Who else plans to get the Apple Watch Hermès?

[galavanter]

I just scored on ebay. $1200 for a 42mm that was opened but not even paired. The owner thought it was too big and told his employee to sell it. I'm pretty thrilled. Last night I came close to buying one for $1650.

I'm a workin' class guy into mechanical watches as well, and Hermès was, and still is, not something I would ever consider (unless I start carrying a purse). I'm into Apple and tech gadgets too, and if you have an iPhone the Apple Watch is the only one to have functionality wise. But coming from real watches, the faces on the AW never appealed to me. The circle in a square thing might be practical for adding complications in the corners, but aesthetically it has no appeal for me. When the Hermès came out, I was immediately into the Hermès full screen analog face. I really like it, and AW is a lot closer to a "luxury time piece" than without it.

I just returned the Huawei, at 42mm still too large for me, and the big surprise was how much I was embarrassed by having a glowing disk on my wrist (even alone). Couldn't see it in the sunlight, and at night driving my truck it was much too bright (no ambient light sensor). Also, Android Wear iOS compatibility is a big lie, unless clarified with "No faces or apps for YOU from the Play store".

So on to the Pebble Steel Classic. It's a fabulous B&W smart watch, unobtrusive and tasteful. But limited with iOS compatibility once again. I love the always on screen, and the new Vector (They studied Pebble plenty) is something I might order. The rectangular Meridian, not the too large 44mm round Luna.

We'll see if the Hermès functionality and face trumps the fact that I don't consider illuminated screens to be for me in a smart watch. They are just too garish. I can talk to Siri in my truck all day and won't embarrass myself though. Finally I'll have a really smart smart watch with my iPhone.

The price? Really not a lot more when you consider the strap, and the face that I love. You guys know the AW leather straps have no stitching? A leather strap with no stitching, come on! I learned this here https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b#.zbnvltc88, a great negative review of the AW. He says Apple makes them the same way chicken Mcnuggets are made.

jvjlite thanks for all your help. It wasn't till the next day that I realized you and the guy sending me the strap pics were the same. Measuring my wrist accurately came up with 7.25", too big for the 38mm Hermès strap.

 

[KPOM]

I just scored on ebay. $1200 for a 42mm that was opened but not even paired. The owner thought it was too big and told his employee to sell it. I'm pretty thrilled. Last night I came close to buying one for $1650.

Interesting that he didn't just return it to get the $1150 back or exchange it for the 38mm. The Watch went on sale 16 days ago, so up until Sunday that would have been the best option for the owner.

Either way, it's good news for you. It's a great price considering you didn't need to make a trip to NYC, Miami, LA, or SF.

 

[galavanter]

Interesting that he didn't just return it to get the $1150 back or exchange it for the 38mm. The Watch went on sale 16 days ago, so up until Sunday that would have been the best option for the owner.

Either way, it's good news for you. It's a great price considering you didn't need to make a trip to NYC, Miami, LA, or SF.

The watch is in GA north of Atlanta. It may have been an ebay purchase. I was suspicious at first, but received an email receipt with a phone number and called it. The employee who handled the sale said the owner had been trying smart watches, and mentioned the Moto 360. He couldn't have been nicer. I offered to pay extra for expedited shipping and he said don't worry about it. I have a tracking number already.

Since it's an Apple authorized national cell phone repair center franchise, the ebay ad stated that the watch includes a lifetime warranty from them.

I drive 3000 miles a week. It's not the trip, it's the parking...

 

[Night Spring]

The price? Really not a lot more when you consider the strap, and the face that I love. You guys know the AW leather straps have no stitching? A leather strap with no stitching, come on! I learned this here https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b#.zbnvltc88, a great negative review of the AW. He says Apple makes them the same way chicken Mcnuggets are made.

Congrats on scoring a Hermes. I hope you keep us updated on how you like it, especially if the Hermes watch face helps mitigate the display being too garish.

Personally, I use the solar face, which never stuck me as "garish," and only seems too bright when I'm in total dark. I think if you pick a face where you can change the color of the numbers/hands, and pick a darker color, that helps with using the watch in the dark.

As for Apple's leather band, I believe the newer band that they released at the same time as they announced the Hermes has stitches. Of course, the Hermes leather is still a lot higher quality.

 

[Mac 128]

You guys know the AW leather straps have no stitching? A leather strap with no stitching, come on! I learned this here https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b#.zbnvltc88, a great negative review of the AW. He says Apple makes them the same way chicken Mcnuggets are made.

To Jony Ive, those are fighting words. He is adamant that handmade craftsmanship is not inherently better than machine made goods, the latter of which can often be superior. Odd line he's walking defending the Watch while simultaneously embracing a co-brand luxury partner who makes things the exact opposite of how Apple does.

 

[galavanter]

Congrats on scoring a Hermes. I hope you keep us updated on how you like it, especially if the Hermes watch face helps mitigate the display being too garish.

Personally, I use the solar face, which never stuck me as "garish," and only seems too bright when I'm in total dark. I think if you pick a face where you can change the color of the numbers/hands, and pick a darker color, that helps with using the watch in the dark.

As for Apple's leather band, I believe the newer band that they released at the same time as they announced the Hermes has stitches. Of course, the Hermes leather is still a lot higher quality.

Thanks. Yeah that and the fact that my beautiful expensive analog face won't be on most of the time. In the brief amount of time I spent with the AW it seemed to turn on quicker than the Huawei when turning my wrist. I'll just have to train myself not to look at the watch until I do. I'm thinking now of opening the fridge door quickly to see if the light is off

It also seems Apple has done a better job of keeping most things dark, although I didn't play with any apps. My memory of the Huawei was torch like bright multi colored notifications...

I looked for stitches or a description of them from Apple with no success. The new saddle brown classic buckle is the one I guessed you were referring to. Blown up huge I saw none. Maybe something I missed. But the review I linked made a great point in my mind. Chicken McNuggets ha ha.

"This traditional design has been updated with a new calf leather that ages naturally over time to acquire a beautiful patina. The contrasting interior lining creates a dramatic two-tone look, and the filleted edge detail provides a clean geometry. Available in black and saddle brown."

"Clean geometry" my cow's arse!

 

[galavanter]

To Jony Ive, those are fighting words. He is adamant that handmade craftsmanship is not inherently better than machine made goods, the latter of which can often be superior. Odd line he's walking defending the Watch while simultaneously embracing a co-brand luxury partner who makes things the exact opposite of how Apple does.

I haven't read his opinion on this. He might be right, depending on the goods and material. I do know this, just today I was fueling my rig and was once again beside a loaded cattle truck. They moo a lot when going to slaughter. They are sentient living things and yes I just finished a burger at Mickey D's.

When wearing one of these imperfect creature's hides on my wrist, this imperfect being would like to see the imperfection, well stitched and made to last of course.

As someone once said long ago, "Imperfection is my paradise."

The new brown saddle classic strap, well look at it blown up. You'd ever know it was leather. Very weird if you ask me.
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MLHH2/42mm-black-classic-buckle

 

[KPOM]

To Jony Ive, those are fighting words. He is adamant that handmade craftsmanship is not inherently better than machine made goods, the latter of which can often be superior. Odd line he's walking defending the Watch while simultaneously embracing a co-brand luxury partner who makes things the exact opposite of how Apple does.

Mass produced products can have superior craftsmanship to handmade goods. However, having owned both the Apple Watch with Classic Band and Apple Watch Hermes, I can say without a doubt that the quality of the Hermes band is better.

Anyway, it's the same line that lots of companies walk. Some of the larger houses on Savile Row also sell off-the-rack suits at significantly lower prices. Luxury goods makers often have "lesser" brands that are mass produced. Apple Watch Hermes is priced not that much higher than Apple's mainstream watch ($650-$750 vs $1100-$1500) that it exists in a completely different category. This is more like Lexus to Toyota.

 

[KPOM]

The price? Really not a lot more when you consider the strap, and the face that I love. You guys know the AW leather straps have no stitching? A leather strap with no stitching, come on! I learned this here https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b#.zbnvltc88, a great negative review of the AW. He says Apple makes them the same way chicken Mcnuggets are made.

What's funny is that the then gushes about how Hermes makes their watch bands. Well, I guess that's one inconvenient truth about the Apple Watch that is no more.

I'm surprised he says it is small. Of course, he seems to like the Moto 360, which looks like a hockey puck on a strap to me.

 

[Night Spring]

What's funny is that the then gushes about how Hermes makes their watch bands. Well, I guess that's one inconvenient truth about the Apple Watch that is no more.

I'm surprised he says it is small. Of course, he seems to like the Moto 360, which looks like a hockey puck on a strap to me.

I just realized that article says you can buy Hermes watch bands, but doesn't say where.

As for size, it's all relative. Even the 38 Apple Watch is gigantic next to my previous watches.

 

[KPOM]

I just realized that article says you can buy Hermes watch bands, but doesn't say where.

At an Hermes store, but it helps to be an existing Hermes customer. They don't just have them off the rack.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I just realized that article says you can buy Hermes watch bands, but doesn't say where.

As for size, it's all relative. Even the 38 Apple Watch is gigantic next to my previous watches.

At an Hermes store, but it helps to be an existing Hermes customer. They don't just have them off the rack.

Bearing in mind they're stock Hermes bands which you must retrofit with Apple's adapters yourself. The article claims that a hand-made Hermes leather band shown in the article is less than what Apple's Modern Buckle costs, highlighting the absurdness of Apple's band prices. I'll assume they're showing a Single Tour. We know from a previous post that the Double Tour sans the buckle is $400 and the Hermes buckle is $110, for a total of $510 (plus some for the Apple's adapters which you must purchase separately to retrofit). The Modern Buckle already fitted with Apple's adapters is $249. Unless the Hermes dealer was trying to rip off Jvjlite, the claimed price differential seems hard to believe based on the quoted price of the Double Tour.

 

[bmac4]

So crazy question for you guys. I decided since I already had the SS watch and 3 bands with it, I would just buy the classic buckle saddle brown leather band for my SS. My crazy question is you guys with the brown Hermes, do you wear your with everything or do you switch watches or bands depending on what you are wearing?

 

[KPOM]

So crazy question for you guys. I decided since I already had the SS watch and 3 bands with it, I would just buy the classic buckle saddle brown leather band for my SS. My crazy question is you guys with the brown Hermes, do you wear your with everything or do you switch watches or bands depending on what you are wearing?

I have been using the Hermès band exclusively.

 

[bmac4]

I have been using the Hermès band exclusively.

Ok cool. Just wondered if folks were switching if they had black on or something. I guess that is a nice enough band any other Apple band would be worse. Plus you can't get two Hermes bands unless you buy another watch.

 

[mac666er]

So crazy question for you guys. I decided since I already had the SS watch and 3 bands with it, I would just buy the classic buckle saddle brown leather band for my SS. My crazy question is you guys with the brown Hermes, do you wear your with everything or do you switch watches or bands depending on what you are wearing?

I switch watches. I train/go the gym for at least an hour every day, 5 days a week. Running and weightlifting. I am covered in sweat probably 50 mins out of 60. This is indoors usually, but sometimes I also go outdoors. Then you have to add sunblock to that. As much as I love my Hermes watch, I don't want to put it through that kind of abuse. I have a particular Apple watch and band to train. That Apple watch looks already like it is a couple of YEARS old . It's fine with me, but it has lost is shininess and although it is not scratched it, looks a little dull. It definitely works for training, giving the time and also for notifications.

I like fashion a little bit more than the average user. I didn't like to wear a watch before. Not even to weddings. Apple sucked me back in to start wearing them again. I love to wear a different Apple Watch for different occasions. Hermes for work and upscale events. I enjoy it 100%. Other Apple watches for going to nature, doing exercise or enjoying a stroll through the city.

Yes, I pair/unpair at least TWICE a day. Yes it is inconvenient. And I hope Apple allows soon to pair several watches to a single phone.

A nice thing I found by accident is that even though the Hermes backs up differently than the aluminum watches I have (the faces and color choices for the faces are different), restoring it from its own back up later works like a charm. So if I back it up at least for the first time, I can then stop wearing it for say, 3 weeks, and then re-pair it (and re-store it from the 3 week old back up) and all the data for training, distance run, calories burned, colors chosen for faces, etc. automatically updates to what the OTHER latest Apple Watch I unpaired had! That is, all the health data from the other Apple Watch I used for 3 weeks gets transferred to the Hermes Watch, even though I chose an old back up.

This of course also works for any Apple watch.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Ok cool. Just wondered if folks were switching if they had black on or something. I guess that is a nice enough band any other Apple band would be worse. Plus you can't get two Hermes bands unless you buy another watch.

You can always put one of the stock Apple bands on an AW Hermes and they'll match just fine as the case is really no different from SS except for the Hermes face and the engraving on the back.

 

[Night Spring]

I switch watches. I train/go the gym for at least an hour every day, 5 days a week. Running and weightlifting. I am covered in sweat probably 50 mins out of 60. This is indoors usually, but sometimes I also go outdoors. Then you have to add sunblock to that. As much as I love my Hermes watch, I don't want to put it through that kind of abuse. I have a particular Apple watch and band to train. That Apple watch looks already like it is a couple of YEARS old . It's fine with me, but it has lost is shininess and although it is not scratched it, looks a little dull. It definitely works for training, giving the time and also for notifications.

I like fashion a little bit more than the average user. I didn't like to wear a watch before. Not even to weddings. Apple sucked me back in to start wearing them again. I love to wear a different Apple Watch for different occasions. Hermes for work and upscale events. I enjoy it 100%. Other Apple watches for going to nature, doing exercise or enjoying a stroll through the city.

Yes, I pair/unpair at least TWICE a day. Yes it is inconvenient. And I hope Apple allows soon to pair several watches to a single phone.

A nice thing I found by accident is that even though the Hermes backs up differently than the aluminum watches I have (the faces and color choices for the faces are different), restoring it from its own back up later works like a charm. So if I back it up at least for the first time, I can then stop wearing it for say, 3 weeks, and then re-pair it (and re-store it from the 3 week old back up) and all the data for training, distance run, calories burned, colors chosen for faces, etc. automatically updates to what the OTHER latest Apple Watch I unpaired had! That is, all the health data from the other Apple Watch I used for 3 weeks gets transferred to the Hermes Watch, even though I chose an old back up.

This of course also works for any Apple watch.

What happens if you restore a regular watch backup to the Hermes, or vice versa?

 

[bmac4]

I switch watches. I train/go the gym for at least an hour every day, 5 days a week. Running and weightlifting. I am covered in sweat probably 50 mins out of 60. This is indoors usually, but sometimes I also go outdoors. Then you have to add sunblock to that. As much as I love my Hermes watch, I don't want to put it through that kind of abuse. I have a particular Apple watch and band to train. That Apple watch looks already like it is a couple of YEARS old . It's fine with me, but it has lost is shininess and although it is not scratched it, looks a little dull. It definitely works for training, giving the time and also for notifications.

I like fashion a little bit more than the average user. I didn't like to wear a watch before. Not even to weddings. Apple sucked me back in to start wearing them again. I love to wear a different Apple Watch for different occasions. Hermes for work and upscale events. I enjoy it 100%. Other Apple watches for going to nature, doing exercise or enjoying a stroll through the city.

Yes, I pair/unpair at least TWICE a day. Yes it is inconvenient. And I hope Apple allows soon to pair several watches to a single phone.

A nice thing I found by accident is that even though the Hermes backs up differently than the aluminum watches I have (the faces and color choices for the faces are different), restoring it from its own back up later works like a charm. So if I back it up at least for the first time, I can then stop wearing it for say, 3 weeks, and then re-pair it (and re-store it from the 3 week old back up) and all the data for training, distance run, calories burned, colors chosen for faces, etc. automatically updates to what the OTHER latest Apple Watch I unpaired had! That is, all the health data from the other Apple Watch I used for 3 weeks gets transferred to the Hermes Watch, even though I chose an old back up.

This of course also works for any Apple watch.

Wow I would not go to all that trouble, but to each his own. I would just switch to the sports band.

 

[bmac4]

You can always put one of the stock Apple bands on an AW Hermes and they'll match just fine as the case is really no different from SS except for the Hermes face and the engraving on the back.

Yeah I figured most would do that, but other than working out. Do you change your depending on what colors you are wearing. I know I try to make sure my belt and shoes match with my pants, so I wondered if people were trying to make sure their watch band did as well. I dress business casual to a little more business every day. Before I got the Saddle brown band, I was switching between the link bracelet and the light blue leather loop bands. I kind of don't want to go back after using the leather band, but just thought I would ask since no Apple bands compare to Hermes band.

 

[Mac 128]

A nice thing I found by accident is that even though the Hermes backs up differently than the aluminum watches I have (the faces and color choices for the faces are different), restoring it from its own back up later works like a charm. So if I back it up at least for the first time, I can then stop wearing it for say, 3 weeks, and then re-pair it (and re-store it from the 3 week old back up) and all the data for training, distance run, calories burned, colors chosen for faces, etc. automatically updates to what the OTHER latest Apple Watch I unpaired had! That is, all the health data from the other Apple Watch I used for 3 weeks gets transferred to the Hermes Watch, even though I chose an old back up.

I'm not surprised. The Health data is kept in the iPhone not the watch, as is the case for almost any app on the watch. You could probably restore from any watch profile and it would still give you access to the Hermes specific stuff, as my guess is there's an authorization in the Firmware that gives the watch access.

I think this is proof positive that Apple intends to offer multiple pairings when the yen 2 watch arrives, with watch OS 3. I don't have time to fiddle with the watch bands, and like you, am not keen on sweating all over the watch I'll wear to a dressier event, sweat and dirt will take its toll eventually, and dull its appearance. The added benefit is that your watches will always be charged and ready to go.

 

[Night Spring]

I don't have time to fiddle with the watch bands,

It takes 30 seconds, at most.

 

[KPOM]

I have been using the Hermes band exclusively. I may be putting my link band and Milanese loop on the Marketplace.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

What happens if you restore a regular watch backup to the Hermes, or vice versa?

Nothing really different from restoring from a 38mm AW backup to a 42mm AW and vice versa. The Hermes face is stored in the OS loaded in the AW Hermes, not the backup.

 

[mac666er]

What happens if you restore a regular watch backup to the Hermes, or vice versa?

Weird things happen depending on the Hermes watch configuration. If I try to restore an Apple Sports from a Hermes, it goes through. If the Hermes had a Hermes face chosen, when I start using the Sports version, it switches to the default Sports face (I think it is Utility?). And if the Hermes was on, say, a modular face, but with the Hermes Orange chosen as the color, it switches to yellow.

If I restore a Hermes from a Sports, also weird things happen. I can start using the Hermes as a Sports, same color and faces chosen, but if I switch it back to a Hermes face, I have to set it up all over again. I have to create the Hermes Face, choose the font, choose the complications, etc. All Hermes-related preferences are zapped. I found this out by always restoring from the latest back up. I got tired of it so that is why I started restoring it form the Hermes back up and was very pleasantly surprised. I restore it now from the latest back up by model. Have no customization to do per pairing.