Tranquil Watch Review

We tested the Tranquil Watch hands-on before declaring it the best watch for seniors with dementia.
Best watch for seniors with dementia
Tranquil watch
Tranquil Watch
  • pro
    30-day risk-free trial
  • pro
    Classic analog design
  • pro
    Unique Bluetooth beacon alarm
Plan name
Price
Prorated refunds
Annual subscription
Icon Yes  LightYes
Monthly subscription
Icon No  LightNo
Cathy Habas
Mar 28, 2023
Icon Time To Read4 min read

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review

The Tranquil Watch is a senior-friendly GPS tracker with a unique approach to dementia wandering prevention, a long battery life, and a fully-waterproof design.

We tested the Tranquil Watch, spoke with its creator, and compared its specs to other GPS trackers for seniors with dementia. Our verdict: Tranquil Watch gets it right and is worth the price.

pro
Pros
pro 1-week battery life
pro Fully waterproof
pro SOS button
pro Two-way talk with auto-answer
pro Safe zones & location history
pro Phone, text, or email alerts
pro Optional locking strap
pro Four colors
pro Free 2-day shipping
pro 12-month warranty
pro Comfortable
con
Cons
con Large size
con No fall detection

Compare Tranquil to other watches for seniors

Product
Best for
Upfront Price
Monthly price
Max. battery life
Proximity alarm
Fully waterproof
Learn More
Best for dementia$44.95/mo.
1 week
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best wear options$64.99/mo.
24 hours
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
Best for simplicity$29.97/mo.
20 hours
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
Best for health tracking$12.99/mo.
72 hours
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
Best for professional monitoring$39.95/mo.
24 hours
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

What's in the box

  • Tranquil Watch
  • Charging station/primary beacon
  • USB adaptor
  • Second beacon
  • Quick help guide

Classic analog appeal for seniors

Miles Waghorn, creator of the Tranquil Watch, told us he was inspired to make a good-looking watch based on his experiences with his grandmother.

“Just because someone’s over a certain age doesn’t mean they don’t like to look good,” he said, noting that even the best senior watches are useless if people are too embarrassed to wear them.

We completely agree. The Tranquil Watch has a classic analog face and luxurious leather straps, which are likely to seem familiar and comforting to an older person who might be experiencing memory issues. An overly-modern digital clock face or silicone strap might seem jarring in contrast.

Plus, that classic aesthetic helps drum up enthusiasm in the people who wear it. Miles said he’s heard seniors bragging about their “James Bond watches” that look normal but can make phone calls.

Four colors to choose from

The watch comes in four different colors. Miles told us he intentionally designed more feminine colors, like rose gold, because women represent two-thirds of all dementia cases.  Other watches for seniors tend to come in basic black with no variety.

It’s large but lightweight

Image: Rebecca Edwards, SafeWise

Here’s one of our few nit-picks: the Tranquil Watch is quite large at 1.8 inches in diameter. It may look out of place on a petite person’s wrist, but it isn’t heavy. In fact, it was comfortable enough for our tester to sleep in it all night.

Best battery life of any senior watch

The Tranquil Watch’s one-week battery life means your loved one doesn’t have to charge it every night. That’s great news if you’re concerned they might forget to charge the watch or to put it on in the morning.

Other smartwatch batteries last between 18 and 30 hours on a single charge.

Fully waterproof design

Whereas most other GPS watches are simply splash-resistant, the Tranquil Watch is fully waterproof.  “You can go swimming with it,” Miles assures.

This crucial feature means your loved one won’t forget to put the Tranquil Watch back on after a shower, nor will they accidentally ruin it by forgetting to take it off beforehand. 

Features for all stages of dementia

The Tranquil Watch’s SOS button, two-way talk, and GPS tracker make it suitable for all seniors, including those with early-stage dementia. But it’s uniquely useful for people with mid- and late-stage dementia thanks to a special beacon alarm or proximity alert.

Here’s how it works: the Tranquil Watch connects via Bluetooth to a separate device called a beacon. The Bluetooth connection is severed once the Watch moves too far away from the beacon. Once that happens, the Tranquil Watch sends out an alert via text, call, or email. 

This is far more accurate than geofencing to know when someone with dementia is leaving their home. Geofencing uses GPS signals and tends to create false alarms in small areas. That said, you can set up geofences (also called safe zones) with the Tranquil Watch.

Our only complaint is that the sound doesn’t emit from the beacon itself, which would turn it into a pager for in-home caregivers. As it stands, caregivers can still get alerts for the Tranquil watch—they'll just need to keep their phone volume turned up.

Finally, you can buy a locking pin if your loved one is at risk of removing the watch.

Customer-friendly policies

The Tranquil Watch comes with free two-day shipping and a 30-day risk-free trial.

If you sign up for an annual plan, you can get a prorated refund for unused months. No refunds are given for the monthly plan. Tranquil pays for return shipping if you decide to cancel.

Aside from the optional locking strap accessory, there are no extra fees. Every feature is included in the watch price.

Our Tranquil Watch testing experience

Our tester Rebecca noted that the Tranquil Watch was the only smartwatch she’s tested that worked correctly right out of the box. No setup headaches with this one.

Icon Quote  Dark
It works right out of the box.
The Tranquil Watch is already set up with your home location as the primary location, so you don’t have to program that in yourself."
Rebecca E.

Rebecca also said there’s no instruction manual in the box—just a quick start guide with a QR code that brings you to a series of setup videos. According to Miles, that’s intentional—he wants users to feel like he’s right there with them, just like a son or grandson.

Good audio

There were a few hiccups when it was time to enter caregivers’ phone numbers and place a test SOS call. Without +1 in front of each phone number, the calls don’t go through. But once we figured that out, Rebecca was able to press the SOS button on the Tranquil Watch and reach me on the phone without any problems. The audio sounded good on both ends.

It’s easy to place the Tranquil Watch on the charger thanks to a magnetic component that snaps the two together. And, as previously mentioned, the watch is lightweight and comfortable.

Poor indoor tracking

Screenshot: Rebecca Edwards, SafeWise

Like most GPS devices, the Tranquil Watch works best when it's outside with an unobstructed view of the sky. If your loved one goes out to eat or heads to the store, you might see their GPS location jump around a bit, as in our screenshot. 

What’s missing from the Tranquil Watch?

We noticed just a couple of things lacking in the Tranquil Watch:

  • No fall detection: Watches with fall detection are slowly becoming more common, and we’re hoping this feature is offered in the Tranquil Watch in the future.
  • Not professionally monitored: Make sure you (and other caregivers on the SOS list) understand that no professional monitors will respond to your loved one’s SOS calls if you don’t pick up.

Final word

The Tranquil Watch is the first wearable device for seniors to combine a home exit alarm with a GPS tracker—and we’re thrilled it’s been brought to market.

That said, it’s not for everyone. With no professional monitoring option, the Tranquil Watch is ideal for older people who already have an active group of caregivers looking out for them.

How we reviewed the Tranquil Watch

Image: Rebecca Edwards, SafeWise

For our Tranquil Watch review, we conducted hands-on testing and spoke to the company’s founder. We also compared the Tranquil Watch’s specifications to other senior-oriented watches and GPS trackers on the market to evaluate the Tranquil Watch in context. Learn more about how we rank and review by visiting the Safewise methodology page.

Cathy Habas
Written by
Cathy Habas
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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