Two friends’ telecommunications and fashion backgrounds have merged to create a bracelet with brains and beauty.
Lynn Valley resident Ken Miyanabe always has his eyes on the latest trends in technology, but not fashion.
That is until the systems designer synced up with a friend in the fashion industry and a dazzling enterprise was born.
In 2010, Miyanabe started developing a prototype for a device which women can wear that notifies them of incoming phone calls.
Smartphones are often buried in a bag, resulting in missed messages, Miyanabe says he observed.
Starting with a bracelet as the vessel for the technology, Miyanabe’s first prototype had a screen, similar to an Apple Watch, but women he surveyed rejected it.
Women wanted the technology concealed underneath some gleaming jewels.
“Someone said to me: ‘If you are going to market this, it needs to be more luxurious,’” says Miyanabe.
Another fortuitous friendship, with someone who sells Swarovski crystals, led to a brilliant design that proved popular.
Enter the Clara Bracetie. The Swarovski crystal embellished bangle notifies you of an incoming call or when you accidently leave your phone behind while out in public.
If you are five metres apart from your phone, a flicker of blue LED lights, a beep or vibration or a combination thereof alerts the bracelet owner. A small button on the side of the bracelet is pressed to answer the call.
Clara means bright and shiny in Latin, while bracetie is a word Miyanabe made up to describe how the bracelet ties or connects to your phone.
Bluetooth technology is embedded inside the bracelet for simple syncing with smartphones. Clara Bracetie will also activate for text messages, if the cell phone model’s Bluetooth technology supports it.
While popular in Japan, Miyanabe’s high-tech bracelet might be a first for the North American market, he says.
Swarovski crystals come in 200 colours and Miyanabe has curated a collection of the most popular shades, with silk, a champagne hue, and aquamarine being the most pleasing so far.
The Clara Bracetie holds a 30-hour charge and is powered using a USB connector. Only available online at the moment, Miyanabe hopes to soon have the Clara Braceties available in some stores locally.
More information on Miyanabe’s bracelet design can be found on his website, clarabracetie.com.
