Christophe & Co and Pininfarina Announce A New Luxury Wearable
The current wearables market (think fitness trackers and the like) is full of dull plastics and designs that wouldn’t sit right next to a finely crafted timepiece. Fortunately for us, Italian design house Pininfarina and British jewelry brand Christophe & Co have announced the release of a new line of limited edition bracelets. The new line, called ‘Armills,’ combines the seemingly opposing worlds of fine jewelry and wearable technology. It’s a true marriage of form and function.
According to Christophe & Co’s founder, Aleksander Bernhard, the Armill line, which contains three models, addresses the lack of Haute Joaillerie options for men: “Watches are the only product that have addressed it. So I decided to created another,” said Bernhard. “I met a lot of watch collectors who wore bracelets, but never something that would even get close to matching the craftsmanship and the beauty of their timepieces. Timepieces are there to stay. But this is something that appeals to watch collectors and can complement their collection.”
However, the challenge of stuffing such advanced technology into a luxury wearable was no easy task, and entirely novel techniques were employed to bring each bracelet in the collection to life. The Apollo (shown above) features 1,500 hand-set micropavé diamonds, a complex ceramic shield, and a customized carbon frame created by a British builder of Formula1 components. It’s also layered with intricate designs and swooping curves.
While the Armills’ form is the height of luxury, it’s function doesn’t lag far behind. The bracelet uses advanced communication technologies to perform secure transaction, venue access, and one touch valet, along with other functions. And if you’re worried about battery life, the bracelet employs a proprietery kinetic energy generation system that helps keep the device charged with every arm swing up to 365 days.
Christophe & Co and Pininfarina call their collaboration a modern interpretation of an ancient symbol of royalty and valor in battle, and it’s easy to see how their bracelet, which combines aesthetics and function in such an elegant package, was made for the battle of modern life.
Christophe & Co is currently accepting pre-orders for a limited runs of 25 Apollo Armills, priced at $149,000. Expect delivery in late spring of 2015.
Photo Credit: Christophe & Co Exclusive For Haute Time.
