Smartwatches have become ubiquitous, with nearly half of the US population owning one. There areplenty of options to pick from, with some sporting modern and futuristic designs, while others look more like traditional timepieces.
Unlike smartphones, a watch’s appearance can be essential, as it has to fit with your personal style and appearance. Indeed, timepieces were initially designed as pieces of jewelry, before becoming more intelligent devices.
It’s for this very reason that I’ve been trying to avoid smartwatches that don’t look like, well, watches. For instance, I personally don’t like theApple Watch’s design, which looks more like a modern Tamagotchi to me than an actual timepiece. Of course, this is a personal preference, but you’re probably starting to understand what I want my watch to look like.
I was particularly seduced by the first generation Moto 360, especially since it could be worn with a stainless steel bracelet, and genuinely looked like a classic watch. In 2017, I bought a Fossil Q Explorist for this very reason, and also because most people hardly noticed it was a smartwatch. When it stopped working, I hesitated about which one to get, butdecided not to go for the Galaxy Watch 4, and to go with another Fossil one instead. This choice was mostly for the design, and despite knowing Samsung’s timepiece was more technologically advanced.
However, two years later, I ended up selling my Fossil Gen 6 and just bought aSamsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, and I don’t regret my choice. Here’s why.
As surprising as it sounds, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic does look pretty similar to a classic watch, especially in silver and with its rotating bezel around the display. The two side buttons integrate very nicely with the timepiece’s body, creating the illusion it’s an actual chronograph, at least at first glance. This being said, the watch came with what I found to be an unsightly wristband, but I immediately replaced it with a stainless steel one from Amazon, creating a relatively unique appearance, which matches my style and taste.
Third-party accessories
Although there are plenty of accessories available for the Fossil Gen 6, there aren’t nearly as many as for the Galaxy Watch series. Whether you need a charger, wristband, charging stand, screen protector, or even a watch case, you can find virtually anything you fancy for Samsung’s timepieces, while the same can’t be said for Fossil’s smartwatches. This makes it easier to customize your watch, ensuring it doesn’t look like anybody else’s, but also helps you avoid spending a fortune on an original charger, when a compatible one costs a third of the price.
It’s actually smart
While I initially didn’t want to get a Galaxy Watch and preferred to get one from an actual watchmaking company, there’s something I can’t deny: Samsungknowshow to make electronics, and the Galaxy Watch 6 is no exception. It’s snappy, easy to use, responsive, and basically just works. I don’t have any of the frustrations I used to experience with my Fossil Gen 6, and can truly benefit from the Galaxy Watch’s advanced hardware.
In addition, Samsung has forced Google to change its mind about custom UIs on Wear OS, and it’s probably for the best. Indeed, with One UI, Galaxy Watches come with more features and a nicer user experience than standard Wear OS ones, making the overall experience much more enjoyable compared to competing models.
It’s just the best Wear OS smartwatch around
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic isn’t perfect, though, and there are things to consider before getting one. First, it’s significantly more expensive than what I paid for my Fossil Gen 6, not to mention the non-Classic Galaxy Watch 6, making it a premium purchase. Also, some health features like ECG and blood pressure monitoring work exclusively with Samsung phones, meaning you wouldn’t be able to use them if you have a Pixel, for instance. Lastly, unlike Fossil’s watches, Samsung ones don’t work with iOS, forcing you to rule them out if you have an iPhone.
But even though I wasn’t sure I would like a Samsung watch, I have to admit that the Watch 6 Classic was the right one for me. Not only does it look like a traditional timepiece, it also comes with excellent hardware and software, leaving it unrivaled on the market, as far as Wear OS products are concerned. Despite my reservations, I don’t regret buying a Galaxy Watch one bit.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Samsung’s latest generation of the Galaxy Watch 6 comes in a larger Classic version. It sports a bigger case and a physical rotating bezel to control the watch, alongside all the other welcome improvements in the vanilla Watch 6.
