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

The-Real-Deal82 said:
I totally agree on the 10 grand version. I saw a picture on Instagram that echoes what you've just said too! lol
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At the risk of yet another car analogy, it's simply classic car vs. Tesla. I love mechanical watches, but it's a little silly to think that more development goes into a mechanical watch than into a smart watch, and the Apple Watch is the first smart watch to come close in competing in case materials. We're just spoiled by low priced electronic tech, and the mechanical watch companies over charge in order to become Veblen goods. A gold Rolex still costs much more than a gold Apple Watch.

A steel Rolex probably only costs double to make (if that) than the Apple Watch with links bracelet, but the Rolex is 8x the cost. The only real argument is that Rolex watches hold value much better, but that could change over the next decade, if smart watches become ubiquitous. Rolex and Omega have been in a price bubble for a while, far outpacing inflation. Wide spread adoption of smart watches could eventually pop that bubble, especially considering how many millions of Rolex watches are on the market.
 
Phightinphils said:
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.
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lol, I made a mistake. I meant to say i'd buy the "apple watch" i.e. stainless steel with plastic band.

god, I wasn't talking about the ubersilly gold edition :p:p:p
 
douglasf13 said:
At the risk of yet another car analogy, it's simply classic car vs. Tesla. I love mechanical watches, but it's a little silly to think that more development goes into a mechanical watch than into a smart watch, and the Apple Watch is the first smart watch to come close in competing in case materials. We're just spoiled by low priced electronic tech, and the mechanical watch companies over charge in order to become Veblen goods. A gold Rolex still costs much more than a gold Apple Watch.

A steel Rolex probably only costs double to make (if that) than the Apple Watch with links bracelet, but the Rolex is 8x the cost. The only real argument is that Rolex watches hold value much better, but that could change over the next decade, if smart watches become ubiquitous. Rolex and Omega have been in a price bubble for a while, far outpacing inflation. Wide spread adoption of smart watches could eventually pop that bubble, especially considering how many millions of Rolex watches are on the market.
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There are definitely more electronics in the Apple watch lol but I dare say there are more components in a Rolex. Have you ever seen one serviced? A truly skilled job as they are engineering masterpieces. They certainly put my watches with ETA movements to shame even if their prices are slightly inflated. The gold Apple watch is more than a steel Submariner and I know which I would have, but that is me personally.

The watch industry is in a renaissance period and I doubt the smart watch industry will have much of an effect, especially on the luxury end. Unless Apple attempt to make a watch that acts as a status symbol for the rich and is something that will hold value and last generations, it will always be a luxury gadget rather than a serious wristwatch. I see them as totally different types of wearable for different purposes.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
There are definitely more electronics in the Apple watch lol but I dare say there are more components in a Rolex. Have you ever seen one serviced? A truly skilled job as they are engineering masterpieces. They certainly put my watches with ETA movements to shame even if their prices are slightly inflated. The gold Apple watch is more than a steel Submariner and I know which I would have, but that is me personally.

The watch industry is in a renaissance period and I doubt the smart watch industry will have much of an effect, especially on the luxury end. Unless Apple attempt to make a watch that acts as a status symbol for the rich and is something that will hold value and last generations, it will always be a luxury gadget rather than a serious wristwatch. I see them as totally different types of wearable for different purposes.
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I sold a Rolex last year, and I'm currently wearing an Omega. Rolex has been using the same basic movement for decades in most of their watches, and I've spent enough time on watch forums to know that the cost to actually make one is a mere fraction of what they cost. Rolexes are primarily made by machine these days, btw. An ETA 2892 actually compares pretty nicely to a Rolex

The watch industry has actually been on the decline for a long time. It's just that the watch makers keep raising they're prices, so, while the number of units sold is in decline, the dollars sold looks good.

Overall, what I'm talking about is a tipping point, if smart watches become ubiquitous in society. I'm not sure that Rolex will be able to artificially hold up their resale value by increase price year after year, if people decide that the usefulness of smart watches supersedes the coolness of a mechanical.

My point isn't to bash mechanicals. I like them. I just think it's funny to use them as a means of price justification, because they're certainly not some great deal for $8K, at least in terms of what you get.

p.s. here is pic of an entire 3135 movement. it's not THAT many pieces.

01_overview.jpg


This is certainly impressive, too:
apple_s1_sip.jpg
 
If people make predictions that smart watches are going to topple the current watch industry and a smart watch is launched to compete with the mid range, then I think it is fair to compare. I too have spent many years on watch forums to know enough about mechanical watches too. It means nothing though really as we can always agree to disagree. When you see a Rolex movement laid out like that it really hits home how interesting the engineering is. Thanks for sharing.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
If people make predictions that smart watches are going to topple the current watch industry and a smart watch is launched to compete with the mid range, then I think it is fair to compare. I too have spent many years on watch forums to know enough about mechanical watches too. It means nothing though really as we can always agree to disagree. When you see a Rolex movement laid out like that it really hits home how interesting the engineering is. Thanks for sharing.
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I think the problem for Rolex is, while they're among the best machine made watches, they're still that. Machine made. They're kind of in an interesting position between the lower end Swiss watches and the truly high end Swiss watches like Patek Phillipe, which are hand made. Somehow, through brand recognition and advertising alone, Rolex has managed to maintain a healthy second hand market and raise their prices at an unusual rate. I'm not sure that can last forever.
 
jmmo20 said:
lol, I made a mistake. I meant to say i'd buy the "apple watch" i.e. stainless steel with plastic band.

god, I wasn't talking about the ubersilly gold edition :p:p:p
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Good lol. If I see someone on the street with one, like I said before, I will only think they are idiotic with their money. I will not think "oh cool a Watch Edition"...
 
AppleFan360 said:
This is the part that is really turning me off to the Apple Watch. After using the Pebble steel with a metal linked watch band (which as only $25 BTW), Apple has the audacity to charge $449 for a linked watch band:

http://store.apple.com/us/watch/watch-accessories/bands

Man, I hope 3rd party vendors come though because all of Apple's watch bands are grossly over priced.
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The Pebble Steel Bracelet that cost $25 in reality should have cost around $5 due to crap quality (my opinion)

I'm sure the Apple Bracelet will be high quality and I have no problem paying for quality. Not sure if it's worth $449 as I haven't seen it yet. I'd rather pay $449 to get quality compared to paying $25 for junk (my opinion)
 
Anyone want to do a cost breakdown of the link bracelet and the space black version?

I'm probably completely wrong but I'm guessing this:
Material: $25
Raw material processing: $25
CNC Machining: $25
Hand brushing: $25
Marketing: $100
Design and engineering: $100
Profit: $150
 
Wanted to get some chain watch bands for my Oris, and they cost around 400 dollars so, it's not unheard of or outlandish
 
This is when people who don't normally buy jewelry talk about the price of jewelry like they know.

The simple leather bracelet I have on now is $100 and to people who think it looks like it's worth more like $20 just have no clue and that's fine. I love detail and craftsmanship and am willing to pay for it.

About the bracelet:

"Each of Caputo & Co.'s leather-and-waxed-cotton bracelets is crafted from pieces made in Mexico and Guatemala as part of a collaboration with the nonprofit organization Comunidades de la Tierra. Committed to bringing jobs and fair wages to workers in the region, the New York-based company matches traditional craftsmanship techniques with forward-thinking style."

Welcome to the world of fashion.
 
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