In the last 6 years of covering watches, I have noticed more than once that the watch industry has always been a bit sceptical about the influx of smartwatches. Earlier in the day, there would be numerous conversations, articles and opinion pieces on the inevitable threat of smartwatches. With time those conversations have withered. Now the mention of a smartwatch does not bring with it a sense of doom and crisis. Instead, those who predicted the decline of the luxury watch industry failed to understand that while a 'smartwatch' does sit on our wrist but it will never replace the charm, beauty and the emotional connect of a luxury timepiece.

And today, after many trials and tribulations, the world (especially the watch world) has made peace with the fact that a luxury watch and a smartwatch are accessories that can both take up a space in our daily lives and that there is no rule of an 'either or' situation. Having said that, today we are going to be reviewing the Suunto 7 – my very first smartwatch review and it has been an exciting experience. Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of the watch, let me first introduce the brand.

Suunto is a Finland-based watch brand that has been building on their rich Nordic heritage for the last 85 years. With a spirit of pioneering exploration flowing through the DNA of the brand, Suunto and its products have definitely made a mark in the field of adventure and exploration. It was founded by Tuomas Vohlonen who invented a way to produce more accurate compasses for his orienteering adventures. Since this invention, the brand has forged ahead by introducing products that are at the forefront of design, craftsmanship and innovation. The Suunto 7 is no different.

About the watch:

Like most smartwatches, the Suunto 7 comes equipped with the latest technology but what makes this watch stand is the comfort it provides on the wrist. Despite coming in at 50mm, the watch did not feel bulky on my rather slender wrist. This comfort of wear comes from the fact that the watch is extremely light-weight and the silicone strap is sturdy. The black glass fibre reinforced polyamide case with its black stainless-steel bezel and gorilla glass adds to the overall toughness of the watch. It is hence safe to say that the watch can be used during all kinds of extreme temperatures and wear and tear.

Now when it comes to the working of the watch, the process of setting up the watch and connecting it to my phone was rather easy (especially for a novice like me). All it needs is a few pushes here and there and you are connected in an instant. Once you are synced, the watch takes care of every aspect of your life. From acting as a constant reminder to get your steps in, playing music, to tracking your sleep (a new feature for the Suunto 7), with this watch on your wrist, each aspect of your life is made easy. Further customisation provided by the watch also makes life easy like the 'drink your water' reminder that I used diligently. 

Additionally, some other functions offered by the watch is time, date, alarm clock, dual time, stopwatches, multiple languages, digital compass, GPS tracking and navigation, weather info, heart rate etc. There are many more that you can check out here. The Suunto 7 is powered by the Wear OS by Google™ and works seamlessly with Android™ and iOS phones.

What we think:

As my very first smartwatch review, I was a bit sceptical initially to get into the details and functions of the watch. But with every passing day, the various functions offered by the watch made my life so much easier. So much so that by the end of the week, I actually missed the vibrations, the constant reminder of the number of steps that I had taken, my heart rate and even work email notifications. This made me wonder, if maybe that is what makes a smartwatch work. Maybe...just maybe that is the charm of a smartwatch. Don't you agree?

The Suunto 7 is now available in India here.