Any true enthusiast of automobiles will undoubtedly be familiar with Pininfarina, the renowned Italian car design firm established by Battista Farina in the 1930s. They are responsible for creating some of the most iconic models in automotive history. Born with the nickname “Pinin” due to being the youngest of ten siblings, Farina gained fame through his work with luxury brands like Alfa Romeo, Cisitalia, and Ferrari, as well as more mainstream manufacturers such as Austin, Peugeot, and Fiat.
In the present day, Pininfarina operates multiple divisions. Automobili Pininfarina currently produces the all-electric 1,900hp Battista hypercar. Pininfarina itself continues to engineer concept vehicles from start to finish. Finally, Pininfarina Extra, established by the founder’s grandson, Paolo, serves as an industrial design division that envisions objects ranging from trains to yachts and from pens to residential buildings.
Since 2008, the Pininfarina name has also been associated with the world of horology. They partnered with Bovet, an independent Swiss watch house, to create a series of high-end timepieces aimed at wealthy individuals who are familiar with Pininfarina through owning supercars with Pininfarina coachwork.
Among these individuals is Loewe Lee, managing director of Globics, a Hong Kong-based family company founded in the 1950s as a manufacturer of grandfather clocks. Over the years, the company shifted to supplying LED technology to major quartz watch producers like Casio, Timex, and Namco, the creator of the popular Pac-Man video game. NEH later specialized in developing electronic watches and movements, venturing into smartwatches before the release of the Apple Watch in 2015.
However, Lee, an avid collector, always longed to create a timepiece that combines the elegance of an analogue watch with cutting-edge smartwatch technology. Hybrid smartwatches, which blend traditional design with tech functions, have been available for some time from brands like Frederique Constant, Kronaby, Withings, Skagen, and Fossil.
It was Lee’s passion for Ferrari cars and the brand’s association with Pininfarina that led him to consider collaborating with the Italian design house on a smartwatch project. The result is the Senso Pininfarina hybrid smartwatch, the first in a series of watches developed with Pininfarina that aims to offer an accessible entry into the luxury sector through a mid-market hybrid watch.
At a glance, the $399 Senso appears to be a regular entry-level luxury watch with its stainless steel case, winding crown, and classic dial layout. However, beneath its traditional exterior lies a smartwatch module equipped with sensors capable of monitoring vital signs, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality. The watch also features a stress monitor, activity and hydration reminders, and activity trackers for various sports, showing distance covered and calories burned.
It can also perform typical smartphone functions, such as alarms and call/message alerts, and can sync with the wearer’s smartphone through a companion app. Remarkably, the Senso can last over a week on a single battery charge, prioritizing its timekeeping function to be the last to stop when the battery runs low.
While hybrid watches have yet to find their place in the market, the Senso Pininfarina aims to redefine the genre by offering a well-designed traditional watch with useful smart features. Jeremy White, the UK executive editor of tech magazine Wired, argues that hybrid watches tend to fall short as consumers are interested in either a proper watch or a fully-featured smartwatch. However, with its focus on balancing aesthetics and technology, the Senso Pininfarina hopes to chart a different course.
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