Apple Watch Edition 'a huge mistake' at £8,000

[OllyW]

Mike France, co-founder of upstart British watchmakers Christopher Ward has been giving his views on the Apple Watch and he isn't pulling any punches.

While fairly positive about the Sport and regular watch, he really lays the boot in when asked about the Edition.

Apple is making a huge mistake by charging over £8,000 for its gold Watch Edition, the company is pretending to be luxury, and they are "having a laugh,"

"No. Good lord, no. Not a chance. No, no, no. They're having a laugh really. They're taking the Mickey...maybe Kanye West will be the first to wear one, it's that sort of thing."

I'm a big fan of Christopher Ward (and own one of their watches) but I hope he is ready for the backlash he's going to get from the Apple faithful. CWL do enjoy the publicity though so I doubt they will mind too much

Apple Watch Edition 'a huge mistake' at £8,000 – luxury watchmaker expects ridicule for buyers

 

[Piggie]

Mike France, co-founder of upstart British watchmakers Christopher Ward has been giving his views on the Apple Watch and he isn't pulling any punches.

While fairly positive about the Sport and regular watch, he really lays the boot in when asked about the Edition.





I'm a big fan of Christopher Ward (and own one of their watches) but I hope he is ready for the backlash he's going to get from the Apple faithful. CWL do enjoy the publicity though so I doubt they will mind too much

Apple Watch Edition 'a huge mistake' at £8,000 – luxury watchmaker expects ridicule for buyers

Honestly, I can't help but feel there is still part of the jigsaw missing here on the Gold models.
Apple seems to be showing something, saying something, then going away, seeing what's said, then coming out with something more.
If they really knew what they were doing, and had a clear plan, why all the months of guessing, and even now after the second showing there seems to be so much that that are not talking about.

We have speculated that to compensate for the massive overpricing of the Gold model, there would be other sweeteners.

Upgradability?
Free Updates to later model?
Free warranty?

Possibly other things. but nothing has been said.

I suppose I struggle myself with the very high profit margin, and a 1 or 2 year it's out of date concept when paying so much over the odds for the device, so I guess I feel there must be some special extra long term bonus in there to help justify the mark up.

Again, perhaps Apple have not even decided and are watching what's being said, now they have told us the price, before they decide what else to throw into the deal?

 

[ninethirty]

He isn't wrong though. It is an absolute joke. You're trying to tell me that a device, whose design is available in a 350 dollar version, when built with precious metals worth about $1000 is now worth nearly 10x (or more) that price simply because Apple says so.

This is the equivalent of Rolex taking the Submariner, or Daytona and building a case out of aluminum and charging $500 for it as an alternative to the $6-11k you'd pay for the "high end" 904L. People would go nuts. You can't have it both ways, and Apple is going to be most successful with the sport and watch variations. Edition is already being laughed at. Soon it'll be laughed out of stores.

Mike France, co-founder of upstart British watchmakers Christopher Ward has been giving his views on the Apple Watch and he isn't pulling any punches.

While fairly positive about the Sport and regular watch, he really lays the boot in when asked about the Edition.





I'm a big fan of Christopher Ward (and own one of their watches) but I hope he is ready for the backlash he's going to get from the Apple faithful. CWL do enjoy the publicity though so I doubt they will mind too much

Apple Watch Edition 'a huge mistake' at £8,000 – luxury watchmaker expects ridicule for buyers

 

[Devie]

I think the Edition model makes people look at the Apple watch as a bit of a joke. That's the general consensus I'm getting from friends and family.
"$24,000 AUD for a smart watch? I'm out."
Wait you don't need the gold one
"$1800 AUD for a stainless steel one with a link bracelet? I'm out"
Wait you don't need that one
"$600 AUD for aluminum and rubber bands? I'm out"
Yeah good point.


Btw probably getting a sport myself.

 

[OllyW]

It's just as popular on Watchuseek.

 

[kerosene]

Austria's government reacted swiftly, the purchase of the upcoming Apple Watch Edition may constitue a reason to be placed under guardianship (article in German):

http://dietagespresse.com/kauf-einer-11-000-euro-apple-watch-ab-sofort-grund-fuer-besachwaltung/

 

[the future]

Austria's government reacted swiftly, the purchase of the upcoming Apple Watch Edition may constitue a reason to be placed under guardianship (article in German):

http://dietagespresse.com/kauf-einer-11-000-euro-apple-watch-ab-sofort-grund-fuer-besachwaltung/

And before anyone who doesn't actually understand German believes you: it's a purely satirical article.

Did you not get that yourself or did you just want to mislead others?

 

[KPOM]

This may be why there was resistance within Apple to a $10,000-$17,000 Edition. The pricing of the aluminum and stainless steel designs is well within range for normal watches, and even at $500 for the stainless steel "body" it can be justified as an upgrade purchase every few years (sub-$1,000 watches aren't "heirlooms" and are replaceable).

 

[Julien]

Even if the Edition doesn't sell in large numbers in the US or Europe Apple has a new market that will eat them up.

 

[kerosene]

And before anyone who doesn't actually understand German believes you: it's a purely satirical article.

Did you not get that yourself or did you just want to mislead others?

Oh, thanks for coming to the rescue! Now all who worried they might qualify as insane for considering the Edition purchase, can relax.

 

[Arran]

Even if the Edition doesn't sell in large numbers in the US or Europe Apple has a new market that will eat them up.

Image

Image

I would't take the Chinese marked for granted. They expect value too.

 

[Armen]

Mike France, co-founder of upstart British watchmakers Christopher Ward has been giving his views on the Apple Watch and he isn't pulling any punches.

While fairly positive about the Sport and regular watch, he really lays the boot in when asked about the Edition.





I'm a big fan of Christopher Ward (and own one of their watches) but I hope he is ready for the backlash he's going to get from the Apple faithful. CWL do enjoy the publicity though so I doubt they will mind too much

Apple Watch Edition 'a huge mistake' at £8,000 – luxury watchmaker expects ridicule for buyers

What are people talking about lately these days? Oh yeah, that $10,000 Gold Apple watch. Oh my God can you believe Apple is selling a gold watch for $10,000?

Mission accomplished. Watch isn't even out yet and everyone is talking about it. Is Apple going to gamble on the Gold watch making them money? No. It's there for people to talk about. I'm sure some Kanye West's in the world will buy one.

 

[ninethirty]

Except it isn't. There's already been articles stating that the Edition line exists because Jony Ive pushed for it. He believed it was a true luxury item and had to fight tooth and nail to get Apple to go ahead with it. If it was simply a strategy to get people talking, everyone would have been on board from the start, and also, let's get real. Apple didn't need to create fake controversy to get people talking about the Apple Watch. People have been talking about it for years, without knowing anything about the Edition line or it's pricing.

Next.

What are people talking about lately these days? Oh yeah, that $10,000 Gold Apple watch. Oh my God can you believe Apple is selling a gold watch for $10,000?

Mission accomplished. Watch isn't even out yet and everyone is talking about it. Is Apple going to gamble on the Gold watch making them money? No. It's there for people to talk about. I'm sure some Kanye West's in the world will buy one.

 

[TallManNY]

None of us have ever seen an Apple Watch in person, much less used one for a few weeks. Let's reserve judgement on how foolish Apple has been until after we've had a chance to see the watch ourselves.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I would not spend £8,000 on a watch. However there maybe some people out there who will spend that much on the Apple watch. Either way it doesn't bother me as there are 2 other versions of the watch (sport and Apple watch) that are within my budget. I'll simply buy one of those.

To us spending £8,00 on a watch may seem ridiculous. However there will be some people who think spending £350 or £500 on a watch is ridiculous. So at the end of the day it's all relative.

 

[ninethirty]

I keep seeing people making this argument but you make the mistake of thinking that people with money spend money on expensive things, because they just do - that money isn't going to spend itself, and they don't think about what they're buying, right? Wrong. Like I pointed out earlier, if Rolex made a cheaper version of some of their most popular watches, or Hermes made a cheaper, affordable version of the Birkin, nobody would buy those things anymore. Apple is literally offering the exact same watch, but with a case made out of precious metal. The Apple watch isn't going to be that exclusive - everyone will have one and it doesn't carry that luxury legacy like other brands do, and quite frankly for the cost, a person could buy much MORE gold in another well respected "luxury" piece of jewelry.

Edition is going to be a failure. I guarantee it.

I would not spend £8,000 on a watch. However there maybe some people out there who will spend that much on the Apple watch. Either way it doesn't bother me as there are 2 other versions of the watch (sport and Apple watch) that are within my budget. I'll simply buy one of those.

To us spending £8,00 on a watch may seem ridiculous. However there will be some people who think spending £350 or £500 on a watch is ridiculous. So at the end of the day it's all relative.

 

[Armen]

Except it isn't. There's already been articles stating that the Edition line exists because Jony Ive pushed for it. He believed it was a true luxury item and had to fight tooth and nail to get Apple to go ahead with it. If it was simply a strategy to get people talking, everyone would have been on board from the start, and also, let's get real. Apple didn't need to create fake controversy to get people talking about the Apple Watch. People have been talking about it for years, without knowing anything about the Edition line or it's pricing.

Next.

You'd be surprised how misinformed the public is. I get people taking glances at my Pebble watch asking if it's an Apple watch.

 

[the future]

Oh, thanks for coming to the rescue! Now all who worried they might qualify as insane for considering the Edition purchase, can relax.

You're welcome.

And next time you give a description of the content of an article in a foreign language that 99% of macrumors members don't speak, be a little more precise/honest.

 

[Arran]

Oh, thanks for coming to the rescue! Now all who worried they might qualify as insane for considering the Edition purchase, can relax.

Wouldn't get too comfortable. It's still pretty insane pricing

 

[Rogifan]

Except it isn't. There's already been articles stating that the Edition line exists because Jony Ive pushed for it. He believed it was a true luxury item and had to fight tooth and nail to get Apple to go ahead with it. If it was simply a strategy to get people talking, everyone would have been on board from the start, and also, let's get real. Apple didn't need to create fake controversy to get people talking about the Apple Watch. People have been talking about it for years, without knowing anything about the Edition line or it's pricing.

Next.

Do you have a link to this article? I've seen comments on twitter that Angela Ahrendts was a proponent of the gold watch too. Until proven otherwise I think I'll trust her judgement over posters on MR and the rest of the peanut gallery sniping from the sidelines.

 

[mojolicious]

Edition is going to be a failure. I guarantee it.

Without knowing how many Editions Apple plan to produce, it'll be impossible to declare it a failure. If Apple intend to limit production to 25,000 watches but it only shifts 15,000 the company isn't going to be burying the unloved 10,000 on a landfill site.

 

[Arran]

Do you have a link to this article?

Is it the "New Yorker" one: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/23/shape-things-come

...Yet Ive still had to make a case to Apple, and Mansfield recalled “a lot of resistance.” It wasn’t clear how the company would display such things in stores; there were also concerns about creating a divide between wealthy and less wealthy customers. (As Mansfield said, “Apple wants to build products for everybody.”) But Ive won the argument...

 

[ninethirty]

Took two seconds to find.

http://bgr.com/2015/03/11/apple-watch-edition-jony-ive/

Do you have a link to this article? I've seen comments on twitter that Angela Ahrendts was a proponent of the gold watch too. Until proven otherwise I think I'll trust her judgement over posters on MR and the rest of the peanut gallery sniping from the sidelines.

----------

I mean a failure in the grandest sense of the word. If Apple makes a few, and a few sell, it'll still be a failure in that they aren't going to make waves in the fashion world the way they hope to. The Edition line will never sit on the same shelf as Rolex, AP, Panerai, Patek Philippe, etc. It won't even be up there with D&G, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc. It'll always be seen for what it is; overpriced, and a sad attempt to cut the line in a market they have no business being in.

Watch and sport are going to do just fine though, but it would be wise for Apple to focus a lot more on fitness and health than they currently do. Better partnership with Nike perhaps?

Without knowing how many Editions Apple plan to produce, it'll be impossible to declare it a failure. If Apple intend to limit production to 25,000 watches but it only shifts 15,000 the company isn't going to be burying the unloved 10,000 on a landfill site.

 

[Rogifan]

Took two seconds to find.

http://bgr.com/2015/03/11/apple-watch-edition-jony-ive/



----------

I mean a failure in the grandest sense of the word. If Apple makes a few, and a few sell, it'll still be a failure in that they aren't going to make waves in the fashion world the way they hope to. The Edition line will never sit on the same shelf as Rolex, AP, Panerai, Patek Philippe, etc. It won't even be up there with D&G, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc. It'll always be seen for what it is; overpriced, and a sad attempt to cut the line in a market they have no business being in.

Watch and sport are going to do just fine though, but it would be wise for Apple to focus a lot more on fitness and health than they currently do. Better partnership with Nike perhaps?

Let's revisit this post in a year or two. I choose not to make such declarative statements on a product that is not yet for sale and has not been used outside of Apple employees and a select few. And like I said earlier I trust the judgement of Angela Ahrendts (and the other hires Apple has recently made) over the know it alls on MR.

----------

Is it the "New Yorker" one: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/23/shape-things-come

Well somehow the case was made as Apple is doing it. And since the $349 watch has the same capabilities as the $10K gold watch it's hard to say Watch isn't for everybody. I'm sure there are a lot of Apple customers that couldn't afford a Mac Pro. It doesn't mean Apple shouldn't sell it.

 

[Symtex]

and yet wait for the announcement that gold watch will be sold out on day 1.