Did Apple Kill Normal-Priced Leather Bands?

[rhyzome]

Am I missing something, or did Apple kill the normal-priced leather bands/buckles?

I can only find the ridiculously marked up Hermes bands.

I just want a nice, understated leather band with lugs made for the SS model. Preferably made by Apple 'cause it's an Apple Watch...

Are there any third party ones that are actually nice? Can you expect Apple to release a normal-priced ($100-150) leather band any time soon?

 

[44267547]

Am I missing something, or did Apple kill the normal-priced leather bands/buckles?

I can only find the ridiculously marked up Hermes bands.

I just want a nice, understated leather band with lugs made for the SS model. Preferably made by Apple 'cause it's an Apple Watch...

Are there any third party ones that are actually nice? Can you expect Apple to release a normal-priced ($100-150) leather band any time soon?

Interesting that they re-introduced the modern buckle, but yes, they are no longer offering classic leather bands. I think with Apple, keep in mind that they tend to switch bands around and re-introduce revised versions, which it could surface where the classic leather band will reappear.

 

[techno-Zen]

Yeah, they also killed my fav line: The Woven Nylon.. wtf for?!
[doublepost=1539461623][/doublepost]They also need to release a 44mm Modern buckle.. no excuse not to

 

[QquegChristian]

I bought an Amazon knockoff of the Classic Buckle by a company called “WFEAGL”.

I had a genuine Apple Classic Buckle since the release of Series 0. Side by side this new band is identical in cut, which was great as I got very used to the fit.

Reviews on Amazon had people showing that the dye started rubbing off after 6-8 months. It’s so cheap ($15) though that I might just order a second one for if/when that happens. I’d have to go through 10 to equal Apple’s price, IF they even made the band anymore.

I’ll admit that my Apple band lasted me over 2 years, but it wasn’t a miracle by any means. It was split open down the entire side and peeling apart at the seam. Shortly before upgrading to Series4 the whole Apple band melted to my skin after applying bug spray to my arm. My wrist was black and sticky for days with whatever resin or something the leather is coated/dyed with.

The knockoff looks a bit shiny in these photos, but that’s just the angle to get the sun to hit it to show the (not black) color. It is definitely real leather / smells strongly of leather. I was very much on the fence about switching to Space Gray aluminum because I loved the Classic Buckle (which only had stainless lugs), but this knockoff has a really good match on the lugs and the band itself is “space gray”, not black, so the whole setup matches.

But who knows if every size or color by this “brand” even comes from the same supplier. I’m just really happy with what I got.

 

[rhyzome]

I bought an Amazon knockoff of the Classic Buckle by a company called “WFEAGL”.

I had a genuine Apple Classic Buckle since the release of Series 0. Side by side this new band is identical in cut, which was great as I got very used to the fit.

Reviews on Amazon had people showing that the dye started rubbing off after 6-8 months. It’s so cheap ($15) though that I might just order a second one for if/when that happens. I’d have to go through 10 to equal Apple’s price, IF they even made the band anymore.

I’ll admit that my Apple band lasted me over 2 years, but it wasn’t a miracle by any means. It was split open down the entire side and peeling apart at the seam. Shortly before upgrading to Series4 the whole Apple band melted to my skin after applying bug spray to my arm. My wrist was black and sticky for days with whatever resin or something the leather is coated/dyed with.

The knockoff looks a bit shiny in these photos, but that’s just the angle to get the sun to hit it to show the (not black) color. It is definitely real leather / smells strongly of leather. I was very much on the fence about switching to Space Gray aluminum because I loved the Classic Buckle (which only had stainless lugs), but this knockoff has a really good match on the lugs and the band itself is “space gray”, not black, so the whole setup matches.

But who knows if every size or color by this “brand” even comes from the same supplier. I’m just really happy with what I got.

omg Qqueg—that bug spray thing sounds horrible. You really put the longterm quality of the Brand vs no-name bands in perspective. I was considering paying more than double for the Hermes just to get brown leather...but your post makes me really reconsider lol.

 

[QquegChristian]

omg Qqueg—that bug spray thing sounds horrible. You really put the longterm quality of the Brand vs no-name bands in perspective. I was considering paying more than double for the Hermes just to get brown leather...but your post makes me really reconsider lol.

The bug spray was even worse than that, cause the next day the whole heart rate sensor of my watch fell off when I took it off the charger. Spray had clearly eaten through the glue. Which makes sense because it was organic stuff made with citrus oil, which is basically Goo Gone. I used tweezers to reconnect a very tiny ribbon cable, then superglued the watch back together, as it was a Series0 only 2 or so months before series4 was coming out and not worth paying to repair properly.

 

[44267547]

Yeah, they also killed my fav line: The Woven Nylon.. wtf for

I have two of the woven nylon bands, the pearl and black. Both highly durable and light weight. I didn’t really care for that Velcro or Sport Loop. With Apple, you never know with their bands what they will continue or discontinue. The flueroastamer sport bands and nylon bands are two of my top favorites.

 

[Newtons Apple]

If you find a band that you really like, you better buy a spare or two. I did as Apple’s Leather Loops have varied and only limited colors. The change all the time m

 

[Mr.C]

I ordered a grey and white stripe woven nylon band from John Lewis online. It was showing as for the 42mm watch with one in stock. I picked it up the other day from my local Waitrose only to discover they had sent me a 38mm instead. I’m really annoyed as I know they’ve been discontinued and are hard to come by.