Xiaomi Watch S5 gets a transparent 47mm limited edition

Just when it looked like Xiaomi was done with the Watch S5 range, it has gone and dropped another version. This one is not about going smaller or cheaper either. You can sort of see through it, and it looks every bit as odd as that sounds.

The new device is called the Xiaomi Watch S5 Transparent Edition, and it was announced in China as part of the company’s latest launch event. It comes with a 47mm case, a transparent middle frame and a red-and-silver look that makes it stand out straight away.

A case you can see into

This is clearly a style-first version of the Watch S5. Xiaomi is using a transparent middle-frame design, along with a stainless steel bezel and what it calls Dragon Crystal Glass 3.0, which is meant to improve scratch resistance and overall durability.

The whole thing looks quite different from the standard model. Between the clear body elements, the red strap and the matching mechanical-style watch face, Xiaomi is pushing this as something a bit more collectible than your usual smartwatch refresh.

That also means this is not really the same sort of update as the smaller Watch S5 41mm we covered recently. That watch was about making the S5 line more compact and easier to wear. The Transparent Edition goes in the opposite direction and leans much harder into design.

Limited to 5,000 units

Xiaomi says the watch will be limited to 5,000 units, so this is not shaping up as a mass-market version of the S5. 2,499 yuan, which is about $372. The standard Watch S5 started at 1,099 yuan, about $163, in China and went up to 1,299 yuan, about $193, for the Forged Carbon and Midnight Blue versions. That puts the Transparent Edition at more than twice the entry price.

At least for now, this also looks like one of those China-focused releases that may not travel very far. Xiaomi has not said anything about a wider rollout, and the small production run does not exactly suggest big international plans.

There is no sign here of major new health or smartwatch features that would make this a must-have upgrade for existing Watch S5 owners. But as a design-led limited edition, it probably does not need to do that. The main selling point is obvious from the first glance, and Xiaomi seems perfectly happy to let the look do most of the talking.

Source: Weibo