Panther drops Solstice, a health-tracking smartwatch inspired by 1930s dress watches

Panther Technology is bringing a more traditional look to the smartwatch category with Solstice, a minimalist luxury smartwatch that pairs the look of a classic timepiece with modern health and fitness tracking.

Inspired by 1930s dress watches, Solstice is designed for people who want the insights of a wearable without the typical smartwatch aesthetic.

Inside the Solstice smartwatch

At just 8mm thick, Solstice is designed to have a slimmer profile than the tech-heavy look associated with many smartwatches. It comes in two case sizes and natural steel or gold, with interchangeable leather, rubber, and woven fabric bands. The watch is also water resistant to 5 ATM.

The display is digital, but Panther says its proprietary 3D technology makes the watch faces resemble traditional mechanical watches. Users can still switch between faces, start workout modes, and access apps.

The Panther Solstice pairs health and fitness tracking with classic watch design and fewer digital distractions.

For health tracking, Solstice monitors sleep stages, resting heart rate, HRV, stress, SpO2, wrist temperature, recovery, and other metrics. It also has built-in GPS and automatic workout detection for activities like running, walking, cycling, and swimming, tracking metrics like heart-rate zones, pace, distance, and active calories.

The watch lasts up to seven days on a charge and works with both iOS and Android. Health data can sync with Panther Health OS, Apple Health, Google Health, and Samsung Health.

Wearable tech is changing shape

As health tracking becomes a more regular part of daily life, wearables are also becoming less recognizable as pieces of tech. Smart rings have moved health tracking off the wrist entirely, while trackers have stripped away the display.

Solstice’s vintage aesthetic doesn’t give up connectivity altogether. The smartwatch can surface calls, texts, and other alerts, but leaves out web browsing and social feeds. It’s a middle ground for people who want health and fitness data on their wrist without turning their watch into another place to spend time scrolling.

Where to get it

Solstice is available to reserve now for $20, giving early buyers access to a $299 launch price before it increases to $499. Orders open September 1, with shipping expected to begin December 1. The launch offer is limited to the first 2,000 watches.