Swiss Manufacturer Creates High-End Mechanical Apple Watch Clone

[MacRumors]

Ahead of the Apple Watch's launch, many high-end Swiss watch makers were critical of its design and Apple's efforts to position it as a high-fashion item. TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver went as far as to call it "too feminine," saying the Apple Watch looked like "it was designed by a student in their first trimester."

As time has passed, opinions on the Apple Watch have changed. It has prompted some high-end luxury watch makers to consider delving into the smart watch market themselves, and it also seems to be the inspiration behind high-end watchmaker H. Moser & Cie.'s latest product.

Shared today by watch site Hodinkee, H. Moser & Cie.'s Swiss Alp Watch has a design that's immediately familiar, featuring a rectangular watch face with curved, rounded edges, a crown at the side, and Apple Watch-style lugs for holding a band in place.

Constructed from solid 18-karat white gold, the Swiss Alp Watch measures in at 38.2mm by 44mm, with a depth of 10.3mm. That's comparable to the 42mm Apple Watch, which is 35.9mm by 42mm with a depth of 10.5mm. It comes with a beige kudu leather strap with a white gold pin buckle.

The resemblance between the Swiss Alp Watch and the Apple Watch is purely physical. There is no processor, no OLED display, and no sensors in the Swiss Alp Watch, which is entirely mechanical. When flipped over, there's no heart rate sensor -- instead, the inner mechanics of the watch (a finished tonneau movement with a Straumann hairspring, according to Hodinkee) are visible through a clear sapphire crystal panel.

H. Moser & Cie. does not mention the Apple Watch on its website or in its marketing materials, but when speaking to Hodinkee, H. Moser & Cie. CEO Edouard Meylan said the Swiss Alp Watch is symbolic, serving as a proof traditional mechanical watchmaking has a future in a world where the digital smart watch is becoming commonplace. Swiss watchmaking, he says, has weathered other challenges and it will continue on.

"Today, H. Moser & Cie. launches the Swiss Alp Watch as a statement of this new challenge and to prove that traditional mechanical watchmaking has a future, and it is, in fact, the future. It is much more than a watch for us. The Swiss Alp Watch is symbolic. It represents our resilience, our ferocious desire to fight for our values and traditions. It embodies everything we believe in."

Given that H. Moser & Cie. is pricing the white gold Swiss Alp Watch at $24,900 with only 50 pieces available, it's unlikely Apple will take offense over the copycat design.

The full story of the H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch, which includes background color on the Swiss watch industry and hands-on details, can be read over at Hodkinee.

Article Link: Swiss Manufacturer Creates High-End Mechanical Apple Watch Clone

 

[355922]

I want that band.

 

[morcutt11]

It looks too feminine. It looks like it was designed by a student in their first trimester....

 

[Menel]

$25k for a device styled as a blatant ripoff? LMAO

 

[captain cadet]

I guess they have started the phone lawsuit war....

 

[dannys1]

Its $25,000 and it doesn't even come with a USB port or a battery. Someone please blame Apple for this greed.

/s

 

[SSDGUY]

Wow. For probably the first time, Apple has made ugly cool.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

$25k for a device styled as a blatant ripoff? LMAO

I wonder if they'll manage to sell all 50 that they make.

Costs more than Apple's high end watch.
Doesn't do as much as the Apple Watch.
Not as well known a brand as Apple.
Copies Apple Watch style.

It's like a typical knockoff except they want to charge more for it than one would have to pay for the real deal.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Thanks for the laugh, needed that on my birthday.

Context - Was letting my girlfriend know that I wanted Apple Watch Edition today, she laughed, so I told her I want this particular Apple watch replica and just showed her the picture of the watch, she agreed, then I let her know that it costs 25k. Cherished the moment.

 

[KPOM]

Interesting design. Square watches are actually pretty common. I'm guessing that they are well aware of what are designs in the public domain vs. patented.

 

[DarthBane]

As a collector of many fine timepieces, I find this comical. How utterly ridiculous.

 

[JohnApples]

At first I thought that was a poorly photoshopped Apple Watch 2 concept. Actually, I'm still not convinced that's real.

 

[Costino1]

So its a mechanical Apple Watch.

Apple Watch: Mechanical Edition

....but there is nothing cooler than seeing the internals of a fine watch at work

 

[naeS1Sean]

Thanks for the laugh, needed that on my birthday.

Happy Birthday!

 

[The Doctor11]

Breaking News: Swiss Manufacturer getting the **** sued directly out of their asses.

 

[winston1236]

I love mechanical but this just feels lame...a blatant copy?

 

[Canada420]

$25k for a device styled as a blatant ripoff? LMAO

@ 26:30 he's wearing a watch that looks idenical to Apples watch design but it's in the 1980's. Lets tone down the blatant calls of "ripoff"

 

[craig1410]

I love that strap!

 

[ka-spot]

Looks very, very, very nice indeed. I like it a lot. Fill free to send me one with no charge. I'll wear it with absolute pleasure!

 

[djcerla]

Wow. For probably the first time, Apple has made ugly cool.

You have no taste. Apple Watch has a great, unisex design that fits perfectly today's clothes shapes.

 

[Kevin2055]

It made my day.

 

[melgross]

This doesn't really look all that much like an Apple Watch. While the shape is somewhat similar, it's totally wrong to say that the lugs, which stick out, and are a permanent part of the case are anything like Apple's. I wouldn't mistake this for an Apple Watch.

 

[lrmd98]

Seeing the mechanics of a watch at work are stunning, but this is just a carbon copy of the apple watch. If the design had been slightly different it'd be something to consider...

Oh, wait.. It costs $24,900...

I'll wait for a chinese clone of the clone.

 

[JonneyGee]

Who knew the Apple Watch Edition was actually a bargain price?

 

[melgross]

Wow. For probably the first time, Apple has made ugly cool.

No, Apple's watch is not ugly. Many high end watches are ugly, and some are even incomprehensible when trying to read them.