Announced during CES 2016 in January, the Samsung Gear S2 Classic Platinum smartwatch is a decidedly more upmarket variant of the already premium Gear S2 Classic with platinum coating. The wearable device debuted alongside another variant with rose gold finish.

Thanks to its platinum finish and genuine leather band in contrasting black, the new Gear S2 Classic iteration looks great in the metal. Unlike many smartwatches that appear a tad too gadgety for many tastes, the newcomer carries an aura that's likely to make it appeal to owners of mechanical timepieces who haven't considered a smartwatch in the past.

With a case that measures 39.9 millimeters, the Gear S2 Classic Platinum appears pleasantly understated despite its precious metal finish. The watch has a standard 20-millimeter watchband, which allows users to change the look of the device whenever they desire. The market is brimming with third-party options, ranging from affordable nylon straps, all the way to exotic leather offerings.

Specs-wise, the Samsung Gear S2 Classic Platinum is no different than its more affordable siblings. Key features include a gorgeous 1.2-inch fully circular Super AMOLED display of 360 by 360 pixels, zippy processor by Qualcomm, 4GB of built-in memory, Wi-Fi, and NFC connectivity with support for Samsung Pay.

The device is also a capable fitness tracker, featuring a heart-rate sensor on its back. In order to take advantage of its full health and fitness capabilities, users will need to install the free Samsung S Health app and create an account.

Samsung's Gear S2 product family runs Tizen OS. Developed in house by the tech giant, the OS is defined by a sleek user interface, which can be navigated either by swiping gestures, or by rotating the bezel of the smartwatch.

The smartwatch can connect to compatible Android smartphones via Bluetooth 4.1. A free app by Samsung is required in order to take advantage of its functionality.

The Samsung Gear S2 Classic Platinum has a price tag of $450, which is quite attractive considering its appealing design and precious metal coating. For comparison, an Apple Watch in stainless steel starts at $100 more, with variants that have a genuine leather bracelet going for at least $649. A Huawei watch with gold plating and Android Wear on board, on the other hand, will set you back $700.

For the time being, all Samsung Gear S2 smartwatches are only compatible with Android smartphones. However, Apple iOS support is expected to arrive in the near future.

Shop the Samsung Gear S2 Classic Platinum here.

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Photos by Stefan Vazharov

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