I hope everyone is staying warm during this snowy start to February! I was recently contacted by WHIMVOY to showcase a few watch bands from their site and share my full review. Last year, I was gifted an Apple Watch by a good friend, so this collaboration came at the perfect time. After browsing their site, I said “yes”!
For full transparency: I’ll be sharing my honest opinion of the two watch bands I received, including how they wore over the span of a week. If you're searching for a review of the WHIMVOY brand and their products, please note I’ll be very upfront about both what I liked and what I didn’t.
Thank you again to WHIMVOY for sponsoring this post! If, after reading my review, you’d like to purchase a watch band from them (they support Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, and Google Watch!), you can use the discount code below for 20% off your order.
SAL20
About WHIMVOY
WHIMVOY is a women-owned brand that makes watch bands, phone cases, and other phone and watch accessories. They were founded in June of 2023, and when I asked them about their mission, they shared that they want to “build a reputation for offering artistic and functional tech jewelry.”
The brand uses ethically sourced leather and gold electroplating, and states that they strive to focus on low-waste production. From what I could find in my research, the company ships and produces their products in China, which is something I like to note for transparency when reviewing brands.
The Bands
This band is currently listed on their website for $45 USD. It comes in Gold, Silver, Black, and Rose Gold. I chose the Rose Gold color to match my rose gold watch!
It’s made of copper and zircon, and features white and rose gold–colored rhinestones, as well as a fold-over clasp and adjustable length using a tool included in the box.
This watch is my personal favorite of the two because of the sleek, professional look to it. The rose gold portion of the watch doesn't exactly match the rose gold tone of my Apple Watch, but the difference is not very stark and the look is still smooth.
This band is currently listed on their website for $40 USD.
It comes in a wide range of color combinations: Black & Gold, Ivory & Rose Gold, Pink & Rose Gold, Black & Silver, Blue & Silver, White & Silver, Ivory & Silver, Pink & Silver, Ivory & Gold, Gray & Silver, Hot Pink & Rose Gold, and Red & Gold.
I chose the Black & Gold combo because I wanted to compare the look of their Gold versus their Rose Gold. The band material is listed as genuine leather layered with fabric, and it features a buckle closure.
This one is very easy to slip on and off, making removal a breeze. I also think the black is flattering and goes with any outfit. The gold bow accents are more of a neutral gold color than a very strong yellow, so it didn't look off at all with my rose gold Apple Watch!
What I Liked
Immediately after removing the watches from the box, you can feel the sturdy weight and high quality. The Love-Inspired Band is stunning, catching the light and looking incredibly elegant on the wrist. I was really pleased with the shine of the metal, the glimmer of the rhinestones, and how it elevated the Apple Watch. Sometimes, fitness watches can look bulky on the wrist, so these bands make them look more like a fashion statement.
Both bands are fabulous for work events. Prior to this, I had been using bulk-bought plastic bands, and WHIMVOY's watch bands completely blew those out of the water in every category.
I’ve experienced irritation in the past with plastic bands, which left marks on my wrist and made me feel itchy or uncomfortable due to sweat buildup. I didn’t experience this at all with the WHIMVOY bands!
The Crystal Bowknot Leather Band had a nice thickness and weight to it. Unlike the plastic bands I’ve worn before, it felt secure on my wrist without making my skin feel sweaty or hot. The fit was perfect and I ended up closing it on the second-to-last setting for a tight, secure hold.
What I Disliked
I only have one critique for these watches, and that’s that adjusting them is beyond arduous. For the metal bands, a small tool is included so you can remove the pins locking the band together and adjust the fit.
My first issue is that there were no paper directions included in the package, so I almost missed the tool entirely. The directions for adjustment are included on their
website, but that's assuming you know to look for it.
My second issue is that the tool is extremely hard to use, to the point where I checked the time before adjusting my band, and the entire process took me an hour and 13 minutes. Essentially, you have to use a small device to push the pin within the band out in order to disconnect the links, but if you don’t catch the hole at a very specific angle, there’s a lot of pushback and a genuine fear of breaking it. They have a video on their website on how to adjust the links, but it cuts without showing the full process of pushing out the pin.
See the photo above of the Rose Gold watch post-adjustment!
Even when placed correctly, you have to crank the tool very hard, and after everything was finished, I discovered I had a blister on the inside of my pointer finger from the effort.
To be completely honest, this almost entirely dissuaded me from wearing the watch. However, I found it so pretty that I pressed on, and while I love the final look, the adjustment process was incredibly frustrating and, at times, painful. If you have long nails, it’s a nightmare trying to pick up, push in, and maneuver the tiny pin.
My last gripe is that there’s no alternative to the included tool, so if it breaks or gets misplaced, you'll have to contact customer service. The representative I spoke with for this collab assured me WHIMVOY would provide a tool if needed, but I did some research for alternatives. I found that some people online have had success adjusting similar watch bands using a safety pin, but I wasn’t able to make that work myself.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to move away from cheap plastic watch bands that break easily or irritate your skin, I absolutely recommend WHIMVOY’s bands. I think they have something for everyone, and the quality is extremely high. The products I received were exactly as shown in the photos and videos on their site, and I’m extremely happy with the overall look. My one and only qualm was the metal band adjustment process, but after reading this post, I think you’ll be well prepared to give it a try.
Customer service is very prompt if you have any questions, and they run sales around major holidays, so keep an eye on the site if there’s a band you’re interested in! There is free shipping pretty much worldwide for overs above $59.
For any of my readers who would like to make a purchase from WHIMVOY, they have offered Sincerely, Alice readers a 20% discount off your order using the code:
SAL20
Thanks for reading and I'll see you again soon! x
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