One of the barriers faced by those who are visually impaired or blind is the ability to wear a watch. After all, if it’s difficult to see, the idea of looking at a tiny watch display becomes almost impossible.
But voice technology has been around for a while, and continues to improve, meaning that blind, visually impaired, or seniors who have trouble seeing can choose from among a number of watches for the blind. Even those who work in low light settings would appreciate a talking watch.
Vision impaired watches aren’t limited to those that speak to the user, however. There are also watches for the blind that use tactile or touch controls to provide time, day date and more in Braille.
There are vision impaired watches that connect to smartphones, allowing the user to stay connected, and there is even the option for an atomic talking watch, which receives a radio signal on a regular basis to ensure the time is always correct.
Let’s take a look at the top vision impaired watches, as well as what to look for when shopping for a watch for the blind.
Best Talking Watches For Visually Impaired
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| 1
Best Overall
1Five Senses 1095 English Talking Watch
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| 2
Best For Low Budgets
2ILA Square Talking Watch
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| 3
Best For Higher Budgets
3DOT Braille & Tactile Bluetooth Talking Smartwatch
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1. Five Senses 1095 English Talking Watch
- Easy to press, large top button that activates the voice functionality
- Calls out the time, date, day and alarm
- Ideal for visually impaired, blind or seniors
- Clear and loud male voice
This atomic watch combines the benefits of automatic time adjustment with a loud, clear voice that calls out the time functions, making it ideal for the visually impaired, blind, and seniors, or for telling time in low light conditions.
With the touch of the large top button, the watch clearly reads the time, day, date, month and year, as well as signal reception status, in a pleasant male voice. The atomic signal automatically sets the time and calendar, and adjusts for Daylight Savings Time.
In areas where the signal can’t reach, such as the states of Alaska and Hawaii, the user can adjust the time and date manually. The watch face has the speaker as well as an easy-to-read LCD display.
Specifications
Pros
- An atomic watch in which the time is set automatically via radio signal
- Automatically adjusts for Daylight Savings Time
- Reads the time, date, etc., with the touch of the large top button
- Also has an easy to read LCD display
Cons
- The atomic signal that comes from Fort Collins, Colorado, does not reach the states of Alaska and Hawaii, or the country of Canada. Those users can set the time manually
- The all-black watch face is not that attractive
2. ILA Square Talking Watch
- Activate either alarm or hourly time announcements as needed
- Black case and band
- Clear LCD screen display
- Mode and voice control buttons as well as hour and minute
This is a good entry level talking watch for those who are hard of hearing, visually impaired, or those who need it in low light situations. Its digital, round watch face features a clear LCD display showing the time, and side buttons that change the mode, and activate the voice control.
A clear, female voice will read a daily alarm, or provide hourly time announcements. It has a black case and black plastic band, with the speaker on the face, making it easier to hear the female voice.
The buttons are recessed, making it more difficult to accidentally activate the voice.
Specifications
Pros
- Easy to hear with the speaker located on the watch face
- Speaks in a clear female voice
- Easy access buttons on the side
- Buttons are slightly recessed making it harder to accidentally activate the voice
Cons
- Band is plastic
- Multiple buttons can be confusing for those who are sight impaired
3. DOT Braille & Tactile Bluetooth Talking Smartwatch
- Tells time using a raised dot technology, allowing users to “read” by touch
- Connects to a smartphone through Android or iOs, allowing you to receive notifications and phone calls without sound
- Uses active Braille technology in a mobile form
- Bluetooth networking and includes touch sensor and 3-axis gyroscope
A truly unique and innovative watch for the visually impaired or blind, using a dot technology with intuitive touch controls to provide readouts in Braille.
Features include the digital watch, as well as a stopwatch, alarm, weather, and more. Receive notifications from your smartphone, including text messages and phone calls, without sound – providing privacy for the user compared to timepieces and smartphones that read to the wearer.
You can even use it to find your phone. Features Bluetooth networking and uses active Braille technology in a mobile form. You can even use it to learn Braille. Or, simply tell time in tactile mode by counting the dots on either side of the line, providing easy detection of the hour and minutes. Comes with a water and dust cover.
Specifications
Pros
- Battery life up to one week
- Ideal for those who know Braille, but can also be used to learn Braille, or tell time by the number of dots
- Provides digital time, along with a stopwatch, alarm, memo, weather and more
- Receive calls and text messages free of sound, providing privacy for the user
Cons
- Limited functionality if you can’t read Braille
- Some users may prefer a true talking watch
4. TimeOptics GWC07TT Bracelet Talking Watch
- Listed as a women’s watch but could be worn by men
- Analog style
- Hour, minute and second hands
- Two-tone case and band in silver and gold tones
This watch is ideal for the visually impaired, with its bright while dial and contrasting black hands and large, black numbers.
It’s also perfect for the blind, or for use in low-light settings, with the option to push a button and have either a male or female voice read the time, as well as day, date and year, and alarm.
The advanced movement synchronizes the analog watch and the talking time while setting. The watch and band are stainless steel, in silver and gold tones, and the band is an expansion flex bracelet. The mineral crystal is scratch resistant and anti-reflective.
Specifications
Pros
- Bright white dial and contrasting black hands with large numbers, making it easier for visually impaired to see
- Option for a female or male voice to “read” or “speak” the time
- Expansion flex bracelet
- Scratch resistant anti-reflective mineral crystal
Cons
- Listed as “not suitable for hearing impaired”
- Dressy style may not be for everyone
5. Samsung Galaxy Talking Watch
Samsung designed the Galaxy smartwatch as a fitness wearable that looks and feels like a classic analog timepiece. And they managed to do a fantastic job!
The smartwatch features a round stainless steel case with a wide array of available straps (easy to switch), a mechanical rotating bezel, and lots of watch faces to choose from. Overall, the design fits both elegant and casual settings and can be used while working out (5ATM water resistance).
It uses Bluetooth v4.2 to pair with both Android and iOS smartphones and, depending on your use, it may go on one charge for two or three days.
You can use it as a smartwatch – checking your daily schedule, making calls, listening to music – or as a fitness wearable. The built-in sensors (accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, HR sensor, and light sensor) keep track of your activities, the intensity of the workout, and more. When connected to the accompanying app, the data is used to create graphs and charts that showcase your progress in time.
In addition to this, users can connect with various IoT devices around the house (TV, vacuum cleaner, smart speaker), supporting the smart home concept. Overall, this is a complex smartwatch, with lots of cool apps and plenty of useful features. It looks like a classic analog watch (depending on the face you’re using) and it is durable.
Specifications
Pros
- Elegant design & durable build
- Comfortable to wear for long periods of time
- Access to a wide range of apps
- Compatible with Android & iOS
- Great fitness tracking capabilities
Cons
- The battery doesn’t last too long
- 3rd party app support is not great
Talking Watch Buying Guide
Mechanism
There are several options when choosing a watch for the blind. For instance, you can get a watch that runs on a battery, or by plugging in to charge.
There are both analog and digital options, as well as those that are read by Braille. The atomic talking watch connects via radio signal to set the time and update it regularly.
Many are operated via quartz movement. Some have the speaker located on the front of the watch, making it easier to hear. And the voice functionality is often operated via a button on the watch, sometimes at the top and sometimes on the side of the watch.
For instance, one of our choices has a large button on the top of the watch, making it easy to find and operate the voice activation. Others have several buttons recessed on the sides of the watch, making it more difficult to accidentally set off the voice function when you don’t want to.
Design & Style
The design and style of a visually impaired watch, talking watch or Braille watch can be as varied as any other type of timepiece. There are analog and digital, as well as Braille style; there are round and square watch faces. There are those that look sporty and those that are more dressy.
There are smaller options more suitable for women, and those that are unisex. Materials can be resin, stainless steel, or aluminum. Watch bands range from plastic to resin to stainless steel, mesh or links.
Functions
The talking clock or timepiece has been around for a long time, since the 1800s in fact. And the first talking clocks weren’t invented with the visually impaired in mind, but rather as a novelty, since the invention of the phonograph and recorded sound had spurred inventors to design other voice-activated products.
But as technology has advanced, so has the functionality of watches for the blind. Many can now read day, date and alarms. Some connect to smartphones to notify of text messages, phone calls, the weather and more.
Some talking watches speak in a male voice, some are in a female voice, and some have the option to choose between male or female.
There’s also the option for an atomic talking watch. This timepiece connects regularly to a radio signal to ensure up-to-the-second time accuracy, as well as automatic adjustments for Daylight Savings Time.
And not all watches speak to the user. There are those watches for the blind that use touch technology to provide time and other notifications in Braille, allowing the wearer to use them privately and discreetly.
Pricing Range
There are entry level vision impaired watches that are very reasonable. The more expensive option is the Braille technology, but the price is not exorbitant. Most shoppers will find the features and price that suit them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the type of watch chosen, there are different ways to set a talking watch time. An atomic watch, for instance, connects to a radio signal, so the initial setup needs to include specific steps for setting your home time zone.
Once the atomic watch is set up, it connects regularly to the radio signal to ensure accurate timekeeping, as well as adjustments for Daylight Savings Time and leap years.
Other talking watches will have different controls for setting the time, day, date and more. And still others will connect with smartphones to add functionality and features and adjust time accurately.
Our Verdict
The choices among watches for the blind are as varied as any other type of watch.
Users can find analog or digital displays, sporty or dressy styles, and the option for a male voice, female voice, or the choice of having both options in one watch.
There are round and square vision impaired watches, an atomic talking watch, and there are even watches that don’t speak at all, instead allowing users to discreetly read the time and other notifications in Braille.
You can find watches for the blind that provide just the basic functions, like time, day and date, or those that connect with smartphones to provide even more features.
The atomic feature gives you a watch that will always provide you with an accurate time, and never has to be updated for Daylight Savings Time, leap years and more.
There truly is a watch for every type of user and every taste, which you will find in our list of the best talking watches for the blind.
