Nokia once used to be a mobile phone manufacturer with the highest global market share, which saw its decline with the emergence of smartphones. That’s probably why Koreans are not aware of the fact that Nokia had ever released smartphones. Although Nokia has a smartphone line-up in the global market, it’s still the analog bar-type phones with buttons that are the core models of the company. But Nokia recently released the ‘Steel HR’ which I got to try out. 

A very ‘cost-effective’ wrist wear

At least to me, Nokia was never a ‘luxury brand’. In my opinion, Nokia always came up with products at reasonable prices for general users. This watch, which is 179.95 USD, is no different. The watch does not come in a luxurious exterior but does have a simple and classy design as Nokia’s products always did. 

It is hard to find a watch with electronic indicators among the high-end watches made by professional watch brands. Maybe Breitling is the only brand with such a line-up. Anyway, this is why it feels like the electronic indicators of smartwatches are symbols of cheap watches. However, if the electronic indicators of the watch are turned off when not in use, the watch will excel others from an aesthetic perspective because it completely looks like an analog watch in the usual. But the basic functions a smartwatch should provide to its users are all indicated on the circular indicator in the size of a finger nail and will be immediately executed just by pressing the crown. The watch generally focuses on providing fitness related information and that’s pretty it.  

There is another feature that makes the watch not look like a smartwatch, which as a lover of traditional watches, I find amazing. It is the changed logo font placed at three of the dial. Nokia’s original logo font is a very typical font of an electronics brand, whereas the new logo applied on the watch is slimmer and the vertical width is higher, creating an image of a fashion brand watch. Just 50cm away and you wouldn’t be able to read the letters as ‘NOKIA’. 

There are some pleasing features such as efficient charging that allows the watch to be used for twenty-five days on a single charge on the charging pad. The wrist gadget is water-resistant up to 50m, has a watch case of 36mm in diameter that reminds a classic dress watch and also adopted easy change straps (straps that are easily replaceable without tools) to meet one of the major trends of the watch industry along with unique buckle design.

It was surprising that the tip of the minute hand is slightly bent towards the dial. This is quite a high-end finishing method mostly used by European luxury watch brands with long history. It’s only the classic dress watch makers like Breguet or Chronoswiss that apply such hands to the watch until now. It would be difficult to find such techniques in other watch brands. When the user observes the watch from the side, the hands appear to be moving afloat from the dial, resulting in a possible visual error of 1-2 minutes depending on the angle. However, if the tip of the hand is bent towards the dial, the distance between the hand and the dial will become shorter and as a result reduce the visual error. Usually, when such a hand is applied, its length is completely matched up with the minute track of the index, but it’s a pity that the distance between the minute hand and the minute track of this watch is more than 2mm. It does leave regret that this meticulous difference was not understood with perfection. Nevertheless, I must give credit to the smartwatch makers for recognizing such difference and even giving it a try.

Lows

Considering the highly accessible price of the watch which even allows a student to buy the watch by saving just a month’s allowance, there aren’t major shortcomings. Still there is one critical regret worth mentioning. It’s that the watch completely gave up on the visual exclusivity of the strap. It would have been much better if the price of the watch is 199 USD and the strap is of cowhide. Despite the elegant buckle design and easy change strap features, it is too bad that the texture of the strap visually feels like just black rubber. The watch is definitely wearable and water-resistant, but it opted for rationality way too much. Personally, since I think that the strap of a watch is equivalent to the hairstyle of a person, this strap would be a crew-cut in terms of hairstyle. Function-wise it is the best, but aesthetically it is the most minimal type to pursue.