Apple to Sell Hermès Apple Watch Collection Online Starting Friday

[arcite]

I have to agree with the idea that Apple overshot their expectations of how customers would react to this product. I think Apple clearly thought this was a fashion and prestige piece and something on par of usurping high end Swiss watch produced (they even boasted about how the Swiss watchmakers should be worried in their pre-release rhetoric about the Apple Watch). The reality is Apple is more a Timex/Casio and not a Rolex competitor, and most consumers are intelligent enough to know the difference, which is why the only models that are selling well comparatively are then $350 models.

There is a reason why companies like Timex and Casio don't make a $10,000 gold watch or offer $1000 watch bands for their products because they understand their place in the watch kingdom and know nobody is going to mistake a digital watch as a prestige piece. The ultimate destiny of EVERY first generation Apple Watch is to end up in a junk drawer as your first Timex Ironman, something that you hold on to for nostalgia, but will never put on your wrist in a functioning state again.

I am not saying there is no place for the Apple Watch, but I think we don't need to see Apple Watches cost more than $500, and that is only because of the "TECHNOLOGY" that is in it, not because of the material or band you wrap around a digital screen. Apple thinks too highly of themselves and they failed to offer a product that replaces a high-end Swiss watch, not on design and form and certainly not on prestige.

The only people that don't agree are hipsters that think putting a $10,000 gold plated Timex on their wrist sets them further apart from the average consumer, which it does, but purely on lack of having common sense. Putting a $350 micro-iPad into $500 worth of gold does not make it worth $10,000, ever.

You don't get it. The profit margins on the special editions are so high, it doesn't really matter how few they sell - it's all pure profit. The extra advertising and a market exposure with 'high-end' 'aspirational' branding tie-in is just icing on the cake.

 

[Max(IT)]

We are old man max this is how youth communicate these days.

Image is everything , with that comes putting people down for thier choices.

Though let's be honest most of the people on here have a superiority complex when it comes to Apple Hardware/software vs PCs/android , and it status quo, though someone puts down an apple product, it's blasphemy though take it with a pinch of salt, it's an apple fan site.
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Logically that would make most of the population ****s. Everyone develops brand loyalty during thier lives , be it a TV, car, show brand, Pepsi/Coke etc.....

Unless they are an owesome hipster beyond all that....though ironically they also seem to end up with Apple products

Im strongly convinced Apple products are better than others, but Im not going to judge people loving PCs or Android phones.
See the difference ?

I'm not worried. Just merely noting a rich fool is still a fool.

Again, who do you think you are to judge a customer calling him "fool".
People are entitled to spend their money the way they prefer.
You can say "I don't like it/ Im not going to spend 1500$ for a band", but YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to say "you spend money for fashion products so you are an idiot".
Period.

 

[arcite]

Again, who do you think you are to judge a customer calling him "fool".
People are entitled to spend their money the way they prefer.
You can say "I don't like it/ Im not going to spend 1500$ for a band", but YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to say "you spend money for fashion products so you are an idiot".
Period.

No, actually, we're free to call you a fool, we live in a democracy after all. Go watch Zoolander.

 

[Rogifan]

Honestly I don't think Apple really cares how well (or not) the Edition is selling. I don't the Edition was created to sell in volume and I don't think Apple had any expectations of selling a lot of them. They're rarely advertised (outside of the specific page on Apple's website). People outside Apple are obsessing over the Edition more than inside Apple IMO.

No, actually, we're free to call you a fool, we live in a democracy after all. Go watch Zoolander.

For some reason those who dislike Apple Watch seem to think their opinion is the objective truth. Sorry it's not. It's a subjective opinion, period.

 

[gimikinc]

Really like the black band, but $1K is steep.....is there a $100 version!

 

[Mac 128]

I'll never understand why people care what other people do with their money.

For some reason those who dislike Apple Watch seem to think their opinion is the objective truth. Sorry it's not. It's a subjective opinion, period.

As long as they don't spend it on an Android smartwatch because they prefer a round shape and skueomorphic watch faces? I can't believe you actually wrote that.

You don't get it. The profit margins on the special editions are so high, it doesn't really matter how few they sell - it's all pure profit. The extra advertising and a market exposure with 'high-end' 'aspirational' branding tie-in is just icing on the cake.

You know Tim Cook said the Edition would be sold in "very limited" quantities, which actually made it seem like it actually was something special, a collectors item if you will. But here we are 10 months later and all models of the edition are still readily available. I think Apple cares ... I think they care a lot. They're so 'aspirational' Colette in Paris was having a 50% off fire sale on them during the holidays ...

 

[kupkakez]

I realize I am the minority in this forum but as someone who enjoys high end fashion/accessories AND tech I really like seeing both of these markets merge. It combines two things I really enjoy.

To each his or her own.

 

[a.gomez]

It's amusing the opinion some people have towards fashion. They wouldn't dare say the same thing about Architecture or design or art. If they knew the craftsmanship that goes into Hermès products, their workman study in Paris for years to learn techniques of crafting the finest leather.
Of course the product is for the rich. I can't afford the strap (I don't even own an Apple watch and I'd only buy timeless Hermès goods) but in the press conference when they announced the straps, I knew it was Hermès even before they revealed the brand by the stitching of the bracelets.
There will be knockoffs, and I've seen decent ones online if you want the "double tour" or cuff strap style and it will look very similar from afar (or even up close) but someone who appreciates design will see the difference (and appreciate the design and craftsmanship including the testing that went into making the double tour design work with Apple watch).

Because this is not architecture or a design piece - it is a gadget made in Taiwan. Placing a leather Band on it does not change that.

 

[MH01]

Im strongly convinced Apple products are better than others, but Im not going to judge people loving PCs or Android phones.
See the difference ?

That's why I like you max!

I'm still on a crusade that Amiga rules them all!

 

[Zwhaler]

Alright then, how much should it cost? What's your rationale for choosing that price?

It should cost $999. My rationale is that more people will buy it at that price than at the other one. But that's not the point of overpriced luxury goods, is it..

 

[deckard666]

No doubt some suckers will buy these... Go figure.

More money than sense me thinks.

Everything you buy is a statement of wealth - How is this any different ?

 

[KPOM]

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I suspect she was being polite. A Hermes is an Apple Watch with a nice band , still a tech item.

I'll bet she will consider it and never get one.

We were at a conference with another colleague who had the Sport, which she said she didn't like since it looked too techy. I doubt it would be her everyday watch, but if she did get an Apple Watch it would be the Hermes. When I was in line back in October at the Apple Store, most of the people interested were women my age or older.

Yet another colleague at the same event said he's holding out for a Sport with a built-in GPS that he can use when he's training for marathons.

As a 1.0, the Apple Watch has done pretty well.
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She told you want you wanted to hear. You really thing she would tell you it is still a bad thing to your face after you showed her your "magical wrist band"?

I didn't flash it at her. There were several of us at a conference at the same table. She actually noticed the Sport on the colleague next to me first and contrasted mine with his.
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You know Tim Cook said the Edition would be sold in "very limited" quantities, which actually made it seem like it actually was something special, a collectors item if you will. But here we are 10 months later and all models of the edition are still readily available. I think Apple cares ... I think they care a lot. They're so 'aspirational' Colette in Paris was having a 50% off fire sale on them during the holidays ...

While unusual for an Apple product, a "50% off sale" isn't that unusual for jewelry. Markups are high. Even stores like Tiffany will mark things down, and have some haggling room that they don't readily advertise.

$1100-1500 for the Hermes is about right. That's what similar watches sell for at stores such as Burberry. An actual Hermes quartz watch goes for about twice that.

 

[MH01]

I'll never understand why people care what other people do with their money.

As a shareholder, and evidence of your posts, you seem to care a lot that people spent money on apple products . This is on MR and quite a number of tech sites. Trust me, you care very much

Just call a spade a spade.

While I completely agree with your comment, there is so much irony that comes with it.
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We were at a conference with another colleague who had the Sport, which she said she didn't like since it looked too techy. I doubt it would be her everyday watch, but if she did get an Apple Watch it would be the Hermes. When I was in line back in October at the Apple Store, most of the people interested were women my age or older.

I can see the Hermes being appealing to certain people, it adds class to what is fundamentally a tech watch . In a way a smart move for apple , will appeal to some tech savvy individuals on the fence who want to stand out.

 

[burningid]

I love reading tech nerds opinions on fashion. Such a completely different audience.

I'll just say, fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry. The first tech company that can successfully bridge that gap will be amazing. I'm not saying the Apple Watch necessarily does that, but it's the next logical step for Apple to expirement with.

I'm sure it pisses off all the people wanting Apple to make a mid-range Mac Pro mini tower, but the Apple Watch only makes sense in Apple's progression.

Apple has over a 500 billion dollar market cap... I don't they care about tapping into a multi-billion dollar industry. I think the fashion industry wants to tap into the technology industry.

 

[iLunar]

Apple has over a 500 billion dollar market cap... I don't they care about tapping into a multi-billion dollar industry. I think the fashion industry wants to tap into the technology industry.

I agree, the fashion industry wants to tap into the tech industry. Which is one of the reasons why Apple needs to get ahead of them to keep their 500 billion market cap. When the iPhone came out, they didn't release a case. The fashion industry took the iPhone and made designer cases and made bank. Then, Apple took a stab at their own cases.

People think just because Apple Watch 1 isn't a smashing consumer success that Apple Watch 5 won't be either.

But I disagree on one point, Apple Watch IMO is proof Apple is interested in interested in bridging the fashion industry. A look at their recent hires and marketing promotions (and cross promotions with Hermes) is all indication needed.

 

[danakin]

While I'm a proponent of: "never wear a watch that's worth more than your hand", the judgmental silliness in this thread is both predictable and sad.
Luxury, and by extension expensive, articles; whether they be clothing, accessories, vehicles, furniture, etc. are not forced upon anyone. Each person has to decide for themselves if the value proposition of an item meets with their perceived value of it. There's nothing "stupid" or "sucker" about any such purchase. It might not come within a million miles of your value judgement but then again that's the beauty of a judgement; it's in the eye, mouth, ears, and sense of the beholder (or spender).
To those of you judging others' value judgements I say this: "Get over yourselves; you're not that important nor are you arbiters of others' choices and life circumstances".
Of course if you're jealous then that's a whole other conversation.
To each their own!

 

[burningid]

I agree, the fashion industry wants to tap into the tech industry. Which is one of the reasons why Apple needs to get ahead of them to keep their 500 billion market cap. When the iPhone came out, they didn't release a case. The fashion industry took the iPhone and made designer cases and made bank. Then, Apple took a stab at their own cases.

People think just because Apple Watch 1 isn't a smashing consumer success that Apple Watch 5 won't be either.

But I disagree on one point, Apple Watch IMO is proof Apple is interested in interested in bridging the fashion industry. A look at their recent hires and marketing promotions (and cross promotions with Hermes) is all indication needed.

Have you seen that watch... There is nothing fashionable about it. I love Apple don't get me wrong, but a square watch with curves.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Everything you buy is a statement of wealth - How is this any different ?

I better stop buying no name oreos.

 

[Elvergun]

I believe Apple have jumped the shark with the Apple Watch.

Looking at it, I think of the Netatmo weather station. Form over function.

Hoping for at least one good new Apple product in my last remaining years, nevertheless.

This is Apple innovation in 2016. It took them (Cook and his minions) around 4 years to start to grind the company into the ground.

 

[Hellenek]

Have you seen that watch... There is nothing fashionable about it. I love Apple don't get me wrong, but a square watch with curves.

Funny that. Tell that to these guys whose watch costs $24,900 - https://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/06/swiss-mechanical-apple-watch-clone/

 

[Karma*Police]

Ironically , you are on every one of those threads to police those comments

Cause people have a different opinion to a stakeholder which you are, does not make them jerks.

For most people a Hermes edition is silly money, even AW owners.

For most people, anything Hermes seems like silly money because most people shop at places like Walmart, Macy's and Amazon.

As for opinions, it's one thing to say $1,500 is a lot of money for *me* to plunk down on something that will be replaced by something better within the next 6 months. It's another thing to call people suckers and fools simply because they have the financial means to purchase what they want, when they want, because it makes them happy.

It's emotional insecurity and/or envy that cause people to act all smug like that, but that doesn't make them any less of a jerk.

 

[iLunar]

Have you seen that watch... There is nothing fashionable about it. I love Apple don't get me wrong, but a square watch with curves.

To each their own in terms of style. It's not my particular style, either, especially when it comes to wrist wear.

However, Apple is clearly approaching the watch with an eye towards the fashion industry, which was ultimately my point.

 

[MH01]

For most people, anything Hermes seems like silly money because most people shop at places like Walmart, Macy's and Amazon.

As for opinions, it's one thing to say $1,500 is a lot of money for *me* to plunk down on something that will be replaced by something better within the next 6 months. It's another thing to call people suckers and fools simply because they have the financial means to purchase what they want, when they want, because it makes them happy.

It's emotional insecurity and/or envy that cause people to act all smug like that, but that doesn't make them any less of a jerk.

That's not the point I was trying to make. We have shareholder users that police the forums and play victims....This is not about the Hermes per say, this is in general. People are allowed to say they don't like the AW in whatever context.

The hypocrisy at times get a little too much.

Your comment is spot on for a rational reader/contributor to these forums. Coming from yourself , I completely agree!

 

[Mac 128]

While unusual for an Apple product, a "50% off sale" isn't that unusual for jewelry. Markups are high. Even stores like Tiffany will mark things down, and have some haggling room that they don't readily advertise.

It's unheard of for an Apple product. The last time I recall a premium Apple product being discounted this much was when Steve Jobs came back to Apple and liquidated the $10,000 TAM for less than 25% of retail, because he hated it so much. I get jewelry stores typically "negotiate" prices this way, so to the extent Apple has given the retailer this kind of unprecedented ability to sell so far below retail, a price otherwise controlled very tightly by Apple, suggests very clearly that Apple has lost control of the watch, or has had a major reversal of policy. Colette sold a $17,000 Apple product for $8500. Can you imagine if Best Buy sold a $10,000 Mac Pro for $5,000? Now that would be insanely great.

 

[Santabean2000]

Everything you buy is a statement of wealth - How is this any different ?

Ummm, what? A statement of wealth relates to purchases which are aimed purely at flaunting one's financial position.

Said item 95% of the purchase price gets you the name. People who buy these things just want others to know how much $$ they have. They want to be branded to feel secure.

Buying a bunch of bananas at the supermarket won't get you the same effect.
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Again, who do you think you are to judge a customer calling him "fool".
People are entitled to spend their money the way they prefer.
You can say "I don't like it/ Im not going to spend 1500$ for a band", but YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to say "you spend money for fashion products so you are an idiot".
Period.

Fashion and brands are not the same thing.

Fashion is more about art and style. Fashion is an expression of individuality.

Buying a name to flaunt your wealth is not fashion. It's a statement of greed. And insecurity.

If I was belittling someone individually, publicly, with a view to embarrass, then you might have a point. But I'm not.

Challenging each other is important. I'd hate to think the overly politically correct crowd remove all honesty in the world.