I’ve loved Withings’ hybrid watches, which put all the health tech you could need in a far less geeky package, for more than a decade. The ScanWatch Horizon, its first using a diver’s watch case, has been a permanent fixture on my wrist since 2021. Since then, Withings has updated the ScanWatch with even more features, and launched a Horizon successor, called the Nova.
The one downside is that all the ScanWatches are, to be blunt, beefy enough that they only suit folks with strong forearms. If you prefer a smaller timepiece, you’ve been left on the sidelines until the company launched the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant. It shrinks all of the ScanWatch tech into a 38mm case and gets a two-tone strap that matches your bezel color choice.
A cynic might suggest Withings is aping the style of Rolex’s Datejust watches, even down to the two-tone strap choice. An optimist might wonder why that’s relevant, given it costs an order of magnitude less money and does an awful lot more. If someone special in your life wants a smart watch but not a smartwatch, and wants to look luxurious while doing it, this should be top of your options. — Daniel Cooper, Senior Reporter
