Apple to Take Reservations for Trying On Apple Watch, Considered Platinum Model

[MacRumors]

Apple is shifting its retail strategy for the Apple Watch to deliver a more personalized shopping experience, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report claims that Apple Stores will accept in-store reservations for customers to try on the Apple Watch and corroborates that Apple is training its retail employees to help customers choose an Apple Watch model that suits them best.

The report, citing sources familiar with the matter, adds that the high-end Apple Watch Edition will have scratch-resistant gold, which an in-depth analysis over the weekend revealed is because Apple mixes the metal with low-density ceramic particles. Apple is also said to have studied a platinum Apple Watch, but the model is unlikely to be announced Monday.

"The company has refined the smartwatch's luxury features, making the gold in the Edition model scratch-resistant, according to people familiar with the matter," reports The Wall Street Journal. "It also has studied platinum watch casings, although the company isn't expected to announce that on Monday, they said."

Apple CEO Tim Cook, during a visit to the Covent Garden Apple Store in London last month, told retail employees that Apple has "never sold anything as a company that people could try on before." The chief executive added that "tweaking the experience in the store" will likely be a requirement when the wrist-worn device launches in April. It also appears likely that the Apple Watch will be exclusive to Apple Stores immediately following the product's launch, although for how long remains unknown.

Follow the rest of our March 2015 event coverage for the latest Apple Watch information.

Article Link: Apple to Take Reservations for Trying On Apple Watch, Considered Platinum Model

 

[DrJohnnyN]

Great approach!!

Win the wrist back.

 

[troop231]

Platinum or white gold would've been sweet!

 

[dannyyankou]

No need to try on, I already have my mind made up (Stainless Steel link bracelet). Now make it available for preorder!

 

[Recognition]

Anybody near an Apple Store? Have they sectioned off an area for the watch or will they do it over night for tomorrow morning?
Might have to pop into the Covent garden one on my way to work tomorrow!

 

[TheDeviceUser]

Anybody near an Apple Store? Have they sectioned off an area for the watch or will they do it over night for tomorrow morning?
Might have to pop into the Covent garden one on my way to work tomorrow!

It isn't available until April and I think it's unlikely they will have test models.

 

[penajmz]

So no online ordering? Pre-order? That could be messy for the stores.

 

[ButteryScrollin]

Anybody near an Apple Store? Have they sectioned off an area for the watch or will they do it over night for tomorrow morning?
Might have to pop into the Covent garden one on my way to work tomorrow!

it's not on sale for a month.

 

[KdParker]

I assume this option will be after a pre-order or order.

 

[jlc1978]

I love how some Apple sites announced Apple's invention of a new type of gold... It's an alloy folks, something jewelers have been doing for years.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Platinum would be to polished aluminum what Sapphire would have been to Gorilla Glass: visually unnoticeable while dinging the wallet in a very noticeable way. Both would look silver and require you to verbally tell people that it's the platinum edition if you want to distinguish your watch from the multitudes of cheaper aluminum versions in the wild.

Gold will at least be obviously not aluminum, though, even there, gold electroplating the cheaper model would yield a visual effect very close to if not unnoticeable to the "real" gold model. I expect to see shops pop up offering to electroplate the aluminum version right away (much like the shops that can make Macbook aluminum pretty much any color you want)...

 

[KPOM]

I love how some Apple sites announced Apple's invention of a new type of gold... It's an alloy folks, something jewelers have been doing for years.

It could be a new formulation, however. Metallurgy is an ongoing science. They did get a patent last December.

 

[scrapisimo]

That white and gold watch on the photo is gorgeous!

 

[KPOM]

So no online ordering? Pre-order? That could be messy for the stores.

I don't think that this precludes an online ordering system or pre-orders. This just suggests that Apple realizes that a different approach is necessary to sell a watch vs. a phone.

 

[sualpine]

Good luck Specialists, you poor bastards.

 

[st0k3d]

So no online ordering? Pre-order? That could be messy for the stores.

"Ok great yes I decided I like this 42mm with this bracelet in this color. I'll take it"

-----

"Ok sir that model is on backorder for 6 weeks, and that strap is on backorder for 2 months"

-----------

"uhhhh"

 

[noobinator]

So no online ordering? Pre-order? That could be messy for the stores.

This is not what this article says at all. It is simply saying people might want to try on an Apple Watch before buying one.

 

[sprezz]

Now, if i could just port my entire application suite for OSX to the Apple Watch...

 

[TonyC28]

It isn't available until April and I think it's unlikely they will have test models.

Seems like since this is something that will be so personalized (model, size, bands) they just might have some in the store that people can try before pre-ordering.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I don't normally buy jewelry, but when I do, I buy platinum.

I don't think I've ever bought anything else for the material it's made out of... it's either functional or it's made out of platinum if I buy it.

 

[douglasf13]

Platinum would be to polished aluminum what Sapphire would have been to Gorilla Glass: visually unnoticeable while dinging the wallet in a very noticeable way. Both would look silver and require you to verbally tell people that it's the platinum edition if you want to distinguish your watch from the multitudes of cheaper aluminum versions in the wild.

Gold will at least be obviously not aluminum, though, even there, gold electroplating the cheaper model would yield a visual effect very close to if not unnoticeable to the "real" gold model. I expect to see shops pop up offering to electroplate the aluminum version right away (much like the shops that can make Macbook aluminum pretty much any color you want)...

Image

Lots of people choose platinum or white gold watches over the similar looking steel version. I once had a guy come up to me at a liquor store and ask me if my steel Rolex was platinum, which surprised me. Spooked me a little, too, because I wasn't sure of his intentions. Platinum Rolexes are very expensive.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Platinum would be to polished aluminum what Sapphire would have been to Gorilla Glass: visually unnoticeable while dinging the wallet in a very noticeable way. Both would look silver and require you to verbally tell people that it's the platinum edition if you want to distinguish your watch from the multitudes of cheaper aluminum versions in the wild.

So? You buy it for the fact that it never tarnishes, not because flawless platinum looks the same as flawless aluminum. The difference is that the flawless platinum will still be flawless in 100 years. The aluminum will have flaws within a year.

 

[HenryDJP]

"Ok great yes I decided I like this 42mm with this bracelet in this color. I'll take it"

-----

"Ok sir that model is on backorder for 6 weeks, and that strap is on backorder for 2 months"

-----------

"uhhhh"

While you're amusing yourself with your own version of comedy....I'm sure Apple won't be displaying watches for people to try on that aren't available for months.

 

[ikunalz]

No platinum Apple Watch? You mean, I will have to settle for a cheap $10,000 gold one? Sheesh!

 

[Attonine]

I have considered buying watches made of precious metals in the past, but an Apple watch? No.

I can see the utility in an Apple watch, a health/activity monitor etc, but I would want water resistance to use it for swimming etc too. At the moment I see the Apple watch more in line with the original Swatch ethos, a disposable watch. I just can't get my head round it as being a long term purchase, something to invest any significant amount of money in.