Coros Pace 4 Black Crystal gets an aluminium bezel and costs 20 euros more

Coros has released its running watch in a new finish designed to look more upmarket, thanks to an aluminium bezel. The protective glass is unchanged, however, to keep both the price and weight under control. The Pace 4 in the Black Crystal version costs 20 euros more.

Among the lightest sports watches you can buy, Coros continues its “Pace” line aimed squarely at runners. With the fourth-generation model - the Pace 4 - the brand has opted for styling closer to the Coros Pace Pro launched earlier, which had already made the fully plastic look of the Coros Pace 3 feel more refined.

Coros Pace 4 Black Crystal: an aluminium bezel for a more premium look

Until now, the Coros Pace 4 didn’t really offer a genuinely premium-looking option in the way some competitors, such as Garmin, do on their mid-range models. In keeping with Coros’s long-standing habit of going against the grain, the Pace 4 now comes in a new “Black Crystal” edition featuring an aluminium bezel.

What changes on the Coros Pace 4 aluminium “Black Crystal”

Coros is keen to point out that swapping this component has little impact on weight - one of the watch’s key selling points. The Coros Pace 4 Black Crystal is just 1 g heavier, and it uses a 6000-series aluminium alloy. The cover glass does not switch to sapphire; it remains standard mineral glass.

To highlight the new bezel on the Coros Pace 4 Black Crystal, the strap lugs are now transparent. They are paired with a silicone strap that differs from the base model, featuring a striped pattern. Beyond that, nothing else changes: you still get an AMOLED display and the same sensors found on the Coros Pace 4 we tested.

Strap options: silicone or nylon

From brand images and the official website, the Coros Pace 4 Black Crystal should also be offered with the (standard) nylon strap, which helps keep the watch’s weight down. It is also a smart choice for comfort, making the watch even nicer to wear. Fit is more precise and faster to adjust too.

20 euros: the price difference for the Coros Pace 4 aluminium

Already on sale, the Black Crystal version of the Coros Pace 4 is priced at 289 euros rather than 269 euros - an extra 20 euros. Some will consider that a steep uplift for a minor finish change, while others will see it as a small enough step to justify choosing the version that looks more carefully finished and more premium on a watch likely to be worn daily as well as during training.