Casio has dabbled with adding smart features to its iconic watch designs before, but the company is trying a new twist on that idea by making the follow-up to its viral ring watch a proper Oura Ring alternative. The new Casio CRW-H001, as spotted by Notebookcheck, looks like the company’s earlier ring-sized watch but now includes sensors for tracking your health and a vibration motor for notifications.
The new ring, which is currently only available to order in China, features a working LCD screen that can display the time (and even act as a tiny stopwatch and alarm). Like Casio’s previous model, it still has a stainless steel exterior, but this time there’s a ceramic lining on the inside to hold the CRW-H001’s new health monitoring module. The health sensor can track things like heart rate, sleep, and blood oxygen levels, then sync your data with Casio’s companion app. The ring’s product page also suggests it can record running, walking, and cycling workouts and vibrate when an alarm goes off or you receive a notification.
Because the ring does feature a wealth of smart features, some elements of its design are distinctly different from the original CRW-001. Notably, rather than using spacers to adjust its fit, the CRW-H001 comes in separate small, medium, and large sizes. The ring weighs slightly more, too: 19 grams in comparison to the original’s 16 grams. In terms of battery life, Casio suggests the ring’s size and shape are still limiting factors. The CRW-H001 can get around six days of battery on a single charge or 25 days in standby, but Casio says the overall life of the ring’s battery is approximately two years, after which it needs to be replaced.
While it’s hard to say whether the Casio CRW-H001 will be an actual replacement for smart rings from dedicated wearable companies, it is at least a major update to what was already a popular fashion piece. Using a smartwatch has long come with the knowledge that you’ll have to wear something less fashion-forward in exchange for insight into your health. Smart rings have given consumers new options by being more discreet, and companies like Casio experimenting in the space could make things even better by making devices that look like something people are already willing to wear.
The CRW-H001 is available to order now in China for ¥1,990 (approximately $294). Casio hasn’t shared whether the new ring watch will be available globally, but considering the popularity of the previous model, it seems like a real possibility.
