The90 Gem - A UV Tracker Disguised as a Necklace

UV-measuring wearables have been around for a while, but they've always come as wrist devices or collar clips, and I'd end up tossing them in a drawer after a few days. What caught my eye about the The90 Gem is that it's built as an actual necklace pendant — the "wear it like an accessory every day" approach.

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📊 Quick Info

Item	Details
Brand	The90 (founded by a former Fitbit executive)
Price	$299 (available in gold and silver finishes)
Material/Specs	Titanium case, not waterproof (splash-resistant only), roughly 1 week of battery life
Key Features	Real-time UVA/UVB exposure tracking, sunburn risk countdown, app-connected skin monitoring
One-line take	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Redefines the UV wearable as an "accessory"

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✨ 3-Line Summary

• 👍 Best part: It's a necklace pendant rather than a wristband, so it layers naturally with other jewelry
• 👎 Downside: At $299 it's not cheap, and there aren't enough reviews yet on app subscription requirements or accuracy
• 🎯 Who it's for: People who spend a lot of time outdoors and care about sunburn/hyperpigmentation prevention, or anyone who likes minimal jewelry-style devices

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📸 Product Gallery

The gold-finish pendant — worn around the neck, it just looks like a round charm

About the size of a finger segment. The sensor's glass surface is slightly domed

Shown attached to a box chain — gold plating over a titanium bezel

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🔍 Why I'm Interested

The real problem with wearables is "wear retention"

I've tried UV trackers and activity bands before, but they all ended up unworn after a few days. The90 Gem tackles this head-on — instead of designing a functional gadget, they designed "a necklace you'd want to wear every day," which in turn keeps the data flowing continuously.

Choosing the neck over the wrist

UV exposure hits the face and neck area especially hard, but most UV sensors sit on the wrist, which creates a gap between measured and actual facial exposure. A necklace-style sensor sits closer to the face, so it feels like it should give a more accurate real-world reading.

Credibility from a former Fitbit founder

Wearable hardware needs sensor accuracy, battery life, and app polish to all come together, and having a team with Fitbit experience gives some confidence that the fundamentals will be solid.

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🤔 Points of Hesitation

$299 is an awkward price point — too much for jewelry, not quite cheap for a device

It's pricey as a necklace, and not exactly budget as a wearable either. It seems worth waiting for more real-world reviews before committing.

App dependency and how useful the data actually is, unclear

Even if it shows you UV readings, it's still up to you to decide "should I reapply sunscreen now?" — so how practical the app's nudges are will make or break the experience.

Splash-resistant, not waterproof, so you'll need to take it off for showers/swimming

Part of the appeal of a necklace is that you can just leave it on all the time, and that advantage takes a hit if it can't handle water.

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📋 Product Features (Subjective Rating)

• Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Practicality: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
• Value for money: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (still lacking real-world validation)

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🛒 Before You Buy

✅ Recommended for

• People who spend a lot of time outdoors — running, golf, etc. — with heavy sun exposure
• Anyone who only keeps wearing a device if it also "looks good like an accessory"
• Skincare enthusiasts who'll actually put UV data to use

❌ Not recommended for

• Anyone already getting UV alerts from a smartwatch who doesn't need a second device
• People who don't really wear necklaces
• Anyone hesitant to spend $300+ on a wearable without a solid track record of reviews

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🎯 Final Verdict

UV trackers aren't a new idea, but it's a category where every product has failed on wear retention. The90 Gem stands out for its simple but effective solution: hide the function inside a necklace.

The price isn't something you'd casually splurge on, and there isn't yet a deep pool of real-world reviews, so this feels less like something to buy right now and more like a category worth watching grow. That said, the gold-tone finish and minimal round silhouette look good enough to work as everyday jewelry beyond just being a wearable — the design alone felt worth featuring.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors or take skincare seriously, this is one to keep an eye on once more reviews come in.

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Source: Gadget Flow article