Sport Watch/Milanese Loop

[JerTheGeek]

The Milanese Loop is my absolute favorite band; I prefer metal bands over rubber or leather, and the loop just looks so awesome. Anyway, I sm curious, do you think it will be available to purchase separately and compatible with the Sport, or just be sold with the standard Watch? Also, how much do you think it would cost if sold separately? I'm no expert on watch stuff so I have no idea in pricing.

 

[hobbbz]

All bands are 'compatible'. Some will look horrid. The sport has a different finish than all the bands.

Milanese loop could cost $150 separately

 

[JerTheGeek]

All bands are 'compatible'. Some will look horrid. The sport has a different finish than all the bands.

Milanese loop could cost $150 separately

Thanks for the quick reply. That isn't as much as I was thinking it would cost; what about the stainless steel link bracelet? How much would that cost do you suppose?

 

[briankeith513]

I think it will look good with the silver sports watch.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I think it will look good with the silver sports watch.

Me too. It looks pretty good.

 

[virginblue4]

I get that looks are subjective, but how anyone would want to walk around with such an obvious mismatch is completely beyond me.

 

[sulpfiction]

I wondering what the link bracelet will cost as well. I'm getting the apple watch in black stainless, with the black stainless link braclet. I'm thinking somewhere around $700. Anyone think that's a good estimate?

 

[jabingla2810]

I wondering what the link bracelet will cost as well. I'm getting the apple watch in black stainless, with the black stainless link braclet. I'm thinking somewhere around $700. Anyone think that's a good estimate?

If some of the rumours are true, you might want to double your estimate.

 

[BvizioN]

The Milanese Loop is my absolute favorite band; I prefer metal bands over rubber or leather, and the loop just looks so awesome. Anyway, I sm curious, do you think it will be available to purchase separately and compatible with the Sport, or just be sold with the standard Watch? Also, how much do you think it would cost if sold separately? I'm no expert on watch stuff so I have no idea in pricing.

Love Milanese Loop and it will be the only additional wrist band I will buy (assuming I would get the watch with the black sport wrist band) Like you, I am a bit concerned that it may not look to good on the Watch sport.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I get that looks are subjective, but how anyone would want to walk around with such an obvious mismatch is completely beyond me.

I don't think its that much of a mismatch unless you look closely at the sides where the band is attached, then you can see the differences in metals. Other than that, I think it looks fine.

 

[FatMax]

What about corrosion? Mixing aluminium and stainless steel in moist conditions and sweat is seldom a good idea, no?

 

[JerTheGeek]

Love Milanese Loop and it will be the only additional wrist band I will buy (assuming I would get the watch with the black sport wrist band) Like you, I am a bit concerned that it may not look to good on the Watch sport.

I'm not too concerned about looks; I like the look of the loop; and even if it doesn't "go together" with the aluminum that well, I honestly don't care cause I like the Milanese loop.

 

[Piggie]

I get that looks are subjective, but how anyone would want to walk around with such an obvious mismatch is completely beyond me.

To be honest, there are major mis matches in the metal straps and the shiny steel watch already, and they are official mis matches!

 

[Lennyvalentin]

If some of the rumours are true, you might want to double your estimate.

Those people are ridiculous. Apple made their fortune by making premium but still affordable stuff. 1400 dollars for a stainless steel watch pushes far, far, far beyond that.

I wouldn't put much credibility to such mindless drivel if I were you. The gold watch is the luxury option, the stainless steel version is the mid-range variant. Having two basically unaffordable options (for the vast majority of their customers) would be redundant and stupid.

 

[cambookpro]

I get that looks are subjective, but how anyone would want to walk around with such an obvious mismatch is completely beyond me.

I think that's a bit hyperbolic. It won't match exactly, but we're only talking about 1mm x 2mm of hinge here, hardly something that would make one cower in shame should they have the misfortune to ever be seen wearing it...

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

The gold watch is the luxury option, the stainless steel version is the mid-range variant. Having two basically unaffordable options (for the vast majority of their customers) would be redundant and stupid.

Many here are predicting a $499 starting price for the stainless steel models, not much more than the $349 starting price for the Sport models, which hardly makes it "basically unaffordable" for most people. Just because some here are preoccupied with getting two supposedly expensive straps (Milanese Loop and Link Bracelet) doesn't change that.

 

[sethlution]

Those people are ridiculous. Apple made their fortune by making premium but still affordable stuff. 1400 dollars for a stainless steel watch pushes far, far, far beyond that.

I wouldn't put much credibility to such mindless drivel if I were you. The gold watch is the luxury option, the stainless steel version is the mid-range variant. Having two basically unaffordable options (for the vast majority of their customers) would be redundant and stupid.

I completely agree. I don't care how good it looks, but I (and a lot of people) won't be buying it at the price of a Macbook Pro. I think Apple is looking to sell millions of these standard watch models, so they'll price it accordingly.

To answer OP question, I think the standard watch body will be sold at around 500 and the band itself could be anywhere between 100-200. They can't sell it at a higher price that the device it's supposed to be an accessory to.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

Many here are predicting a $499 starting price for the stainless steel models, not much more than the $349 starting price for the Sport models

500-ish would be fairly reasonable. It's a lot of money for a watch which needs another 500+ dollar companion device (iPhone), but not silly expensive.

which hardly makes it "basically unaffordable" for most people.

That's not what I said though.

 

[Arran]

What about corrosion? Mixing aluminium and stainless steel in moist conditions and sweat is seldom a good idea, no?

I'd wondered about that myself. Seems like stainless+aluminium will be fine from a galvanic corrosion standpoint.

It may still be a fashion faux pas, but who cares: Today's faux pas are often tomorrow's hot trends.

 

[Tycho24]

Me too. It looks pretty good.

I disagree.
Pictures don't capture on an electronic screen the way metals look very well... but I've certainly seen brushed aluminum & polished stainless silver. They match about as much as red & pink.

 

[FatMax]

I'd wondered about that myself. Seems like stainless+aluminium will be fine from a galvanic corrosion standpoint.

It may still be a fashion faux pas, but who cares: Today's faux pas are often tomorrow's hot trends.

I'm pretty sure oil rigs in the North Sea will disagree...

It isn't a real concern per say, but rain coupled with salty sweat captured inside the band insert without proper drying _might_ cause corrosion. Corroding aluminium isn't all that nice too look at

Edit: Last sentence clarified; looks like aluminium will corrode with SS according to your sheet.

 

[rick987611]

I wondering what the link bracelet will cost as well. I'm getting the apple watch in black stainless, with the black stainless link braclet. I'm thinking somewhere around $700. Anyone think that's a good estimate?

Sadly I think you are way off. If you read this off the apple site:

Crafted from the same 316L stainless steel alloy as the case, the Link Bracelet has more than 100 components. The machining process is so precise, it takes nearly nine hours to cut the links for a single band. In part that’s because they aren’t simply a uniform size, but subtly increase in width as they approach the case. Once assembled, the links are brushed by hand to ensure that the texture follows the contours of the design. The custom butterfly closure folds neatly within the bracelet. And several links feature a simple release button, so you can add and remove links without any special tools. Available in stainless steel and space black stainless steel.

I think they are setting this thing up to cost a fortune. I would love to be wrong, since that is the exact watch I would prefer, but I'm expecting to have to settle for the black sport, or the stainless with the leather band.

 

[Night Spring]

I disagree.
Pictures don't capture on an electronic screen the way metals look very well... but I've certainly seen brushed aluminum & polished stainless silver. They match about as much as red & pink.

Huh? Are you saying red and pink don't match?

 

[Arran]

I'm pretty sure oil rigs in the North Sea will disagree...

It isn't a real concern per say, but rain coupled with salty sweat captured inside the band insert without proper drying _might_ cause corrosion. Corroding aluminium isn't all that nice too look at

Edit: Last sentence clarified; looks like aluminium will corrode with SS according to your sheet.

Good point about the salt in sweat. Hadn't thought of that. I was thinking the layer of aluminium oxide would help insulate things, but with salt in there it changes things for the worse.

 

[FatMax]

Sadly I think you are way off. If you read this off the apple site:

-snip-

There's also some marketing talk here as well;

"Once assembled, the links are brushed by hand to ensure that the texture follows the contours of the design."

This would seem as the alternative is brushing by machine, which isn't feasible at all. I work solely with 316L and 106, and I can tell you, we have to brush large sheets by hand to get the lines straight and pretty. Doing small bits by hand is a must, as it's impossible to get a good result with a machine.