It's a shame they got rid of the Space Black SS Version

[Clix Pix]

I always felt the black version limits which color bands you can wear. But it does look awesome.

At the time I bought my first Apple Watch, the first one when it came out, I was enthused about the idea of being able to swap bands around and all that, but because I had the elegant Space Black SS and matching link band, I found that I wasn't really interested in putting other bands on that watch, and when I later moved to Series 3, again, the same thing. I love my Space Black combo just the way it is!

 

[CWallace]

Since all the Stainless Steel watches have the same plain Stainless Steel base, the extra cost should just be in the coating applied (Space Black, Graphite or Gold). Since Space Black and Graphite are both DLC, their coating cost could be very similar.

I expect Apple introduced a Graphite Milanese Loop to match the Graphite watch. Interesting that they did not release a Graphite Link Bracelet and in fact kept the Space Black Link Bracelet while eliminating the Space Black Milanese Loop.

Space Black was I believe more expensive when the Series 0 launched. In fact, I think Series 0 Space Black was only available with the Space Black Link Bracelet at launch, so it was like $1499. I liked SB, but that combined cost forced me to get the plain Stainless Series 0 with the Milanese Loop.

And Apple very well could have just charged more for Space Black because they could - offering it only with the Link Bracelet somewhat supports that. And it would make sense why Apple charged more for the Space Black Milanese Loop at first and continues to charge $100 more for the Space Black Link Bracelet over the Silver Link Bracelet. I don't believe the DLC coating actually costs them $100 more. It's probably $10 more and they could eat it, but this is Apple and they don't eat margin unless they absolutely have to (like with the Milanese Loops, I imagine).

With Hermes, you're paying for the bands and the custom faces more than anything. I expect they kept SB primarily because they wanted to continue to offer variety - Hermes was plain Stainless only until the Series 5, let us remember.

 

[shenfrey]

Since all the Stainless Steel watches have the same plain Stainless Steel base, the extra cost should just be in the coating applied (Space Black, Graphite or Gold). Since Space Black and Graphite are both DLC, their coating cost could be very similar.

I expect Apple introduced a Graphite Milanese Loop to match the Graphite watch. Interesting that they did not release a Graphite Link Bracelet and in fact kept the Space Black Link Bracelet while eliminating the Space Black Milanese Loop.

Space Black was I believe more expensive when the Series 0 launched. In fact, I think Series 0 Space Black was only available with the Space Black Link Bracelet at launch, so it was like $1499. I liked SB, but that combined cost forced me to get the plain Stainless Series 0 with the Milanese Loop.

And Apple very well could have just charged more for Space Black because they could - offering it only with the Link Bracelet somewhat supports that. And it would make sense why Apple charged more for the Space Black Milanese Loop at first and continues to charge $100 more for the Space Black Link Bracelet over the Silver Link Bracelet. I don't believe the DLC coating actually costs them $100 more. It's probably $10 more and they could eat it, but this is Apple and they don't eat margin unless they absolutely have to (like with the Milanese Loops, I imagine).

With Hermes, you're paying for the bands and the custom faces more than anything. I expect they kept SB primarily because they wanted to continue to offer variety - Hermes was plain Stainless only until the Series 5, let us remember.

So you think Graphite could essentially just be the new space black, under a different name to separate its self from the Hermes collection?

 

[CWallace]

So you think Graphite could essentially just be the new space black, under a different name to separate its self from the Hermes collection?

I think it takes the place of Space Black in the non-Hermes collection. John Gruber believes it is meant to look more glossy than Space Black Titanium, which is more of a matte finish per users.

Will it be as glossy as Space Black? I expect not, otherwise why change it? But if it is glossier than SB Titanium, it could still work. My Apple OEM SB Link Bracelet is not as glossy as my SB S4 watch and some have said the SB LB looks very good on the SB Titanium. So it might also look very good on the Graphite, which might explain why Apple did not drop it in favor of a "true" Graphite LB.

 

[shenfrey]

I think it takes the place of Space Black in the non-Hermes collection. John Gruber believes it is meant to look more glossy than Space Black Titanium, which is more of a matte finish per users.

Will it be as glossy as Space Black? I expect not, otherwise why change it? But if it is glossier than SB Titanium, it could still work. My Apple OEM SB Link Bracelet is not as glossy as my SB S4 watch and some have said the SB LB looks very good on the SB Titanium. So it might also look very good on the Graphite, which might explain why Apple did not drop it in favor of a "true" Graphite LB.

I’ll always remember this picture from
Phill Schiller just before the Apple Watch launched, I’ve wanted a space black AW and link bracelet ever since. The moment I can get one, it gets removed lol.

 

[CWallace]

I’ve wanted a space black AW and link bracelet ever since. The moment I can get one, it gets removed lol.

There is a refurbished SB S5 for $579 in the Apple Store which is a $120 savings. Use that towards the Link Bracelet band, either from Apple or chargerstore on eBay who offers what to everyone who has bought one is a genuine OEM band at a fair bit less (usually around $200 for a "perfect" example and less for ones with cosmetic issues).

Is this ebay seller too good to be true? Stainless link bands, OEM apple bands

https://tinyurl.com/y9n67nlz I really want to pull the trigger on the Black Stainless Link band.. but this seems to good to be true..

forums.macrumors.com

 

[KPOM]

I know the Hermès says it’s space black, but to me, the new graphite and the Hermès look identical when you view the pictures side by side. IMO either the picture or the description is wrong for the Hermès because what depicted now is the graphite color with a space black label.

Graphite uses a PVD process. Space Black uses DLC, which is a specific form of PVD. The colors may be close, but the DLC would be more resistant to wear and tear.
[automerge]1600299148[/automerge]

I’ll always remember this picture from
Phill Schiller just before the Apple Watch launched, I’ve wanted a space black AW and link bracelet ever since. The moment I can get one, it gets removed lol.

You can still purchase the Space Black Link Band through the Apple Watch Studio. My guess is that it would still work well with Graphite.

 

[douglasf13]

Graphite uses a PVD process. Space Black uses DLC, which is a specific form of PVD. The colors may be close, but the DLC would be more resistant to wear and tear.
[automerge]1600299148[/automerge]

You can still purchase the Space Black Link Band through the Apple Watch Studio. My guess is that it would still work well with Graphite.

Apple specifically mentions that Graphite is DLC on the site:

 

[deeddawg]

Nevertheless, my point was reasonable enough to qualify for a post on a MacRumours forum where we're speculating about Apple products.

I've never suggested you shouldn't post.

I asked specific aspects about the DLC process resulting in Graphite you thought would cause it to be cheaper than the DLC process resulting in SpaceBlack. Even if the Graphite is a slightly different carbon formulation than SpaceBlack, it's still a vacuum process and thus I'd not expect there to be substantial differences in cost.

While I'd thought you had some technical reason for suggesting the difference, I see that you do not.

Good day.

 

[CWallace]

Graphite uses a PVD process. Space Black uses DLC, which is a specific form of PVD. The colors may be close, but the DLC would be more resistant to wear and tear.

Per the Apple Watch comparison page, Graphite is DLC while Gold is PVD.

 

[deeddawg]

So you think Graphite could essentially just be the new space black, under a different name to separate its self from the Hermes collection?

That's my thought - it's a differentiation / naming move with perhaps a slight texture difference to slightly change the color.

Notice Space Black Titanium vs SBSS - the Ti is brushed before the DLC vs SS being smooth.

Interesting that they did not release a Graphite Link Bracelet and in fact kept the Space Black Link Bracelet while eliminating the Space Black Milanese Loop.

I have the SB link bracelet. The main part of it is slightly brushed and not glossy like the SBSS watch.

If there's a slight texture to the GrSS, then the SB LB may match it even better as is.

 

[deeddawg]

Per the Apple Watch comparison page, Graphite is DLC while Gold is PVD.

and strictly speaking, PVD and DLC are related -- DLC is deposited via PVD type processes

Find Out About Diamond Like Carbon & The DLC Process / North East Coating Technologies

DLC coatings (diamond like carbon) can be deposited using a variety of deposition methods such as sputtering, ion beam, cathodic arc, electron beam, lasers and PACVD.

www.northeastcoating.com

 

[Soordhin]

One could always pay the extra few bucks and get the SBTI instead, DLC coated, includes a power adapter and an additional sports band for 100(?) more.

 

[KPOM]

Apple specifically mentions that Graphite is DLC on the site:

View attachment 954270

Thanks. Didn’t see that. The Milanese Loop just lists PVD.

 

[44267547]

One could always pay the extra few bucks and get the SBTI instead, DLC coated, includes a power adapter and an additional sports band for 100(?) more.

That’s the thing though, members on here know the differences because of they actually ‘read’ the listing specs’, but does the average consumer have any idea the difference between DLC and PVD or which coating is on which watch? (Or for that matter, care to know the difference?) Apple knows that it’s a very small demographic of people that are spending anywhere near that amount on a titanium -smart watch-, when their sales are probably net-net 60% of aluminum just as a guesstimate. They (Consumers) probably don’t even pay attention to things they wouldn’t understand without research, which leads me to believe that they wouldn’t spend the ‘extra few bucks’ with the titanium, when they would probably just opt for the stainless or the inferior aluminum Model.