The UV-tracking Gem made me rethink how sunlight affects my health, not just my appearance

Summary

The Gem by The90 is a wearable UV-tracking pendant that measures UVA and UVB exposure to calculate personalized sun safety and wellness metrics. While effective at raising awareness of ambient UV radiation and heat risks, its software estimates can fluctuate erratically, and its tracking requires the companion mobile app to stay open continuously in the background.

Key Takeaways

1. The included UV-detecting sensor measures UVA and UVB radiation separately, rather than simply displaying my area’s UV forecast.
2. Eventually, I discovered the app needs to remain running in the background (at least on iPhone; I haven’t tested on Android), as measurements aren’t stored on the sensor, and fully closing the app interrupts tracking.
3. During one test, its estimate of how much additional sunlight I needed dropped from several hours to under an hour, then climbed past six hours just minutes later.

Statement Breakdown

• Claimed Facts: 65% of statements the article presents as facts
• Opinions: 35% of statements classified as editorial or subjective
• Claims: 0% of statements surfaced for additional reader evaluation

Credibility & Bias Reasoning

Credibility assessment: The article is a first-person hardware and software review based on direct consumer testing. The author tests battery life, app reliability, and sensor responsiveness in various conditions. Sourcing consists of user experience, manufacturer specifications, and standard dermatological definitions of UV radiation without independent laboratory verification.

Bias assessment: Personal Tech Consumer Perspective. The piece is written from a subjective consumer testing perspective that highlights personal lifestyle factors and health habits. It evaluates the device constructively while candidly detailing software limitations, fluctuating predictive countdowns, and the high price point.

Note: Relies on personal consumer testing and manufacturer product claims.

Credibility flag: Hands-On Review

Claimed Facts (5)

• States verifiable retail pricing and product identity.
• Outlines standard biological and dermatological descriptions of UV wavelengths.
• Reports the results of a direct hardware battery and charging test.
• Reports an announced manufacturer release roadmap for future accessory products.
• Describes the specific benchmark metric recommended inside the companion application.

Opinions (4)

• Conveys a subjective personal aesthetic assessment of the jewelry design.
• Expresses an evaluative preference regarding the user interface design.
• Presents a personal judgment contrasting the value of raw estimations against an aggregated proprietary score.
• Offers an individual consumer value assessment and buying recommendation.

Key Sources

• Sheena Vasani — Author and Reviewer, The Verge
• The90 — Manufacturer of the Gem UV-tracking necklace