The Apple Watch Lineup Is Aesthetically Boring

[MICHAELSD]

Don't get me wrong: the unadorned design makes it look fantastic and Ive follows a fairly simple design mantra... I believe he does accomplish what he sets out to. Yet this is a watch and not a piece of technology, which I believe Apple understood very well but did not take full advantage of as they should have. Not that this is a negative, but having recently considered purchasing a higher-end watch I find myself coming back to using my Apple Watch daily since it looks great, and transcends what a watch is capable of. Frankly I really do not need to have a high-end watch alongside it: with a new band I really feel that the Apple Watch compares very well in the mid-level watch category. It really is the future of the watch. Yet, does the future of the watch have to be so aesthetically simple?

I believe the greatest comparison for this is an Edition vs a Rolex. In my mind it was a mistake to not craft a brand new design from the ground up for the $10,000-$17,000 luxury centerpiece of the Apple Watch lineup. The Edition blatantly looks like the $599 Apple Watch with a touch of gold. If I was apart of Apple's design team, and say what you will about this perhaps being a reason why I am not, the Sport, Watch, and Edition would have more distinctive differences (that are at the least subtle) than solely the materials. I do completely understand the desire to streamline, but I believe Rolex pulls off having a full watch lineup that embodies a myriad of design traits beautifully with their Oyster Collection in both the efficient and aesthetic sense of the word. To get excited about a $10,000+ Watch I need more design emphasis than taking the same design of the $349+ Watch and making it gold.

Perhaps the Watch Edition is not designed to be a Rolex competitor, but rather yet another watch to be apart of the collection of a high-end watch user... or a person of means who has been swayed by the smart watch to begin wearing one. For me personally though, I would not care nearly as much about owning an Edition as I would another brand in that price range. Until that changes, I believe the Edition is an oversight. The Apple Watch's biggest fans should have a desire to own the company's most expensive product. Do I have a desire to own a Rolex when and if it makes financial sense? Very much so over the Edition at this point.

This is not me stating that the Apple Watch is ugly; far from it. I very much like the design of the Sport and think it does look like a high-end timepiece that I would swoon over even if it was not a smart watch. The lineup itself however is too similar across too broad of a price range to compare favorably against traditional timepieces.

 

[Switchback666]

I agree with you, imo even with the sport model they should had make it look different perhaps a more rugged body.

 

[Oppressed]

Minimalist =/= simple.

The use of materials sets the watch tiers apart well enough. Looking at the Watch Edition in stores looks much more high end than my SS model.

 

[hostage46]

this is interesting...http://shop.x-doria.com/collections/apple-watch

 

[drpellypo]

How the edition looks is irrelevant. To the wearer, it simply has to be apparent it's the edition. The target market for the watch is people who want the features but who want people to know they are rich. Because having the same watch as people who are poorer just doesn't cut it. It's the exact same justification as massive gold chains, or super expensive cars.

 

[redman042]

Apple did approach things differently, but part of what makes the different models distinctive is the strap you choose and the watch face you select. Also, even the Editions are cheaper than many of the gold luxury watches I see online. Some of the Rolexes are $20k and up.

 

[viewfly]

I have to disagree. I'm not saying the Apple Watch is pretty than a Rolex. I have a brand new Rolex, as a gift, company gift, and I have to say, and have always thought, Rolex's are pretty darn ugly watches. IMO, their value is only in others knowing you have a $10k watch on your wrist. ( and it's a finely made mechanical watch that needs expensive regular maintenance. )

There are $150 watches that are far more appealing. Just my opinion.

 

[drpellypo]

I have to disagree. I'm not saying the Apple Watch is pretty than a Rolex. I have a brand new Rolex, as a gift, company gift, and I have to say, and have always thought, Rolex's are pretty darn ugly watches. IMO, their value is only in others knowing you have a $10k watch on your wrist.

There are $150 watches that are far more appealing. Just my opinion.

That's exactly my point. The aesthetics are largely irrelevant.

 

[iamasmith]

It's a practical and low key frame for the content. Your preference on how the content looks might be different but one of the goals of Apple recently seems to be to bring content to the forefront.

 

[Mac 128]

How the edition looks is irrelevant. To the wearer, it simply has to be apparent it's the edition. The target market for the watch is people who want the features but who want people to know they are rich. Because having the same watch as people who are poorer just doesn't cut it. It's the exact same justification as massive gold chains, or super expensive cars.

Except, perhaps as early as this Fall, there will be a mid-priced gold clad model in the $1k-2k range to accommodate all those people who can't afford the Edition, and won't wear silver jewelry or accessories. When that happens, how will the Edition owners console themselves since the watches won't look substantially different. And what about all the gold plating services that are popping up? There are people running around with gold Apple watches now that didn't pay $10K + for them. That should be enough to turn off the Edition buyers right there accoroding to your rationale, yet they're on back order at the Apple Store ...

 

[jasie02]

Except, perhaps as early as this Fall, there will be a mid-priced gold clad model in the $1k-2k range to accommodate all those people who can't afford the Edition, and won't wear silver jewelry or accessories. When that happens, how will the Edition owners console themselves since the watches won't look substantially different. And what about all the gold plating services that are popping up? There are people running around with gold Apple watches now that didn't pay $10K + for them. That should be enough to turn off the Edition buyers right there accoroding to your rationale, yet they're on back order at the Apple Store ...

There are a lot of fake Rolex also, but it has never stop anyone buying a Rolex. In fact, more fake Rolex actually increase value of real Rolex.