Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller has designed the Encrypto watch, which it calls “the world’s first fully functional bitcoin watch.”
The Encrypto (pictured) comes with a QR code that lets users add bitcoin to their wallets or check their balance directly through the dial.
The watches also come with a two-piece Deep Cold Storage set, with its own unique public address etched on the dial and a sealed USB containing the private key. The cold storage wallet uses offline-generated random numbers that cannot be hacked.
The watch, however, is not intended for storing bitcoins, the company says. “If you would like to store bitcoins through your watch dial as a physical access point, you will need to acquire a third-party wallet of your choice,” according to an FAQ page on the watch’s site.
The watch’s QR code and cold storage system were designed in partnership with Regal Assets, a cryptocurrency investment company.
The Encrypto will be a limited-edition series, with a maximum of 500 units of each version available. Wearers can customize both the dial and the band of the watch, and some models include precious metals and diamonds in the dial and frame.
The watch is currently available online and at the Franck Muller boutique in the Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates. It can, naturally, be paid for with bitcoin.
Regal Assets CEO Tyler Gallagher said in a statement: “I believe this watch is revolutionary and is the perfect marriage between crypto and wearables, two booming industries. We at Regal Assets have always been big believers in cryptocurrencies and are always glad to partner up with established brands to come up with new and exciting crypto products.”
Other jewelry companies have begun experimenting with accepting bitcoin, including Birks Group in Canada. JCK senior editor Emili Vesilind wrote a bitcoin primer for jewelers in 2014.
(Image courtesy of Franck Muller)
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
