Garmin’s finest watch is designed for small wrists

Pretty smartwatches aren’t new anymore (thankfully), but that doesn’t mean we can’t welcome more attractive options. Garmin unveiled its latest wearable device today, calling the Lily “the trendy little smartwatch women have been waiting for.” I’m not entirely convinced that the device lives up to this claim (and I don’t like assigning preferences based on gender), but from a sample that I tried for a few days, I can say that it is indeed very small.

Lily straps are only 14mm wide, which is significantly thinner than the 20mm and 24mm versions on most other smartwatches. Its 34mm round case, however, is roughly the same height as an Apple Watch SE (40mm model). In fact, at 10.15mm thick, Lily’s case is slightly thinner than the Watch SE (10.7mm) – but we’re splitting our hair here.

Besides its size, there are other features that the company says make the Lily a “feminine” device, such as its T-bars. There is also a “subtly patterned lens” that sits just below the dial. of the watch to add texture. This design differs depending on which model of Lily you choose, and there are six different styles available in two categories: Classic or Sport. The unit I received had a wavy design, while our editor Valentina Palladino got a version with a sort of checkered pattern. Because the Lily’s touchscreen isn’t always on and goes to sleep when it’s idle, you’re left with the lens pattern to look at.

The markings are subtle enough that they don’t interfere with the words and graphics on the Lily’s monochrome LCD touchscreen. Speaking of, besides tapping and dragging on the screen, you can also use the capacitive key at the bottom of the face to operate the watch. There are no physical buttons here.

Functionally, the Lily offers a mix of features found on other Garmin watches such as the Venu Sq and the Vivomove Style. These two have color displays (and the Vivomove uses an AMOLED), but otherwise offer the same water resistance rating of 5 ATM and monitoring for heart rate, stress, hydration, respiratory rate and blood oxygen. Of course, since their screens are different, battery life also varies. Garmin says the Lily will last for 14 days of activity tracking (7 timed sessions), which is the same as the Vivomove style, while the Venu Sq only lasts 200 hours of activity tracking.

In addition to robust health monitoring, Garmin watches also offer basic notifications and phone management. You can control music playback, set up emergency contacts, receive your messages and calls, and more. Garmin fans probably already know what the Lily has to offer. If you’re interested in the dainty new watch, you can get a sports model, which comes with a silicone strap and aluminum case, for $ 200. The classic variant starts at $ 250 and features a stainless steel case with a leather strap. Both are now available on the Garmin website.