An introduction to smart jewellery
What is smart jewellery?
Smart jewellery is where “smart” technology (like fitness trackers, entertainment devices, or even safety devices) is designed to look like jewellery. This can include necklaces, broaches, earrings, rings, bracelets
The difference between smart jewellery and wearable tech
Wearable tech (or just “wearables”) can be anything from Augmented Reality (AR) glasses that can help you walk home to smart running shoes that can track your technique.
Perhaps the most common examples of wearable technology are “smart watches” such as Fitbits, or headphones (which are so commonplace we don’t tend to consider wearables).
The problem with wearable technology is it looks like tech. That’s great in many cases; certainly, lots of people enjoy the look and feel of their AirPods, for instance, but oftentimes wearable tech can feel a bit out of place, particularly if you’re dressed up.
Smart jewellery, in contrast, offers two benefits over “typical” wearable tech. Firstly, smart jewellery can look more fashionable, particularly if you’re dressed up. Secondly, smart jewellery is less obviously “tech”. This “camouflaging” effect of smart jewellery can be beneficial for a wide range of uses.
What to look out for with smart jewellery
Materials
Many smart jewellery pieces will use a mix of real metals and plastics (sometimes coated, sometimes not).
There are a couple of reasons for the use of non-metal materials in some or all of the design of smart jewellery. The first reason is that it keeps costs down –which you may appreciate if you’re not planning on using the device for decades. The second and, arguably, more important reason, however, is connectivity. Smart jewellery usually needs to send and receive data, and an all-metal casing can block that.
It’s also important to make sure that the materials used are skin-safe. You can normally assume that a device will be skin-safe, but it’s best to check, especially if you struggle with some non-precious metals.
Example: The Callie Safety Bracelet
The Callie Safety Bracelet is a beautiful bracelet that also works as a panic alarm. By tapping the pendant, you can trigger a smart, discreet alert that’s sent to loved ones and emergency operatives.
To make sure that the device has the best possible signal, The Callie Bracelet’s pendant has a precious metal coating on top, but a skin and signal-friendly plastic bottom. It’s nearly impossible to tell when worn, but it ensures the device has a strong signal when needed most. If you’re shopping for smart jewellery, you’ll find many have found smart workarounds like this.
Battery
Battery life on wearable devices can vary wildly –and this is also true of smart jewellery.
In fact, because smart jewellery is designed to be discreet and, ultimately small (no one wants a giant device hanging from their neck), smart jewellery battery life is hard to compare with other smart devices.
Some pieces of smart jewellery may only last a day or so (many smartwatches are like this), while some will last a week on a single charge (usually screenless fitness trackers).
Rechargeable vs non-rechargable
Other smart jewellery options are non-rechargeable but have an incredibly long battery life. Hyper-efficient devices like Callie’s smart panic alarm bracelet are single-use but have an estimated battery life of over a year.
A company’s choice to go rechargeable or single-use depends on the device’s size. Once you get to incredibly small sizes, it becomes harder to make something rechargeable.
A good example of chargeable vs non-rechargeable is Tile’s object tracking devices. All their smallest devices are non-rechargeable, with only their largest device having room for a charger.
When choosing a device, its up to you to decide what’s best for you and your needs.
Privacy and data protection in smart devices
Many smart devices (particularly ones based around health and fitness) capture an incredible amount of data. Right now, some smart devices (including smart jewellery) can track your location, heart rate, sleep patterns, fitness levels, and even menstruation cycles.
In many cases, this data collection is the purpose of the device. The wearer wants to learn more about their body and lifestyle, and their device captures information that they wouldn’t otherwise have. A mistake users can make is buying a piece of smart technology, and not giving it permission to collect any data.
The issue becomes when companies use personal data for purposes beyond what their users might expect. If you’re investing in a wearable device or piece of smart jewellery, check out how your data will be stored and used.
Fitbit, for example, does a good job of explaining how they use the data captured by their devices. They lay out how data is used locally, across the company, and beyond.
For another example, Callie Personal Safety is very strict about its data use. With their app and Safety Bracelet, location data is only shared temporarily and on a "consent" basis. Users can share their location and safety info for a short time with either their loved ones or Callie’s team of 24/7 SOS responders, but that’s it. The data is only used for these purposes.
Understanding how data is recorded and used is an important part of using smart jewellery and other wearable tech.
Summary
As electronics get ever smaller, smart jewellery and wearable technology can offer more and more value to our lives but it’s important to know what you’re buying, how it can help you, and what you’re getting for your money.
Knowing what a device is made out of, how long the battery will last, and how your data is used are three important aspects to look into when you’re looking into smart jewellery.
Want to see some of the most exciting smart jewellery 2024 has to offer? Head to our brand new Smart Jewellery Guide!