Seriously? $449 for a watch band. Is Apple crazy???

[The-Real-Deal82]

The SKX007 is a great watch, and a bit of an outlier in terms of performance vs. value, because it is so good for the money, but the native bracelet on it is not very good. The first thing I did with mine was replace it with a Super Oyster, which is also fantastic for the money, but still not at the build quality of a high end bracelet. From everything I've seen and read, the Apple bracelet really competes at the high end of quality bracelets in fit and finish, but, not being made in Switzerland, it's considerably less expensive.

I have a super oyster for mine too but went back to the jubilee as I felt it was more in keeping. I do switch a lot though and have more nato's than I know what to do with lol.

If the strap is as good as high end Swiss watches then I sincerely hope it can be transferred when the watch is updated. Plus there is the option I am sure to buy a third party strap if the lug width is a recognisable size.

 

[douglasf13]

I have a super oyster for mine too but went back to the jubilee as I felt it was more in keeping. I do switch a lot though and have more nato's than I know what to do with lol.

If the strap is as good as high end Swiss watches then I sincerely hope it can be transferred when the watch is updated. Plus there is the option I am sure to buy a third party strap if the lug width is a recognisable size.

I think we're going to see lots of 3rd party options from overseas. There are already some on kickstarter that are more of a traditional oyster type.

 

[torana355]

Its one thing to have a $1000 SS band on a Rolex but on a smart watch it just doesn't make sense imo. A smart watch needs to be cheap enough to negate the fact that in a few years time a new model will be out that you will want. It would be wise for Apple to release a lower tier SS band with a price point that actually complements the watchs price.

 

[AppleFan360]

To me this reeks of elitism. Why, as a business with a VERY LARGE consumer base, would Apple price themselves out of the ballpark for a large percentage of this customer base? Remember, this is a base of customers where I recall nearly 40% said they would buy an Apple watch at a minimum of $349 before any real details about it were out. I get it about making a quality product and Apple has always done that. The Apple die hard faithful have always appreciated it and in most cases paid the price for that quality.

I just can't help but think that there is a loss of focus here. Had they made some changes and maybe not gone so hardcore they would sell more watches and make up for the lower cost with the actual number of watches sold.

Me personally? I am disappointed but mostly because I have a skin allergy to leather and rubber wristbands so I need a metal bracelet. I would have shelled out $400 or even $500 for a watch but that's about it for my budget. So it looks like I am going to have to reluctantly pass here.

That's my 2 cents and we all know what that's worth.

Well said and completely agree. Something just doesn't smell right with this whole "Apple Watch" thing. It's almost like a money grab.

You know what would be funny? A year from now Apple will realize its mistake and release the "Apple Watch C". LOL

 

[douglasf13]

Its one thing to have a $1000 SS band on a Rolex but on a smart watch it just doesn't make sense imo. A smart watch needs to be cheap enough to negate the fact that in a few years time a new model will be out that you will want. It would be wise for Apple to release a lower tier SS band with a price point that actually complements the watchs price.

Rolex bands are more than $1000, and that's much more than $449. These Apple watches are aimed squarely at lower end Swiss watches. Switzerland sells 30 million watches per year, and the average price per watch is around $750. That falls right in line with the price range of the steel Apple Watch.

 

[mojolicious]

Switzerland sells 30 million watches per year, and the average price per watch is around $750

Presumably that would be along the lines of 29m <$750 watches, and 1m >$750 watches?

 

[chris975d]

Presumably that would be along the lines of 29m <$750 watches, and 1m >$750 watches?

I don't think so. Rolex alone sells 800k-1 million watches a year, and there's not a one in the lineup under $5000 retail.

 

[mojolicious]

These stats, presumably.

Annual global watch sales: 1.2 billion
Annual Swiss watch sales: 29.2 million
Average cost of a Swiss watch: $739
Average cost of a China watch: $3
Swiss watch market share in terms of value: 54%

Interesting stuff.

The Swatch brand is still 'Swiss made', isn't it? They start at around ~$50 in the UK. Have no idea how well they sell these days, but if they're considered 'Swiss watches' then they must hugely distort the average selling price.

 

[chris975d]

Seriously? $449 for a watch band. Is Apple crazy???

These stats, presumably.



Annual global watch sales: 1.2 billion

Annual Swiss watch sales: 29.2 million

Average cost of a Swiss watch: $739

Average cost of a China watch: $3

Swiss watch market share in terms of value: 54%



Interesting stuff.



The Swatch brand is still 'Swiss made', isn't it? They start at around ~$50 in the UK. Have no idea how well they sell these days, but if they're considered 'Swiss watches' then they must hugely distort the average selling price.

Are you referring to the specific Swatch "brand" (the plastic brightly colored watches), or the Swatch group (same ownership)? Swatch group actually owns a lot of watch companies, many of those are high end luxury. They own Blancpain, Harry Winston, Omega, Longines, Rado, Swatch, and others that I can't recall right now.

 

[MeFromHere]

I think we're going to see lots of 3rd party options from overseas. There are already some on kickstarter that are more of a traditional oyster type.

Maybe. Folks have speculated about Apple perhaps patenting the attachment scheme. If it is patented, 3rd-party bands will either be licensed by Apple (likely with a royalty payment) or they'll be black-market items that are difficult to import into countries with functional legal systems.

Is the attachment scheme patented? Is it even patentable? I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know.

Benjamin Clymer over at Hodinkee.com compared Apple's attachment mechanism to the IWC Aquatimer (which I guess is something a watch person has heard of). I did a little searching, and found the manual for that watch:
http://www.iwc.com/site_media/uploads/documents/manuals/2014/11/05/IWE01117_REF3795_eu.pdf

Page 34:

CHANGING BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRACELET OR STRAP
Your Aquatimer Chronograph comes with a patented IWC bracelet quick-change system that enables you to change the bracelet or strap quickly and simply, with-out the use of tools.

So it seems there is some precedent for patenting unconventional watch band attachment mechanisms.

 

[mojolicious]

Are you referring to the specific Swatch "brand" (the plastic brightly colored watches), or the Swatch group (same ownership)?

Swatch brand, hence my use of the phrase 'Swatch brand'

I know they sell a fraction of the volume of thirty years ago, but surely they still make up a sizeable proportion of those 29.2m Swiss watches?

 

[chris975d]

Swatch brand, hence my use of the phrase 'Swatch brand'

I know they sell a fraction of the volume of thirty years ago, but surely they still make up a sizeable proportion of those 29.2m Swiss watches?

I don't know that answer. An interesting stat I did just find is that of the 29 million watches shipped out of Switzerland last year, around 8 million were mechanical. The remaining 21 or so million were "electronic". IE, mostly Quartz. (From hodinkee). With most Quartz watches being around the $1000 mark or less, I'm sure that's what's pulling the average down to that $750 mark.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The Swatch brand is still 'Swiss made', isn't it? They start at around ~$50 in the UK. Have no idea how well they sell these days, but if they're considered 'Swiss watches' then they must hugely distort the average selling price.

There are a lot of chinese assembled watches with Swiss movements inside that have 'Swiss Made' on the face. Not sure if they truly count and Swatch is a low end Swiss watch company with mostly Quartz movements. I think most of the figures cover the more well known luxury Swiss brands as these make the lions share of the profit. Swatch effectively brought attention back to Switzerland after the Quartz fallout in the 70's so have played a major part and made fashion watches popular. I am sure Apple have taken note of that too.

 

[Siretman]

Face it, it's marketing mumbo-jumbo. Even if true, Apple are fools for pricing out a lot of their target consumers. They should be making a less expensive version of the link band. Hopefully they will at some point after they realize how stupid it was to engineer a $449 watch band that the average Apple consumer won't buy.

Look guys, we all love our Apple devices. We know we pay a premium to own them. Just the support system alone (Phone and Apple Genius bar) are worth the price of admission. But, there is a breaking point and Tim Cook is dangerously close to reaching that point. He might be aiming too high. Even users who make $100,000 a year are starting to balk at the pricing scheme. If he's not careful, only Hollywood celebrities and NBA players will be buying Apple stuff.

Where did Apple price you out? You can get the aluminum watch for $349 and that includes a band and charger. Is that too high for you? Of course if you want a stainless steel watch and strap, you will pay more. That is "You get what you pay for". I was very happy that the Milanese Loop was priced surprisingly at $149 and lower if included with the watch purchase. However, upon a further look, I think it is somewhat feminine.

So I am buying the Apple Watch space black stainless steel with the space black stainless steel link bracelet for $1099 plus tax. I was ready to spend about $5,000 for the gold Edition but at $10,000 I am priced out and I am fine with that and I am not mad at Apple. I can afford the $10,000 price but will not spend that kind of a money on a watch that functions exactly the same as the $1099 watch. I am not interested in a fashion statement or need to flaunt it.

Bottom line: Stop whining. Buy what you can afford or what you want to spend and don't buy what you can't afford and be happy. The Apple watch functionality is the most important part. The rest is window dressing.

----------

The funny thing is that they pretty much copied the design, and made a few tweaks, of their link bracket from Audemars Piguet's bracelet, clasp and all.

Image

Bullpucky!!!! That bracelet doesn't look as refined as the Apple link bracelet. Are you blind? Don't you see that the outside of the Apple bracelet is smooth with no links showing. The bracelet in the photo shows all of the inside guts and is ugly!!!

 

[AppleFan360]

Bottom line: Stop whining. Buy what you can afford or what you want to spend and don't buy what you can't afford and be happy. The Apple watch functionality is the most important part. The rest is window dressing.

Some of us won't take what Apple is trying to shove down our throats. Having blinders on is dangerous and Apple won't learn anything if we all keep our mouths shut and our wallets open.

 

[bushman4]

See it in person. Check out the functions as to how it will work for you. Then decide if its worth the money.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

The SS bracelet for my Paneri cost $2000+ (discounted). Not sure why people think $499 for a bracelet is crazy.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

The funny thing is that they pretty much copied the design, and made a few tweaks, of their link bracket from Audemars Piguet's bracelet, clasp and all.

That is supposed to look like Apple's Link Bracelet? Really?

The Link Bracelet is actually inspired by the Ikepod Megapod's stainless steel bracelet designed by Marc Newson, who's now with Apple (at least on a part time basis).

 

[Switchback666]

That is supposed to look like Apple's Link Bracelet? Really?

The Link Bracelet is actually inspired by the Ikepod Megapod's stainless steel bracelet designed by Marc Newson, who's now with Apple (at least on a part time basis).

Image

That guy must be blind but either way the audemars bracelet is far more interesting, i don't know what people see on apple's link imo its boring with no decoration not even the apple logo.

Milanese loop for me and bright blue leather.

 

[KauaiBruce]

There is a major difference between those watches and the Watch. Those watches will probably last at least a decade before the owner will consider replacing it.

Even if the owner does replace them, that older watch will probably continue to keep working and therefore that owner will keep that watch around and wear it from time to time.

If that watch breaks, it can easily be repaired. On every watch today, you can take the back off and fix the internals.

I still have my Bouliva Watch my parents got me for my high school graduation. I still wear it from time to time (a little over a decade ago).

By contrast, the watch will last at most a single year. Next year, there will be an even better Watch, with useful features the current generation watch does not have. The new Watch will probably have things like better battery life and a facetime camera. So therefore, you will likely replace this generation watch in a year.

Furthermore, this watch, like every new Apple product being released, is barely serviceable. Even the battery cannot be replaced. If anything breaks, the watch has to be completely replaced. So the lifespan of this watch is very low.

Apple cannot justify these prices with the kind of product they are releasing. For starters, any watch which costs about 350 should have a leather strap or a chain band. Not this rubber strap Apple is pushing.

I disagree that it will be obsolete in one year. I have now had my iPad2 for 4 years and see no reason to replace it. I can see the same with the watch. This watch seems to have a pretty good engine. I expect the software to have things to be fixed and the user interface is likely to evolve as needed. But there is no reason my first gen cannot get those updates. We are all already used to charging our phones every night so what's the big deal with the watch?

I not replacing it just because the battery goes for 2 days instead of one. I think the only real reason that would drag me to another generation would be massively different sensors. Just like the iPad, I just do not see it changing enough for me to get the next one for a while.

But who knows? Maybe they will surprise me. At least I think I have 2 or 3 generations where my more expensive band can be used on the next one if that happens.

 

[douglasf13]

That is supposed to look like Apple's Link Bracelet? Really?

The Link Bracelet is actually inspired by the Ikepod Megapod's stainless steel bracelet designed by Marc Newson, who's now with Apple (at least on a part time basis).

Image

Yep, not to mention these similarities. I think Newson has been working on this project longer than we realize:

 

[calderone]

Its one thing to have a $1000 SS band on a Rolex but on a smart watch it just doesn't make sense imo. A smart watch needs to be cheap enough to negate the fact that in a few years time a new model will be out that you will want. It would be wise for Apple to release a lower tier SS band with a price point that actually complements the watchs price.

However, when that new watch comes out you can pop that SS band on it. Apple is doing it right in my opinion. Put the "premium" in a place where it can continue to be "premium" in the future. The watch portion is the commodity, not the band.

 

[mackinmike]

those bands and bracelets are ugly but priced high for something that doesn't look premium. bracelets from AP and from Cartier's Roadsters are bracelets that look good.

it's a subjective matter. whatever floats your boat.

 

[Phightinphils]

That's the only reason I will hold up on buying the apple watch.

If 3rd party link bracelet bands come to market, I'll buy the Watch edition with plastic band.

Otherwise, no way. I have more than enough funds to buy any watch. But my priorities are clear.

I'm as much as an iSheep as most of everyone here... But $10,000 for a smart watch? If I'm spending that much on a watch I'm buying a Submariner.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I'm as much as an iSheep as most of everyone here... But $10,000 for a smart watch? If I'm spending that much on a watch I'm buying a Submariner.

I totally agree on the 10 grand version. I saw a picture on Instagram that echoes what you've just said too! lol