Got a chance to fondle the Linde Werdelin Biformeter and I have a much better idea of what's up now. Essentially, this is a really fancy watch with a strange attachment that covers the mechanical part and adds a number of digital functions.

The wristwatch itself costs about $4,000 for a steel model and the digital device costs $1,800. They snap together like Voltron to form the super ninja Biformeter.

The watch portion runs on an ETA GMT movement, standard fare. It's quite a beefy piece, with a heavy steel or rubber bracelet and excellent workmanship. It also comes in gold.

The digital portion is actually quite cool. It has a full-sized LCD screen that shows a real compass, barometer, altitude, and even heart rate. It can be expanded with different sensors—they'll be adding more down the line—and the interface is actually quite beautiful and elegant. Think a Suunto watch at a fancy dress ball.

The price might knock this out of the ballpark for some folks, but it is really a very cool design and compelling piece. They should be available around the world next month. – John Biggs

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