Seiko WristMac: Macintosh-compatible wristwatch that helped send the first email from space goes up for auction 33 years after its release

A rare example of early wearable hardware has been listed on ComicConnect, 'the world's premier online comic marketplace & auctioneer'. Apple announced its eponymous watch in 2015, of which there have since been eight models, including the Watch SE. However, Seiko and Ex Machina, Inc released the WristMac in 1988, which could be connected to a Macintosh.

The WristMac could store phone numbers, trigger alarms and take notes on its two 12-character lines. These notes could be exported to a disk and saved as a text file, while the wristwatch came with a cable that supported the Mac Plus, Mac SE or the Mac II. Accordingly, the auction includes this cable and WristMac 1.2 software on a floppy disk. It is unclear if the floppy disk remains functional, though.

Nonetheless, the WristMac is expected to fetch up to US$100,000, with a more likely final price tipped to be between US$25,000 and US$50,000. Currently, the auction is at US$800, having received 27 bids. The auction runs until December 18.

Incidentally, the WristMac has a place in astronautical history. In August 1991, astronauts aboard the Atlantic Space Shuttle used the WristMac to help send the first email from space. Purportedly, the WristMac coordinated with Apple Link software and the Macintosh Portable.

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