Garmin foronehas fulfilled a long-standing wish for owners of mechanical watches and all other fans of digital detox. With the launch of the CIRQA bracelet, it comes with direct competition for devices that collect health and movement data in the background without constantly bothering and distracting its wearer. The key advantage of the new product is full connection to the proven ecosystem Garmin Connect.
As a technology editor, I love testing watches from Applu, Samsung and other brands, but my heart remains in the Garmin ecosystem - despite the rather cumbersome Connect application, which has a great community. At the same time, I am a fan of retro mechanics, I collect Prim watches and combine them on the other wrist with massive 51mm Garmin Fenix 8 simply wasn't possible, so of course it's possible, but it looks quite inappropriate.
For two and a half years I solved this with the vívosmart 5 fitness bracelet to stay in the ecosystem and not look so strange, but it still wasn't the same. The dream solution for me was just an elegant sensor in the bracelet, like the brands Whoop, Polar or Google (Fitbit Air), or a smart ring like Galaxy Ring from Samsung. Garmin had none of that – until now. Switching to another brand was out of the question for me because of more than five years of data history in Connect. Only with Garmin CIRQA can I switch between mechanical watches on my left wrist as I like and have discreet health tracking on my right in the ecosystem I'm used to.
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Miniminimalist body without distracting elements
The philosophy of the device is based on the complete absence of a screen, which is also the reason for its very purposeful design. The module weighs only 20 grams and has dimensions of 47 mm in height, 27 mm in width and 9 mm in depth, which does not include the protruding sensor. Despite the slight radius on the upper surface, the module can stand out a little at the top and bottom on a very thin wrist. ProThe width and depth are not as important as the height.
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A velvety, comfortable strap with Velcro is used for attachment. ProThe L-XL guide fits securely on wrists with a circumference of 145 to 240 mm, while the smaller varianta SM is designed for a circumference of 120 to 200 mm. The larger width of the module compared to the bracelet helps to make it easier to feel the single control element and monitor the indicator light. The basic color palette includes black, navy blue, French gray and purple Mauve, but you can also buy bicep straps or other shades. Thanks to the 5 ATM water resistance, you can shower and swim with the bracelet without any worries. It's not exactly suitable for diving, but no one would want to do that.
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One button for everything essential
The absence of a display doesn't mean a loss of control. All physical interaction is handled by a ridged side button and a tap on the top surface of the module. A tap activates a multi-color status LED for a quick battery check, while a single tap activates a multi-color status LED for pairing with a phone.onem just press the button three times or hold it for 6 seconds. The control method is designed so that you can perform basic tasks by heart thanks to the vibration feedback:
- Starting an activity: Press the button once to start the priority activity set in the application (e.g. walking), which the bracelet confirms with a green flashing LED. Press it again to end the recording. However, any pausing of the activity must be done directly in the Connect mobile application.
- Alarms and other gestures: Press the button to snooze the vibrating alarm (fixed and smart), hold it for a longer time to turn it off completely. Hold for 3 seconds to start or stop sharing your heart rate to a device in the series Edge and by pressing it, you can also silence the vibrations when searching for a lost bracelet.
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Three ways to record physical activities
In addition to manual activation with a button, Garmin CIRQA can record movement completely automatically. The integrated algorithm automatically recognizes walking, running or cycling, etc. based on continuous movement and an increased heart rate after approximately 15 minutes, which prevents unintentional tracking of short errands. The algorithms gradually learn your habits and either save the activity directly or ask for confirmation in the app.
The third option is to start the exercise directly from your smartphone, where you can choose from 10 favorite or up to 80 total sports in the Connect interface. The bracelet has an internal memory of 128 MB, which can easily store data for up to 14 days without synchronization. However, due to the absence of GPS and barometer in the bracelet, you will not get a route map or altitude meters without a connected phone.
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Notifications without unnecessary distractions
CIRQA will not bother you with notifications for calls, messages or emails. In the app Garmin Connect However, you can choose up to 8 types of health or motivational events, which the device informs you about with a gentle vibration or notification on your paired phone. The bracelet can warn of abnormal heart rate, increased stress, and notify you of changes in VO2 Max, recommend a curfew, or notify you when you've reached your daily step and intensity minute goals. There's also an optional hourly vibration alert so you're at least somewhat aware of the time.
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ProSince all measured values can be found exclusively on your phone, the updated Connect app offers a Basic Data section. At first glance, you can see up to 4 selected metrics at the top of the display, such as sleep score, steps, points Battery, Health status, VST or training readiness.
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Health metrics and battery life
Despite its compact size, the bracelet measures steps, calories, heart rate, blood oxygenation, skin temperature, stress, sleep, training load and training status, and there is also a sleep advisor. The only significant limitation is the inability to monitor the current heart rate during activity without a paid Connect+ subscription, which also provides access to Garmin Coach workouts and nutrition tracking.
Inside the module is the Elevate Gen 4 sensor. The manufacturer deliberately chose the older generation for dimensional reasons and lower energy consumption, thanks to which the bracelet achieves an excellent battery life of up to 10 days on a single charge. A huge advantage is also the two-way synchronization within the ecosystem - measured sleep or stress data is automatically transferred to your other Garmin watches after switching on.
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It's exactly "it"
Garmin CIRQA is exactly the product that has been missing from the brand's offer for years. It is not intended as a replacement for advanced sports testers in breaking running records, but excelIt is a discreet, elegant and completely unobtrusive companion for all-day health and sleep monitoring. It will allow you to wear a classic mechanical watch on your other hand or comfortably monitor your sleep without an obtrusive display on your wrist. For the price of 4,990 CZK, you get a truly “silent” entry into the comprehensive Garmin ecosystem.
I would just like to add that there is also a longer strap on sale that allows you to wear it on your arm. I'm curious about that one because it won't be visible.