“What kind of watch is that!?” I probably hear that once a day lately. See, recently I celebrated another birthday, and my girlfriend was kind enough to purchase a gift for me that made me feel like an 8-year-old on Christmas morning all over again. The Phosphor Appear was on my wrist quicker than she could smile and ask if I liked it.
Click, click, click-click-click, click, click-click. It’s an odd, off-rhythm sound to be emanating from a watch. It’s mesmerizing, watching the revolving Swarovski crystals hide, then reveal numerical information. It’s as if “time” appears from nowhere. The miniature rotors that rotate those crystals make a very unique—very sexy sound. With each minute or second, an electrical pulse generates an electromagnetic field that changes the position of the crystals on the face of the watch to create that one of a kind sound.
I was graced with the Appear that has a black leather band and black case, making it instantly wearable with any shirt in my closet. I first thought that with all those crystals on the top, it would be a bit too “flashy” for everyday wear; however, its low-profile face and all-black look add just enough subtlety to wear all the time.
The Phosphor Appear, for all its sex appeal and beautiful design, does not come without some shortcomings. There’s no backlight, though any glimmer of light reflects off all those crystals. There’s no place for the date to be displayed, or world time–and for those of you who travel between time zones, that could be a problem. And even though the rotors make this watch a one-of-a-kind wonder, they do have a tendency to stick in the wrong position on my watch, though a quick switch from hours/minutes to seconds and back again rectifies the sticky rotor. Phosphor does offer a two-year warranty against defects such as this, so rest assured that if you were to run into a problem like this, your Appear watch should be swapped out quickly. My girlfriend contacted customer service before her purchase, and she couldn’t stop talking about how nice and helpful they were with helping her pick out one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
You can get your own Phosphor Appear watch, or one of their elegantly designed E-Ink watches, at phosphorwatches.com.
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