Motorola today introduced the Aura, a handset with the first circular display inspired by luxury watches and fine handcrafted design.

Motorola Aura More Photos View Specs

The Aura has a Swiss-made main bearing and more than 200 parts. The round liquid-crystal display offers 16 million colors at 300 dpi resolution. It is capped with a Grade 1, 62-carat sapphire crystal lens, one of the most scratch-resistant materials on earth.

Textures and patterns are chemically etched into its surface. Its stainless steel housing is sculpted, electro and hand polished, chemically etched and PVD coated.

The back reveals a window into its mechanical heart. The Swiss-made main bearing, Rockwell 50-55 hardened steel gears and 130 precision ball bearings drive the assisted-opening blade. The custom-engineered rotating mechanism is composed of more than 200 individual parts. The gears are protected from harsh conditions with the same coatings used in high-performance racing engines.

It comes with Motorola's proprietary CrystalTalk technology for audio clarity on calls and Stereo Bluetooth technology for handsfree calls.

"The Aura is Motorola's latest endeavor into the high-tier mobile device space and is the result of our continued inspiration to innovate in design, imagination and state-of-the-art handcraftsmanship," said Jim Wicks, Motorola's Director of Consumer Experience Design. "From the moment the Aura owners hold their phones, they elevate their own experience in luxury and unmatched quality."

The Motorola Aura is expected to be available around the globe beginning in Q4 2008 for $2,000.

- Motorola Aura Specs

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