Samsung made some noise in Switzerland where the BaselWorld 2017 is being held. The tech giant unveiled three new concepts for its Gear S3 smartwatch, one of which is a stunning pocket watch version of the latest wearable tech from the Korean conglomerate.
The designer behind the new concepts, Yvan Arpa, did not simply get rid of the bands and attach a chain to make it look like a pocket watch nor did he simply take the innards of a pocket watch and replace them with that of the Gear S3 which The Verge noted to be "novel enough" if such was the case. Arpa, a renowned luxury watch designer, went a little further by repurposing the back to expose that traditional mechanical movement while also adding a compass on the cover of the case.
The pocket smartwatch came in two variants; a black sportier one which was clearly inspired the Gear S3 Frontier and another with a chic polished silver look that took from the Gear S3 Classic model. Both versions, like their smartwatch counterparts, come with AMOLED displays.
The two other concepts were focused more on altering the design of the Samsung Gear S3 to make it look like a more luxurious smartwatch. One concept involved replacing the digital display of the smartwatch with the traditional "skeleton watch". True fans of the popular accessory will notice the precision of the Swiss-made movements and the intricate details of the skeleton watch. The other Gear S3 concept is more focused on redesigning the bezels to give the smartwatch more premium looks.
BaselWorld is an annual event started a hundred years ago which gathers the best timepieces from different watchmakers all over the world. At the 2017 event which will run until March 30, usual suspects such as Arnold & Son, Preguet, Rolex, Tudor, Omega and TAG-Heuer came up with more than impressive watches that best exemplified one of man's most adored accessories. BaselWorld 2017 also had its fair share of techie timepieces courtesy of companies such as Samsung.
Phone Arena noted that the three concepts, particularly the pocket smartwatch, ate just that - concepts. There is o announcement yet from Samsung if these will be officially released to consumers. If they do make it to the market, Phone Arena estimates the price to be at a level that most people cannot afford. It did say that an affordable version of the Gear S3's pocket watch version would be a good idea.
