen watch. The face is clear and easy to read. It has no intrusive scrolling LEDs or otherwise disruptive features. Instead, a small Bluetooth symbol is the only clue that behind this watch something more hides.
Through Bluetooth, your watch can stay connected with your phone up to a distance of two metres. This allows your phone and watch to interact and always keep you up to date. The notification system on this model is subtle and impressive. After synchronizing to your mobile phone, the Proximity’s second hand subtly moves to the appropriate label on the inner bezel in order to inform you if you have missed a call or received a text or email.
Once you’ve glanced at the watch the hand gets back to its standard position, measuring the seconds away. The genius of this watch is in its subtle design. For all intents and purposes, it appears you are merely checking the time, not checking your notifications. This can be extremely useful in professional and formal settings where checking your phone is considered rude. It also runs on the new Bluetooth 4.0 which is incredibly efficient and means you won’t have to worry about the battery any more than you would with a normal watch.
Citizen Proximity Meets Its Mark
The Citizen Proximity is a great example of watches becoming more involved in our lives. With technological progress, many people have now swapped out watches in favour of their phones. However, the Proximity watch starts to blur that line.
The Proximity may not immediately sound like a great step forward but it’s undeniable that glancing at your wrist is a great deal easier and more subtle than whipping out your iPhone. The model does have a slight downside. The Proximity can currently only sync with the iPhone 4S. This obviously might not be an issue for everyone, however, it does leave out a large group of people that cannot use the watch as intended. Unfortunately, for those who use HTC or Samsung, you’ll have to wait until Citizen can release a more widely compatible watch.
Overall this is a great watch with the added bonus of Bluetooth, further integrating the timepiece into your life.
While the Citizen Proximity isn’t ground breaking in the tech department, it certainly wins points for having style. Hopefully at some point Citizen will broaden their model to sync with other phones. With Eco-Drive and an attractive design, this is definitely a watch to keep an eye on.
If you’re interested in smartwatches you can browse our selection here.
What do you think of the Citizen Proximity? Let us know in the comments below.
