Gold Plating the steel Apple Watch not possible?

might just be simpler and less expensive to just buy the Apple Watch Edition

how would anyone even know at this point?

Why would you want to pay money to look like a dick? That's what'll happen if people think you're strolling around with a 10k quid Apple watch

And when the gold starts wearing off it will look like cr@p.

slimpaul said:

I've been looking forward to gold plating my steel Apple Watch and have gathered quotes ranging from a mere £100 ($150), all the way up to £1275 from an apparently popular company Goldgenie.

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If you really want a gold plated Watch then the better course of action would be to order one from Goldgenie for a smidgeon over £2500 (42mm, inclusive of VAT). Not a great deal more than £859 + £1275, and gives you infinitely more 'comeback' if there are any problems with the plating/functionality. You'd need to check the terms of the guarantee, of course: can't see any Watch-specific warranty terms on the website.

My sister is a freelance events organiser, working mostly in fashion/design. She uses Goldgenie exclusively for knocking up all sorts of knick-knacks for goodie bags. I believe they have some sort of relationship with Apple (so I'm surprised they'd agree to plate a user-supplied Watch).

nasa25 said:

Why would you want to pay money to look like a dick? That's what'll happen if people think you're strolling around with a 10k quid Apple watch

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Who cares what other people think? I know I don't care. If they don't like what I am wearing no one is forcing them to look at me.

nasa25 said:

Why would you want to pay money to look like a dick? That's what'll happen if people think you're strolling around with a 10k quid Apple watch

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Why is someone a dick if they wear a gold watch? Because you are insecure about yourself?

NovemberWhiskey said:

Why is someone a dick if they wear a gold watch? Because you are insecure about yourself?

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Exactly. Take a look in any jewelry store and you'll see dozens of gold clad watches across all price ranges. Most are plated, filled, 10K solid, 14K solid, or possibly Vermeil, and a few 18K on the high end.

There are people who do not wear silver jewelry and accessories, and as such the $10,000 price tag will keep them out of the Watch market. And for that reason, I bet we see a gold clad edition in the $1,000-2,000 range for those people, as well as an anodized gold Sport edition to match your iPhone, very soon.

So, I'd wait until at least the Fall to find out if Apple releases a gold clad case (as rumored), before I tried to screw around with stainless model.

If it's some sort of "conducting issues," how did they manage to gold plate the aluminum iPhones?

Givmeabrek said:

And when the gold starts wearing off it will look like cr@p.

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The gold plate will start wearing off pretty fast, too. It's not permanent. It's just a very thin layer floating on the surface of whatever it's plated to. Besides, how are you going to pop the case? I don't think it's going to be like a Timex.

Givmeabrek said:

And when the gold starts wearing off it will look like cr@p.

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Not if you put a case on it!



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JayLenochiniMac said:

If it's some sort of "conducting issues," how did they manage to gold plate the aluminum iPhones?

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Which iPhone is gold plated?

Mr. Buzzcut said:

Which iPhone is gold plated?

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All those gold-plated ones?

mojolicious said:

All those gold-plated ones?

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Ooh, they as in goldgenie. Was thinking it meant Apple at first. Thanks for the link!

Stainless Steel cannot be gold plated. I know I am in the jewelry business and have done all sorts of plating. It's just not possible. Now you can paint it gold or have a gold case made for it but you cannot gold plate stainless steel period. Oh and by the way I've seen plenty of sapphire watch crystals that were scratched and they weren't scratched by diamonds or sapphires.

izzle22 said:

Stainless Steel can not be gold plated. I know I am in the jewelry business and have done all sorts of plating. It's just not possible.

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The Goldgenie website states '316L Stainless Steel plated in 24K gold, rose gold or platinum'. They're a fair-sized, reputable company, and I don't think they'd offer their blinged-up Watches if they had any doubts about the quality and durability of the plating. Google tells me that 'nickel strike' is the answer?

Buy Apple Watch with Link Bracelet $1,000 have gold plated another $3,000.

Something happens and the watch breaks... SO buy another one another $1,000 have gold plated again thats another $3,000 so now $8,000 oh snap my daughter put it in the toilet now it doesn't work.

Well I voided warranty so aint got warranty let alone accidental protection so theres another $1,000 + $3,000

so now at $12,000 or can pay $10,000 get the Apple Watch Edition thats actual real gold pay $2,500 for AppleCare+ and have protection knowing if anything happens your watch is actually covered...

mojolicious said:

The Goldgenie website states '316L Stainless Steel plated in 24K gold, rose gold or platinum'. They're a fair-sized, reputable company, and I don't think they'd offer their blinged-up Watches if they had any doubts about the quality and durability of the plating. Google tells me that 'nickel strike' is the answer?

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Good luck. That's all I can say.

izzle22 said:

Stainless Steel cannot be gold plated. I know I am in the jewelry business and have done all sorts of plating. It's just not possible. Now you can paint it gold or have a gold case made for it but you cannot gold plate stainless steel period. Oh and by the way I've seen plenty of sapphire watch crystals that were scratched and they weren't scratched by diamonds or sapphires.

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I'm no plating expert, however, I have watched quite a few things on TV about various plating of various metals with different substances.

Some things cannot be plated directly with the finish material, and this is quite common it seems in many industries.

All they do it to plate it with some other metal first, THEN put on the top layer plating they wish.

Perhaps a bit like chrome. You plate steel with copper don't you, and then put the chrome on top of the copper.

I presume this is all very simple basic stuff for plating companies.

That said.........

This video seems simple enough

https://youtu.be/d22TvyhtV0E



Enjoy

I would order one direct from then if you want to get it done. http://www.goldgenie.com/us/24k-gold-apple-watch-elite.php

Piggie said:

I'm no plating expert, however, I have watched quite a few things on TV about various plating of various metals with different substances.

Some things cannot be plated directly with the finish material, and this is quite common it seems in many industries.

All they do it to plate it with some other metal first, THEN put on the top layer plating they wish.

Perhaps a bit like chrome. You plate steel with copper don't you, and then put the chrome on top of the copper.

I presume this is all very simple basic stuff for plating companies.

That said.........

This video seems simple enough

https://youtu.be/d22TvyhtV0E



Enjoy

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Like I said good luck.

Well then you would have a fake Edition.

Not something I would be particularly proud of.

Different strokes.