Review: Twelve South's Forte is an elegant home for the Apple Watch

by Brent Dirks

October 16, 2015

Company: Twelve South
Product: Forte
Price: $59.99
Compatibility: All Apple Watches
Website: https://www.twelvesouth.com/
Date: Oct. 16, 2015

The Product

Once wasn’t enough for Twelve South. The popular accessory maker that only focuses on Apple products introduced its HiRise Stand for the Apple Watch back in May. But the company is back with a new option for Apple’s wearable device – the Forte.

And unlike the HiRise, the new option takes a bit of a different approach. The entire dock is made with a beautiful mirrored chrome that looks really nice. While the bottom of the dock is covered with genuine leather, the chrome arm that holds the charging disc rises up from the middle of the base.

Getting set up is quick and easy. Just place the disc in the top of the stand and then route the cable down through the back of the arm. Place the plastic ring over the disc, and you’re ready to go. The ring blends in well with the dock since it’s made with the same chrome color. Along with securing the charging disc, it also prevents the watch from touching any metal parts of the dock.

Forte places the watch in a nice viewing angle during both portrait and landscape charging.

The dock arm places your watch in a 40-degree viewing angle in either portrait or landscape mode. That also means that it is compatible with the new Nightstand Mode in Watch OS 2.0 when you place the watch on its side. The special display will illuminate when you press the Digital Crown, side button, or the screen. It will show the current time, date, and any alarms that you’ve set. When the alarm sounds, press the side button to turn it off or the Digital Crown to snooze.

Unlike some docks, with the nice viewing angle, I was able to easily interact with the watch and even see notifications without any issues.

The soft leather base, along with protecting any watch band, can also serve as a place for your iPhone at night. Just to note, the base does offer some heft and definitely won’t be sliding around wherever it is placed.

The stand’s arm also conceals the Apple’s Watch’s charging cable.

I also think this is one of the first docks that I’ve seen that really appeals to women as well. My wife usually pays no attention to the latest and greatest accessories I’m testing out, but she definitely was very interested in the Forte. It really looked great anywhere I placed it, and truly does a nice job showcasing the watch itself.

As you can tell, I’ve really enjoyed the Forte. While the price might turn off some potential buyers, especially when looking at other options, I really think the stand is worth the price. It’s made with high-quality material, and I can see it lasting for many years to come. And the beautiful design makes it a perfect choice for pretty much anyone needing an all-around home for their Apple Watch. It’s definitely recommended.

What’s Hot

A truly beautiful way to charge your Apple Watch.
Can hold both the Apple Watch and an iPhone.
You can charge the watch in both portrait and landscape orientation.
Compatible with Nightstand mode in WatchOS 2.0.
The weighted base feels substantial and shouldn’t slide around your desk or nightstand.
Compatible with all watch models and bands.