How much gold will be in the watch by weight? How much is that worth? Now mark it up 10x.
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The cheaper ones probably will.
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An In-Depth Look at Apple Watch Band Options and Potential Pricing
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How much gold will be in the watch by weight? How much is that worth? Now mark it up 10x.
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The cheaper ones probably will.
Watch
The
Watch line is the 'standard'...hence no additional moniker ('Sport', 'Edition')
They aren't just 'cosmetic' - the upgrades are in build materials of the *physical object*...not 'specs' like a computer.
Aluminum, plastic and glass are less costly than, in both materials and processes, stainless steel, sapphire crystal, leathers and gold.
-K
The
Watch line is the 'standard'...hence no additional moniker ('Sport', 'Edition')They aren't just 'cosmetic' - the upgrades are in build materials of the *physical object*...not 'specs' like a computer.
Aluminum, plastic and glass are less costly than, in both materials and processes, stainless steel, sapphire crystal, leathers and gold.
-K
Apple Watch Edition is expected to start at $8-10k. A few thoughts:
Apple is going after the profits of the luxury watch industry. High-end disruption. The luxury watch industry contributes little to society. These companies make products almost exclusively for the super-rich. Their profits aren't reinvested in other products with a wider appeal.
In theory, I'd rather the super-rich give their money to Apple than to Rolex. Apple is still a technology company. Their products benefit significantly more people. In practice, Apple's capturing the profits of the luxury watch industry doesn't matter. Their earnings here will go towards more financial tinkering. Earn a stockholder a few more bucks. The endgame is depressing in its lack of vision.
Apple Watch Edition is interesting in that it will take profits from luxury watchmakers. But otherwise this product literally could not matter less. Normal Apple users won't buy it. Earnings will be used for financial tinkering. It doesn't matter. Apple Watch Sport matters.
Apple is going after the profits of the luxury watch industry. High-end disruption. The luxury watch industry contributes little to society. These companies make products almost exclusively for the super-rich. Their profits aren't reinvested in other products with a wider appeal.
In theory, I'd rather the super-rich give their money to Apple than to Rolex. Apple is still a technology company. Their products benefit significantly more people. In practice, Apple's capturing the profits of the luxury watch industry doesn't matter. Their earnings here will go towards more financial tinkering. Earn a stockholder a few more bucks. The endgame is depressing in its lack of vision.
Apple Watch Edition is interesting in that it will take profits from luxury watchmakers. But otherwise this product literally could not matter less. Normal Apple users won't buy it. Earnings will be used for financial tinkering. It doesn't matter. Apple Watch Sport matters.
Most of the discussion around pricing is in comparison to high-end luxury watches. To which the typical response is that high end watches are not frequently replaced.
IF Apple is somewhat aiming for the luxury market isn't it somewhat conceivable that there would be an upgradability component to the watch? Apple makes a big deal about the S1 being an entire computer on a single chip and calling it an "industry first".
Yeah yeah I know Apple and upgradability or an oxymoron. But Watch is unlike any product they've ever released before. We didn't just get an aluminum watch with a couple colored rubber band options. We got 3 collections with 6 bands in different materials and colors and 2 sizes. Also this is the first new product from Apple to debut with a retina display. Apple is playing up the customization and how easily interchangeable the bands are. Again not typical Apple. There are also rumors that Apple is planning stand alone stores or store-within-a-store just for Watch. Is it not possible then that Apple would offer some type of upgradability where you could take your watch in to be "serviced" and get the battery and even perhaps the SiP replaced?
I'm just having a real hard time with the notion that Apple will price the edition watch at $10-$20K and then expect you to buy a brand new one 2 years later. It just seems like there is a missing piece of the puzzle and without that piece nothing else makes much sense.
IF Apple is somewhat aiming for the luxury market isn't it somewhat conceivable that there would be an upgradability component to the watch? Apple makes a big deal about the S1 being an entire computer on a single chip and calling it an "industry first".
Yeah yeah I know Apple and upgradability or an oxymoron. But Watch is unlike any product they've ever released before. We didn't just get an aluminum watch with a couple colored rubber band options. We got 3 collections with 6 bands in different materials and colors and 2 sizes. Also this is the first new product from Apple to debut with a retina display. Apple is playing up the customization and how easily interchangeable the bands are. Again not typical Apple. There are also rumors that Apple is planning stand alone stores or store-within-a-store just for Watch. Is it not possible then that Apple would offer some type of upgradability where you could take your watch in to be "serviced" and get the battery and even perhaps the SiP replaced?
I'm just having a real hard time with the notion that Apple will price the edition watch at $10-$20K and then expect you to buy a brand new one 2 years later. It just seems like there is a missing piece of the puzzle and without that piece nothing else makes much sense.
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So what is the purpose of Apple showing models in each collection on their website then? That's clearly how they're displaying the watches in public.
I have the same model, bought in 1994. I bought it pre-owned and it's now worth more than double what I paid for it. Also worn daily and I've dived with it many times.
They recommend servicing every five years but in my experience they can go almost twice that long between overhauls.
I first had it serviced about 9 years ago. I cheaped out and took it to a local watchmaker who was supposedly a Rolex expert. He did the overhaul for about $300 but I had to take it back to readjust the bezel and it ran it about two minutes fast per month, which he claimed was "normal."
Then a year ago I had it serviced again, but this time I took it to an official Rolex jeweler. Cost twice as much but that included a new bezel insert and it now runs as accurately as a quartz watch. After 12 months it's still accurate within one minute.
For $20K I'd pick up a Hublot or Panerai for my left wrist and a cheap entry level Apple watch for my Right wrist. Case closed.
So, someone says 20k?
Well, it could be true.
I wouldn't rule it out.
I would rule out spending as much on a watch unless I win the lottery.
Even though I live in Switzerland.
;-)
But there are enough people (here and elsewhere) who have enough money so they don't have to skip dinner to pay for it.
"Normal" people should just get used to the fact that there's now another Apple product they can never justify to buy - the first one likely being the top-spec'ed MacPro...
And me and you being unable to justify its purchase doesn't make it a bad product.
I can't justify buying a Porsche or a Lamborghini, either - but that doesn't make them less great cars (for what they do).
Arguing otherwise is IMO just jealousy.
Well, it could be true.
I wouldn't rule it out.
I would rule out spending as much on a watch unless I win the lottery.
Even though I live in Switzerland.
;-)
But there are enough people (here and elsewhere) who have enough money so they don't have to skip dinner to pay for it.
"Normal" people should just get used to the fact that there's now another Apple product they can never justify to buy - the first one likely being the top-spec'ed MacPro...
And me and you being unable to justify its purchase doesn't make it a bad product.
I can't justify buying a Porsche or a Lamborghini, either - but that doesn't make them less great cars (for what they do).
Arguing otherwise is IMO just jealousy.
With these classic type watches, they are considered an investment, are timeless, and never outdated. They will also function and keep good time for decades.
for example, an Omega Speedmaster "Moon Watch" is highly collectable, desirable, and functional almost indefinitely.
I don't think the same could be said for any smart watch. Apple or otherwise.
.
Some Rolex watches have $5K+ worth of gold in them, including the solid link bracelet. The minimum buy in for a solid gold Rolex with a leather strap, not gold, is about $20K. The Apple Watch Edition having only a leather strap and not a solid gold link bracelet will likely have less gold that an average gold Rolex.
I just don't get this at all, if these Edition prices are true. It's one thing to spend $18K or more on a Rolex that will never go out of style and if properly maintained last your lifetime and your children's lifetime if you leave it to one of them.
But to spend even $10-20K on a watch that will clearly be technologically outdated in 2 years or maybe less. This makes no sense unless you have money to burn. There are reportedly close to 10,000 Millionaires in the US (net worth not including your home) so nearly one in 10 of those people will need to buy an Apple Watch Edition.
One report said Apple should ship approximately 5 Million Apple Watches this year with 17% of those being the high end Edition model. That is 850,000 gold edition models. If they are actually priced that exorbitantly I do not see there being that big of a market for something like that. Are those same 850,000 people going to buy a new $10-20K watch every 2 years....? I think NOT!!!
$20,000 for an Apple Watch??? Looool.
How much do you think the Apple electric car is going to be? A million each? Too conservative for Apple?
How much do you think the Apple electric car is going to be? A million each? Too conservative for Apple?
This is a real possibility. Why??
The stories about safes getting installed in stores. Why would a $1000 watch be special enough to put in a safe when you have a store full of $2000-$6000 computers?
To justify a safe it needs to get up over the top end Mac Pro price... $6000 or so...
The stories about safes getting installed in stores. Why would a $1000 watch be special enough to put in a safe when you have a store full of $2000-$6000 computers?
To justify a safe it needs to get up over the top end Mac Pro price... $6000 or so...
I doubt they'll sell 850,000 watches at $10k plus either. But maybe they will go after a niche market so the gold watch is more exclusive, maybe more for marketing than anything? I know if I was going to spend 10k on a watch, it wouldn't be a smart watch, but there are people who will buy it regardless of price, just not many.
If the entire watch is approx 2 ounces, you're not getting 2 ounces of gold to fit that equation, unless frame and internals are sold separately.I stand by my original assertion. There will be far less than $1800 in gold in the watch.
Gold is also just a color.
I'm not sure I follow your question. Are you saying the web site dictates how the watches will be sold? I don't see where you are achieving this clarity.
only there is a slight difference in that a watch uses much less space then a mac pro and therefore would be easier to store overnight in a safe in bulk. my guess is it is also probably a requirement enforced by their insurer, same as many high end jewelers shops. if someone broke in they would only be able to drag off a few mac pros before they would have to run but they could easily fit a few dozen watches in their pockets. i'd say for pure insurance purposes not to store their stock of gold watches in a safe at night would be considered negligence and not covered.
an interesting addendum to this though is by stocking these watches the average apple store will indeed need to step up their security even during normal business hours. perhaps even adding an armed guard at the door. this added cost of business and risk to employees necessitates higher margins. would be curious what the additional training is for these employees in handling of these watches. as it stands their in store protocol is pretty slack. this should change the in store dynamics considerably. will it feel as friendly anymore?
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A gold watch fits in your pocket and can also be melted down (while retaining value). Which Apple computer also has these properties?
Now that I've asked that... why not ask yourself how many Apple watches could fit in your pocket?