Wearable technology is getting more important nowadays, as all of our everyday objects are getting smart. While we're still far from having helmets with HUDs and the like, the smartwatches have been around for a while and are now much more than simple toys. Vector Watch, the company behind the smartwatch we're reviewing, is a relative newcomer to this game, and has a different approach to this type of product than most manufacturers. Read our review to know their Vector Luna watch fares amongst the competition. Is it any good? Is it worth buying?
Unboxing the smartwatch
When we received the Vector Luna and saw the box it came in, we immediately understood that the designers at Vector have a great understanding of elegance. The Luna comes in a cube-shaped box that has a clean, minimalistic design, with some of the watch's main features printed on it.
As a matter of fact, there is a cardboard wrap that can be removed to reveal the box itself: this is even more elegant and is of premium quality. It is a black box, with an embossed, golden button and the Vector logo printed in gold on it. The box is closed with a magnet, which is a much more interesting and durable solution than the usual cardboard edges.
When opened, the box reveals the watch itself, which is wrapped on a foam holder and placed inside a piece of cardboard: it all looks very elegant, the cardboard even has a silk strap that can be used to easily get it out of the box.
Under the watch there is another, folded cardboard holder that has the watch's USB charger and a warranty slip inside. There are no other accessories included, although that is quite understandable, as there are no accessories available. What kind of accessory could you imagine for a smartwatch, anyway? There is no manual either, but you can download that from the Vector website.
The Vector Luna's packaging is of great quality and elegance. Unboxing the watch is a great experience on its own. You feel that you are handling a watch of high quality that is luxuriously crafted.
Design and quality
The Vector Luna smartwatch is available in a total of nine different color and strap variations. There are six different Lunas that have leather straps (Steel with Black Leather, Rose Gold with Black Croco, Champagne Gold with Black Croco, Steel with Tan Leather, Brushed Black with Brown Leather and Flat Black with Black Silicone) and three with steel bracelets (Steel with Steel, Rose Gold with Rose Gold and Brushed Black with Black Steel). These editions differ only in the color of the watch and the type and color of the strap or bracelet, not the features or the price. You can view a gallery with all of these options, here.
We had the Rose Gold watch with Rose Gold bracelet for testing, and the first thing we had to note about it that it might be a bit too much in terms of a luxurious design. The vivid gold color with a hint of red is very shiny and extravagant. It can be a very good choice if you really want to show off your latest gadget as you will be surely noticed wearing this one. The rest of the designs available for this smartwatch are much more modest, having darker, silverish colors.
The second thing that caught our eyes - and possibly the one that had the biggest impact on us - was that this watch is rather large. The timepiece is circle-shaped and has a diameter of 44mm or 1.73 inches, it is made of stainless steel and has a rose gold finish, while the front is made of mineral glass and it looks quite durable.
Not only its diameter is big, but the case is also quite thick and heavy: combined with the 22mm (0.86 inches) bracelet, the Vector Luna weighs no less than 157 grams or 5.54 ounces. This might not seem that much, but it can be a strain for your wrist at first, and it will surely need some time to get used to.
While wearing it for the first time, we had to take it off after about 3 hours, to let our wrist rest for a while. After a couple of days we got used to its size and weight, but it is still a considerable burden for your hand.
It is also worth noting that, due to its size, you can't really have your shirt's sleeve cover the Luna, unless the shirt has more buttons to adjust it. This is not necessarily a problem, but you should know that you will stand out of the crowd, wherever you go.
Both the case and the bracelet are made of high quality steel that seems to be extremely durable. It is shiny and easy to clean. Also, it's very evident that no cheap materials were used in its m anufacture. The steel bracelet can be adjusted to fit your wrist, but you might want to ask a watchmaker to do it for you, as it's not very easy to remove the links from it. The leather straps come in two sizes, and the Vector Watch website has a handy guide to help you choose the right one for you.
Taking a closer look at the case we can see that it's a clean and simple timepiece with not many features. On the front side there is the Vector logo below the watch face, which can be configured to your liking - but we'll talk about that a bit later. The backside has one important connector, that can be used to charge the watch. This uses a magnetic technology, the charger simply snaps to the watch, which makes it much easier to connect and disconnect it, and of course it's way cooler than a standard microUSB connector.
On the right side of the watch you can see its controls, three buttons. The top and bottom ones are basically up and down arrows, that can be used to change the watch face, while the middle button is used for opening notifications and apps. This basically covers all of the physical features, as the right side is completely empty.
The Vector Luna is an elegant and clean smartwatch, made of very high quality materials. It comes in more subtle and flashy variants, so it can suit anyone's style. The case and the steel bracelet are rather heavy and take some time to get used to, while the watch is surely something that makes its user stand out from the crowd.
