WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE
MyKronoz ZeTime
Swiss smartwatch brand MyKronoz raised upwards of $8 million through more than 40,000 backers on Kickstarter and other funding websites to manufacture the ZeTime hybrid smartwatch, which it claims is the world’s first smartwatch to combine a touch-screen display with mechanical watch hands. The sporty timepiece is packed with other bells and whistles, too, including text and call notifications, activity (and non-activity) alerts, a heart rate monitor, pedometer, music control, and your choice of dapper watch faces.
What we liked: The hybrid timepiece looks like an analog watch—but when receiving digital notifications, its mechanical hands move out of the way (into a straight horizontal line) so you can read texts and other alerts unobscured.
What we didn’t like: The device is slim—which is nice—but it’s also heavy. The stainless steel bezel weighs roughly twice as much as Apple’s stainless steel Series 3 watch.
Best feature: ZeTime’s analog movement boasts a 30-day battery life, which means the watch shows you the time even when its digital bits are “off.” No shaking, tapping, or wrist-flicking required. ($199; mykronoz.com)
The MyKronoz ZeTime watch syncs to digital calendars and can be set up with custom reminders.
APP CHAT
Zelle
Need to make payments directly from your bank account to a vendor’s bank account? Zelle—a payment service that’s already embedded in some major banks’ mobile apps—is also an easy-to-use freestanding app that transfers money between banks in just a few minutes. Signing up is a cinch; you just attach your bank debit card to the system. And when it’s time to make a payment, you simply key in the amount, type in the email address or mobile phone number of your recipient, and hit “send.” Booyah! (Free; zellepay.com)
Zelle facilitated $32 billion in payments in the third quarter of 2018.
SUPPLY IN DEMAND
Mettler Toledo JE503C/A Carat Scale
When it comes to weighing diamonds, nothing less than absolute precision makes the cut. If you’re looking to upgrade your precision scale, take a look at Mettler’s legal-for-trade scale from Gesswein, which features an easy-to-read display and seven built-in applications. Made exclusively for the jewelry industry, the Swiss-made scale has a 505 ct. capacity and is accurate to 0.001 ct. It also weighs in grams, kilograms, milligrams, pounds, troy ounces, avoirdupois ounces, grain, and dwt (pennyweight), making it a one-stop scale for all your precious metals and gemstones. ($1,425; gesswein.com)
The JE503C/A connects directly to a PC or printer—no additional software download required.