Apple Watch Ultra User Mods Titanium Casing to 'Deuglify' Design

[MacRumors]

An Apple Watch Ultra user has modified their new device's casing to add a brushed finish and remove the orange color of the Action Button in an effort to make it more visually appealing.

The Apple Watch Ultra offers the first complete redesign of the Apple Watch since the product line's announcement in 2014, and while the design has been met with praise from many users, some have criticized the size of the device and its bold new look. In a thread on the MacRumors forums, user "perezr10" gave their take on the Apple Watch Ultra's design:

First, I think there is nothing wrong with the way the Ultra looks for its intended market. Rugged sport watches should look like this. And they pretty much all do. The things I dislike about the Ultra have practical reasons for being. I used to wear a humongous Garmin sport watch for running.

BUT… I was never wanting to wear my Garmin to work or out on a date. And I don't think I'll ever want to wear this Ultra whenever I'm dressing up either.

There are five things I hate about the design when I consider wearing it as a normal everyday watch. The "tallness," the hunchback which is the crown guard, the holes everywhere, the orange button, and the finish which looked like Starlight aluminum. There is nothing that can be done about the first three but the last two are solvable.

Using a Dremel power tool, they set about making two key visual changes to the Apple Watch Ultra, starting with removing the high-contrast "international orange" color layer on the Action Button.

The user then proceeded to give the Apple Watch Ultra's entire titanium casing a brushed finish using a coarse abrasive finishing buff, moving away from the uniform sandblasted effect of the original device.

The resultant brushed titanium finish is very similar to the casings of some of the Apple Watch Edition models, which were available in a brushed titanium with the Series 5, Series 6, and Series 7. Apple discontinued the Apple Watch Edition line upon the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra.

perezr10's modified Apple Watch Ultra compared to the titanium Apple Watch Series 5.​

"It may not be to everyone's liking, but I gotta say, I'm really liking my Ultra more after this. I still won't ever wear it with a suit, but I'm more likely now to use it when going out and about in town in jeans," perezr10 added.

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra User Mods Titanium Casing to 'Deuglify' Design

 

[sniffies]

Kudos to him.

But I like my Watch just the way Apple designed it. Beautiful design is one of the many reasons I bought it in the first place.

 

[DMG35]

I prefer the original design.

Nice work by the modder though.

 

[Zachari]

...I ...I don't think it looks that good. (no hate) Glad it works for them.

 

[macsplusmacs]

I'm Team Orange button.

Respect that others people's tastes differ from mine, though.

I also wear orange pants for our "nights out on the town" so take that for what its worth.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

To be honest I prefer it with the orange button, it gives it a little "character" on an otherwise fairly visually dull material.

The brushed look is great though, would definitely prefer that over the standard finish.

 

[InGen]

I can see a lot of people at the very minimum removing the orange from the Action Button and let it stand as a single color

 

[8CoreWhore]

I like the look, but I wish Apple would've started with a blank slate for this watch instead of taking the existing watch and just pushing out some appendages.

 

[heystu]

That's incredible, it looks just like he's attacked an $800 Watch with a Dremel hobbyist tool...oh wait...

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Apple: "International orange" 😂

 

[blairh]

Looks much worse.

 

[erikkfi]

I didn't realize until now that there are actual screws on the bottom of the Ultra! That's an interesting detail. I wonder if that makes it more repairable.

 

[w5jck]

The person just screwed himself over if he has to return it. Repairs might even be tricky to get if they see those mods, which of course they will. Must be a slow news day, maybe Gurman and his fellow guesser Kuo are sleeping in today and thus not spewing out their typical hogwash...

 

[CharlesShaw]

I suppose it’s better to have a watch you like than one that Apple would repair under warranty.

 

[satchmo]

Brushed finishing generally feels more premium than sand or bead blasted.

I know traditional field/military watches have bead blasted finishing to give it a more tool and rugged aesthetic. Perhaps this is why Apple chose to go this route.

That said, I've always wondered why Apple has never gone with brushed stainless steel finishing on their regular non-Ultra watches.

 

[jz0309]

Well, if the poster likes it, good for him. Me, I do not like what they did, I prefer the original - but to each their own.
I got to ask though, why make this a front page “article”?

 

[Camwin]

My dbranded Action button looks better than this... and that was a botched job on my end.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Apple: "International orange" 😂

They didn't create that term.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

It looks bland this way to me

 

[MrENGLISH]

The orange button isn't what makes it look ugly to me. It's the body, specifically the way the screen lifts up from the body, that bothers me the most. I would like to see it in person though as the features and bigger battery are a big selling point for me.

 

[DCstewieG]

Man I hope the titanium Edition makes a return. I’ve always worn a watch and I just never liked how the aluminum and stainless models look on my wrist. I finally got a Series 5 and plan to run it into the ground (about time for a new battery in fact) but this makes me wonder if I should get a 7 if it’s the last one I’m going to like for a long while.

But the Edition always did some alternating each year. If there’s no sign of it next year I’ll start worrying.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Apple: "International orange" 😂

It's an actual thing. The same orange as things like lifeboats, hardhats, life rings, life jackets, etc.

 

[Camwin]

Man I hope the titanium Edition makes a return. I’ve always worn a watch and I just never liked how the aluminum and stainless models look on my wrist. I finally got a Series 5 and plan to run it into the ground (about time for a new battery in fact) but this makes me wonder if I should get a 7 if it’s the last one I’m going to like for a long while.

But the Edition always did some alternating each year. If there’s no sign of it next year I’ll start worrying.

Ceramic has been missing since S6. 😭

 

[twocents]

As someone who had the first titanium AW, I genuinely feel that the Ultra takes better advantage of the metal’s unique attributes. The brushed look of old was pleasing to the eye, indoors or in sunlight, but I remember many around here complaining that it looked too similar to the bead blasted aluminum.

The Ultra would weigh considerably more if the body were made from stainless steel. In contrast, the durability that titanium is known for plays into the more rugged and adventurous approach that went into the design.

Personally, the orange accents are much more pleasing to the eye than the big red dot on the crown of my old SB series 3 that I somehow managed to crack.

edit: two typos

 

[DMG35]

Apple: "International orange" 😂

That is actually a thing.