WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE

Fossil Q Venture 

Fossil’s ambitious goal for 2017, which it publicly announced in March, is to debut at least 300 hybrid and touch screen–connected styles by Dec. 31. Its wearable releases for splashy fashion brands including Emporio Armani, Michael Kors, and Kate Spade typically get the most press. But some of the company’s best-built devices have been developed for its in-house label. Among those is a new touch-screen smartwatch, the Q Venture, which combines the functionality of a notifier, an activity tracker, and an old-school digital watch.

What We Liked: The Q Venture comes in a few color combos, but we especially like the design impact of the “gold and sparkle” model, which marries the chunkiness of a men’s watch with the glamour of a dressy timepiece. Through the Fossil app its face is customizable—options range from high-tech to analog.

What We Didn’t Like: The life span of any touch-screen device, including phones, is inherently limited—hence, the Q Venture’s $295 price tag feels (just a tad) hefty.

Best Features: The watch comes with a few basic features that, together, make it significantly more useful. Can’t find your keys or wallet in the dark? It has a built-in LED flashlight. Wondering what the local time in Berlin is? The Q Venture toggles easily between multiple time zones. ($295; fossil.com)

 

SUPPLY IN DEMAND

ImpressArt
Custom Stamps

The popularity of stamped jewelry certainly isn’t fading. But many jewelry lovers, having already purchased initial pendants, are primed for even more personalized motifs. That’s where ImpressArt comes in. The online business creates custom stamps—converting tiny original artworks into hyper-detailed, hardened steel jewelry tools. Customers submit artwork at impressart.com, where it’s reviewed by an expert; the bigger the stamp, the more intricate your design can be. ImpressArt sends back a final proof of the design two business days later, then creates and ships the stamp in two to three business days. (Starting at $50; impressart.com)

ImpressArt’s hardened steel stamps come in five sizes: 3 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 9.5 mm,
and 12 mm.