Garmin unexpectedly drops a new colourway for one of its most controversial watches

Garmin has been beyond busy over the past year, rolling out new watches at a pace that would make most rivals nervous.

From iterative updates to full-blown technological flexes, the brand has barely gone a month without announcing something new.

Among those launches was the world’s first MicroLED smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, alongside several refinements to its established ranges.

Tucked into that relentless release schedule was a more divisive model: the Garmin Venu X1.

Unlike most Garmin watches, which lean heavily into rugged design language and outdoors-first functionality, the Venu X1 marked a noticeable shift in direction.

Its square case, slim profile and softer styling felt intentionally different, and that was very much the point.

The controversy around the Venu X1 wasn’t about performance. Instead, it stemmed from what the watch appeared to represent.

With its shape and proportions, the Venu X1 looked like a clear attempt to appeal to users who like the aesthetic of the Apple Watch but want Garmin’s fitness depth and battery life.

Crucially, the similarities end with the silhouette. Under the hood, the Venu X1 remains unmistakably Garmin.

It boasts the largest display the brand has ever fitted to a smartwatch, paired with its thinnest case to date, yet still delivers around a week of battery life.

That combination alone sets it apart from most lifestyle-focused smartwatches on the market.

Reading the room

Garmin also seems well aware that buyers drawn to this type of device care deeply about how it looks on the wrist.

This helps explain why the Kansas-based brand has now quietly introduced a new Soft Gold colourway, complete with a titanium caseback and French Grey nylon band.

Sadly, the Venu X1 still retails for twice as much as the Apple Watch Series 11 (RRP £679.99 / $799.99 / AU$1,499).

It’s a subtle update, but one that reinforces the Venu X1’s positioning as Garmin’s most style-conscious smartwatch, and a reminder that design, for once, is part of the headline.

Head over to Garmin UK, Garmin US or Garmin AU for more info.