Diesel's latest smartwatch meshes chunky styling with Gen 6 technology

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new Diesel-branded smartwatch. The fashion firm lends its name to some of the more distinct devices in this space. Now, the brand has a new flagship in its lineup built on the Fossil Gen 6 platform.

While the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 isn’t as visually arresting as the Fadelite, stylistically, it’s a toned-down version of the classic chronograph. This makes it an exciting prospect for those craving a chunky, brutish Wear OS watch.

It features a 45.5mm face surrounded by a dual-tone stainless steel body and a host of strap material options, including nylon, steel, and leather. Internally, you’ll find a Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus chipset with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. You’ll also find swift charging that should make topping up the Diesel much less of a chore than the Galaxy Watch series. Other niceties include NFC for payments, onboard GPS, and Bluetooth 5.0 LE support. The Griffed is also compatible with iPhones.

In terms of health and fitness features, you’ll get blood oxygen monitoring, a heart rate sensor, and the usual workout tracking abilities. Unlike its analog sibling, the Griffed Gen 6 only features 3 ATM water resistance.

The Diesel Griffed is one of the first Fossil Group devices to launch with Wear OS 3, following the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition. However, the platform is still not as kitted out as it should be. As a result, the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 misses out on Google Assistant, but it does support Amazon Alexa.

Nevertheless, if you like where Wear OS 3 is headed and you’re looking for more brashly styled devices, the Griffed may be your cup of tea.

According to 9to5Google, the Griffed will be priced around €369/$350, putting it squarely against the Google Pixel Watch and its cheaper Fossil Gen 6 cousin. You’ll be able to purchase one from December 1.