As we continue to do smartwatch reviews I’m continually impressed with the hybrid offerings. While some may scoff at hybrids and question their claim to the smartwatch name, I think they have a place. The SKAGEN Connected Signatur is the fourth hybrid smartwatch I’ve reviewed — and third SKAGEN Connected we’ve reviewed here at Techaeris — and it is impressive. If you’re looking for a smartwatch with a touchscreen and apps then this review isn’t for you. If you’re looking for an elegant, simple timepiece with limited smart capabilities, then you’re in the right place. Read on for our full review of the Techaeris Top Pick’ed SKAGEN Connected Signatur.

Specifications

The SKAGEN Connected Signatur has the following features and specifications:

Case Size:42 mm
Case Color: Silver
Dial Color: Gray
Strap Color: Silver
Case Thickness: 12.5 mm
Water Resistant: 3 ATM
Strap Width:20 mm
Warranty: International 2-Year Limited Warranty
Discreet alerts
Replaceable CR2430 battery
Activity tracking
Android 4.4+ and iOS 8.2+
Bluetooth 4.1

What’s In The Box

SKAGEN Connected Signatur watch
Quick Start Guide
Documents and Warranty

Design

The first thing you notice about the SKAGEN Connected Signatur is that oh so sexy watch face. It’s super simple and super clean in design. The lack of hours and minutes (represented by numbers) may not be for everyone but I love this watch face design. Even more striking is the flying saucer-shaped body/case of the Signatur. It’s a pretty thick body/case but I think it works here. It has a bit of heft to it which I feel is a good thing and gives it a commanding premium feel.

The only buttons on the watch are the three buttons on the right side of the casing. These buttons can be programmed in the app to perform different functions, which we’ll cover later. The mesh band is probably the nicest mesh band I’ve ever used. Be sure to read the instructions on how to adjust this band as it does take a bit of understanding.

Overall, the design is spot on for my tastes. The bulkier casing and heft may turn some off but I’d recommend trying to find one to try it on and see for yourself. Premium materials are used throughout and the build quality is just spot on. SKAGEN did an excellent job here. About the only thing missing from the watch is some sort of back light to be able to tell the time in darker conditions.

Software/Ecosystem

The software/ecosystem work with both Android and iOS and is pretty straightforward. It’s very much like the Fossil hybrid watches I’ve reviewed in the past. The app serves as the central location for the SKAGEN Connected Signatur functions. So here you can set your alarms as well as a secondary time zone.

There are eight other functions you can choose from which you can assign to any of the three buttons on the side of the watch. Those include:

Show Date: Press button to show today’s date
Goal tracking: Press button to log progress towards your personal goal
Notifications: Press button to view the last alert
Ring phone: Press button to ring your phone and again to stop ringing
Music control: Play or pause your music when music app is open and double press to skip to next track and hold to go back (when music app is open)
Music volume up: Press button to turn volume down (when music app is open)
Music volume down: Press button to turn volume down (when music app is open)
Take photo: Press button to take a photo

Within the app, you’ll also be given an option to set 6 different notification parameters. There are a good amount of apps that are supported but I chose to simply use the messaging app for notifications. I set my top 6 contacts as my notifications points. Anytime contact #1 sent a message the hands on the watch would move to 1 to indicate I had a message from that person. The same for contacts 2-6 with the hands moving to the corresponding location on the watch. While I can’t read the message, at the very least I knew who was sending the message. This is a very minimal notifications method but it’s all many will need. It gives you an understanding of who’s sending a message which gives you an idea if you should take a moment to check or not.

The fitness tracking portion of the app simply tracks steps so don’t expect a robust heart monitoring feature here. The watch does do some sleep tracking as well, again, it’s very lightweight but useful with basic information. You can also add goals like, drink more water, exercise, or create a custom goal. The app is also where you’ll do your software updates to be sure the watch is up to date. It’s here where you’ll also see the battery life of the standard CR2430 coin cell.

Overall the hybrid watch app is very simple to use. Everything is minimal and to the point with not an overwhelming amount of features that could easily throw some people into frustration. No, it’s certainly not on the level of a full-on smartwatch and it’s not trying to be.

Ease of Use

The SKAGEN Connected Signatur is very simple to use, once you have the watch paired and the three side buttons programmed you’re basically good to go. Once you have all of that done the only thing you’ll ever need the app for is to look at your fitness and sleep tracking. Like the Fossil hybrids, this watch is a timepiece first and notification center second.

Performance

Connectivity and performance with the Signatur were perfect. There were never any issues with the watch staying connected to the iPhone and notifications worked exactly as they should.

Battery Life

The SKAGEN Connected Signatur runs on a CR2430 battery which should give you 6 months plus worth of battery life. I haven’t had it that long but it’s still going strong. This is a huge advantage over smartwatches as there is no need to plug in every night. The battery is easy to swap out and should only cost $3-$5USD at your local retail store.

Price/Value

The SKAGEN Connected Signatur is priced at $195USD and it’s well worth the price. It’s a very nice timepiece that’s made up of high-quality materials and does exactly what it says it does.

Wrap Up

If you’re looking for a smartwatch then look elsewhere. The SKAGEN Connected Signatur is a minimal hybrid smartwatch. It’s not for everyone, but definitely for those who want the least amount and most important notifications, some fitness aspects and sleep tracking. Personally, I love hybrids because they are a watch first and smart second.

*We were sent a sample of the SKAGEN Connected Signatur for the purposes of this review.