I tried the Sekonda Connect Smart Watch and it's a seriously stylish way to track my fitness

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The Sekonda Connect Smart Watch combines a stylish traditional watch design with fitness tracking, phone notifications and Bluetooth calling, all for less than £100. I gave it a try.

I have wanted a smartwatch for a while, but I wanted one that looked more like a stylish everyday watch rather than a piece of fitness equipment.

The Sekonda Connect Smart Watch immediately caught my attention because it combines the technology you'd expect from a smartwatch with a much more traditional watch-like appearance.

I chose the silver alloy case and stainless steel mesh bracelet, which I felt give it a particularly smart finish, but other options are available including a rose gold mesh bracelet and a black silicone bracelet. The 1.1-inch round AMOLED touchscreen keeps the overall design sleek too. At £89.99, it also sits at a considerably more accessible price point than many rival smartwatches.

So, after spending time using it, does this more affordable smartwatch actually live up to the promise?

What I like about this Sekonda Connect Smart Watch

The silver mesh bracelet gives it a polished, grown-up appearance that makes it easy to wear with everyday clothes, and even more dressy clothes, rather than feeling as though it belongs exclusively with gym wear. The bracelet is also interchangeable, so you can change the look if you fancy something different later.

I also really like the round AMOLED screen too, which balances a traditional look with modern technology. It's fully interactive and easy to navigate by swiping through the menus once you are used to it, although it does take a bit of time to get used to.

Meanwhile, the brightness and screen time can be adjusted to suit you. There's even an always-on display option if that's something you prefer so you don’t have to keep tapping it to see the screen.

I have enjoyed being able to track my steps, and this was actually my main motivation behind wanted a smart watch in the first place - even though sometimes I admit I don’t like the results since I am a full-time writer and spend much of my time sat at a desk. But, knowing the reality of my lack of steps during the day has given me the motivation I need to get out for a post-work walk. I have also enjoyed being able to see just how far I have walked on my weekend walk.

The Bluetooth calling is another feature that feels particularly impressive at this price. When connected to your smartphone, you can answer and speak through the watch's built-in microphone and speaker, meaning you don't necessarily have to get your phone out when a call comes in. It’s been really helpful when I’m out and about and having heard my phone ringing in my handbag - and has also given me peace of mind that I won’t miss the call while I’m trying to find where my phone has become buried in my bag.

There are lots of smaller features that make it feel even more useful than just a smartwatch too, including weather forecasts, an alarm, stopwatch, timer, calendar, calculator, a find-my-phone function, and even guided breathing exercises and hydration and sedentary reminders.

The customisation is another highlight. You can change the watch face and download additional designs through the app, or even create your own using a photograph from your phone so you really can personalise it to be best for you.

Battery life is also good, particularly for the price, with Sekonda saying it will last for up to 10 days with low use. That's useful if, like me, the thought of having yet another gadget that needs charging every night isn't at all appealing. I have found that I do need to charge it about once every seven to 10 days, depending on how many phone calls I have taken mainly.

What I don't like about this Sekonda Connect Smart Watch

There isn't much I dislike about the watch itself, particularly when you consider its £89.99 price tag.

The main thing to remember is that this isn't a replacement for a specialist sports watch. It has plenty of fitness functions, but it doesn’t give the same highly detailed sporting data that a more advanced training device will deliver. It's also important to know that Sekonda says the health measurements are for reference only and aren't intended for medical use.

The IP67 water resistance is another thing worth knowing about. Sekonda describes it as splashproof, but it isn't recommended for swimming or watersports. This was okay for me as I’m not a swimmer, but it is something to bear in mind.

You'll also need the Sekonda Smart app to get the most from the watch. It's compatible with Android 7.0 and above and iOS 12.0 and above, and the watch needs to be paired through the app rather than directly through your phone's Bluetooth settings. I don't consider that a major drawback because this is true of most smart devices, but it is another thing to think about.

There’s also no physical instruction booklet included with the watch, instead a QR code is given so that you can scan it and see it on your phone. Now, as much as I’m perfectly comfortable with technology I didn’t like not having a paper copy of the instructions. I’m a millennial so I guess I’m a part of the last generation that does still like a hard copy of things that can be referred to. I found it a faff to have to click on various links on the Sekonda website to get to what I wanted.

My Verdict

The Sekonda Connect Smart Watch is a great option for anyone who wants smartwatch features without paying the usual smartwatch prices, and aslo doesn’t want to give up that classic timeless look for their watch.

What I particularly like is that it doesn't immediately look like a gadget. The traditional watch styling makes it much easier to wear every day, while the technology is there whenever you need it.