By Jaime Misalucha

Since the 1500s, watches have been an essential accessory of men and women. Originally worn as a pendant or attached to clothing - known as a pomander watch, it has survived the test of time and has adapted to the needs of people at present and beyond.

Although watches nowadays are no longer worn as a pendant or attached to clothing, their main purpose is still the same, tell the time, but with added bonus.

It is most probably one of the oldest devices out there that has consistently evolved tremendously as time goes by. From a pendant to a device worn at the wrist. From analog to digital, and now, it got “smarter.” It can now also tell how many steps you have taken, count your heartbeat, the number of calories you have burned, and many more. With the proliferation of smartwatches for a few years now, it has claimed the spot as the next “primary” species in the evolution of the watch.

One of the lesser-known brands yet affordable options for smartwatches is the RC Smartwatch S1.

Off the box, you will find the smartwatch itself, and underneath is the charger and user’s manual.

It has about 1.5 inches of screen with thicker bezels at the top and bottom than on its sides. It has a button on each side of the screen which serves as home buttons. The left button can be customized though and can also launch the sport mode with a long press.

The straps are made out of silicon rubber and can be replaced with straps that you can find online.

Just like any other lesser-known and affordable smartwatches out there, it only offers a limited number of watch faces to choose from. It only has 4 watch faces installed and there is no indication in the box nor the manual if you can add more. Still, the watch faces give you all the details you’d need in just one look, unlike other watch faces from other smartwatches where you need to swipe to see how many steps you have taken so far.

It has different sports modes to choose from. They are walking, running, bicycle, hiking, climbing, badminton, workout, spinning, treadmill, yoga, basketball, football, tennis, and dance. The RC S1 is ip68 water-resistant, meaning, you can wear it when swimming. It also has a high sensitive large HD color screen make it easy to operate and gives you clear insights into the display even while in the water.

For women, its health tracking function can also help you track your menstrual cycle.

The pedometer of the RC Smartwatch S1 indeed sensitive. It quickly detects your steps but compared to other smartwatches it doesn’t count your steps in real-time. It takes a few seconds for all your steps to register. But one thing that bothers me is that it also counts wrist movements like using a "pamaypay" as steps. Whatever your fitness goal is, it pays to have a companion to help you keep on track. With smartwatches like the RC Smartwatch S1, it gives your wrist the power not just to tell time but also to keep you on track of your fitness goals and more.