Oura’s Gucci smart ring collab puts the ‘able’ in fashionable

Finnish healthtech company Oura has collaborated with Italian fashion house Gucci on US$950 smart rings that use sensors to measure body metrics such as temperature, sleep habits, activity levels, and heartbeat.

Photo credit: Gucci x Oura

The wearable is composed of a 7.9-millimeter wide PVD titanium band with 18-carat gold Gucci logos and rope-trim detailing. With four to seven days of battery life and water resistance of up to 100 meters, the device uses seven temperature sensors and three LED sensors to gather user information.

Oura subscribers can view gathered data and insights through its mobile app, which also guides wearers with its meditation and sleep techniques, period prediction, and fitness recommendations.

Currently, Oura’s standard, non-designer rings are priced at US$299.

Photo credit: Gucci x Oura

An unreleased study has shown that the Oura ring is able to predict Covid-19 cases with 90% accuracy three days prior to diagnosis. However, this paper was not peer-reviewed.

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Demand for personal fitness trackers such as Apple Watch and Fitbit has grown significantly within the past decade. This has given rise to the quantified self movement, in which users leverage data in order to reach optimal health levels. Although this may lead to increased health consciousness, many also believe that the movement breeds a damaging dependency on data for holistic matters.

Oura was founded by Petteri Lahtela, Kari Kivelä, and Markku Koskela in 2013. It is valued at over US$2.5 billion.

The collaboration is only the latest of Gucci’s many tech-enabled projects. Previously, the luxury brand has released NFTs, US$12 augmented reality shoes, and virtual worlds on Roblox and Animal Crossing.