I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how a watch that “[miniaturizes] the “flip-dot” technology found in bus signs and train depots” works, because it just seems so fantastically futuristic and yet so retro at the same time. What I do know is that Phosphor, the company behind the intriguing eInk watches we previously reviewed, has just released a big, bold and more than a little bit blingy watch that appeals to me on several levels.
I like watching the crystals flip over to show the time, the seconds, or nothing at all in these .gif’s, so I can only imagine what it will be like to have such a distraction on my wrist. I’ve been told a red review sample is on its way to me, so it will be fun to see if the process is as magical in person as I think it will be.
Miniaturizing the “flip-dot” technology found in bus signs and train depots, Phosphor’s proprietary Micro-Magnetic Mechanical DigitalTM (M3D) technology incorporates miniature-sized rotors adorned with Swarovski crystals that revolve to reveal the time. Driven by M3D technology, Phosphor Reveal Appear watch skillfully blends design and technology to craft the ultimate fashionable digital watch.
With each changing minute, an electrical pulse generates an electromagnetic field that changes the position of the crystals on the face of the watch, elegantly displaying the passing time.
And if the crystals around the women’s cases seem just a little too over the top for you, it’s okay … Phosphor makes two less blingy, yet just as fascinating Reveal Appear styles. You can see all of the men’s and women’s styles available now at the Phosphor site; prices start at $199.
The Phosphor Reveal Appear
Update 03/21/11: I’ve just received word that the Phosphor Reveal is now to be called the Appear.