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High-End 18-Karat Gold Apple Watch Could Cost Up to $1,200

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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The Edition version of Apple's 18-karat gold Apple Watch could cost around $1,200, reports TechCrunch. The site consulted with "jewelers familiar with the material" Apple uses for the Apple Watch Edition, basing an estimate on the size and weight of the device.

edition1.jpg
18-karat yellow gold Apple Watch Edition with Red Modern Buckle band​
​
Chad Rickicki, a watch expert in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania said that a case the size and shape of the Apple Watch in 18 carat gold would cost about $600 to make. The rest -- the electronics and markup could double that price.

That doesn't mean that all of the Apple Watches will rest in the rarified air of haute horlogerie. The lower end sport versions will start at $349 and presumably the standard versions, simply called Apple Watch, will receive a premium over that. The Edition watches, however, are expensive because gold is expensive, even at 18K and intermixed with Apple's alloys.
Click to expand...
Any predictions on possible cost for the gold Apple Watch at this point are fairly rough estimates, as the exact dimensions of the device remain unknown. It is also unclear whether the Apple Watch is gold plated or solid gold alloy.

According to Apple's site, the 18-karat gold used in the Apple Watch Edition has been crafted by the company's metallurgists to be "twice as hard as standard gold." It also comes with a polished sapphire crystal display and rumors have suggested the gold watches will come in special boxes that can also be used for charging.

Early iWatch rumors from KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested the wearable device would come in an array of colors and styles, with some of them costing several thousand dollars. Depending on the pricing of the Edition watches, Kuo's prediction may not be far off.

While Apple is aiming for the luxury market with the Apple Watch Edition line, the company is also planning to offer the Apple Watch in several other lower-priced configurations. The Apple Watch Sport, for example, does away with sapphire in favor of an Ion-X glass display and a lightweight aluminum casing, making it much more affordable. According to Apple, its line of watches will start at $349 and will begin shipping in early 2015.

Article Link: High-End 18-Karat Gold Apple Watch Could Cost Up to $1,200
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/12/gold-apple-watch-1200/
Lapidus

Lapidus

macrumors regular
May 14, 2012
202
174
You don't want to buy an $1.2K Apple watch to discover 14months later there is a new round model with more sensors.
 
bpeeps

bpeeps

Suspended
May 6, 2011
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1200 for a bulky watch? I'll wait for the Air version in 4 years.

My favorite past-time is reading reviews for 10,000 dollar watches on Amazon. Pretty Hilarious.
 
M

milo

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2003
6,891
522
$1200 actually seems pretty low for gold. I guess we'll see the real prices when they're announced.
 
K

karlwig

macrumors 6502
Mar 7, 2008
313
94
I think it looks nice, but no way I'm putting that much money in a smartwatch that will be outdated in a year. Especially not a first gen.
 
J

JimmyTW87

macrumors member
Jun 24, 2013
72
23
Thats not unlike all of the other ranges of major (small) consumer products apple sell, phones from around £300 to over $1000, similar to the iPad. Seems fair enough to me.

Laptops ranging from $800 - $2400+, there is a watch out there for every budget.

Where this is slightly different is it's a fashion item, that without an iPhone is barely usable. $1000+ for a tethered accessory might hurt a few people
 
S

SHNXX

macrumors 68000
Oct 2, 2013
1,901
663
This would be among the cheapest solid gold watches available today (that are not used). Probably the cheapest.
 
SandboxGeneral

SandboxGeneral

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Sep 8, 2010
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Detroit
diamornte said:
What will it be worth when :apple:watch 2 comes out?
Click to expand...

That's the most important question! For those who buy the high-end Edition version, what will they do, how will they feel when the next iteration is released?

Will Apple have a regular, annual, release schedule with the Watch, or will they go a couple of years or more between hardware releases?

First edition buyers should beware of these things and expect that it could get outdated quickly.
 
Macinva

Macinva

macrumors 6502
May 15, 2007
333
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If I want to spend $1200 on an Apple product, I'll get a Macbook Air or something.
 
S

SHNXX

macrumors 68000
Oct 2, 2013
1,901
663
bpeeps said:
1200 for a bulky watch? I'll wait for the Air version in 4 years.



My favorite past-time is reading reviews for 10,000 dollar watches on Amazon. Pretty Hilarious.
Click to expand...


Well it's supposedly only 12.5mm.
Do you know anything about how thick watches usually are?
 
charlituna

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
milo said:
$1200 actually seems pretty low for gold. I guess we'll see the real prices when they're announced.
Click to expand...

i won't be shocked if it actually turns out to be less. Folks were saying the iPad would be at least $800 and it was almost half that.

so if this 'high end' watch turns out to be say $800-900 I am not going to be surprised.
 
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