Will Series 0 Stainless eventually be collectable?

[Mainiac]

Hello All,

I picked up pristine 42mm Stainless Steel Series 0 watch with Milanese Loop on Saturday for $125. This is my first Apple Watch and I've been enjoying it. My plan was to use it until the Series 4 comes out and then pass it on to my wife or daughter. I liked it so much I decided to stop at Best Buy today and grab a Series 1 price matched to the Macy's sale. Unfortunately I could only go with 38mm since Macy's was out of the 42mm. I figured I would see if my wife wanted it and if not I'd let my daughter have it.

While checking out I mentioned to the Best Buy clerk about the one I bought Saturday. He asked to see it and was surprised how good condition it was in. He said a lot of Apple first generation products end up being collectibles and said it may be worth just putting it aside or putting a protective case on it as not to depreciate it. I understand some Apple first gen products are collectible and obviously so are watches but eventually the battery will fail on the watch and I can't see it being worth much at that point. Was he right? If so I could always just use the Series 1 38mm I bought today until the Series 4 comes out and then pass it on to my wife or daughter.

 

[BarracksSi]

As long as you can keep getting battery replacements for it, and as long as the OS remains stable, you can keep using it.

The very first iPhone is collectible as a historically relevant gadget, but a lot fewer of those were sold, too, so working examples are more rare.

But comparing any smartwatch to regular watches as being collectible items that you can pass down as family heirlooms? Nah. You can find, with enough effort, a watchmaker who can cut a new gear for your ancient mechanical wristwatch, but you will probably never find someone who can package together a custom lithium-polymer battery and securely-updated operating system.

 

[44267547]

Hello All,

I picked up pristine 42mm Stainless Steel Series 0 watch with Milanese Loop on Saturday for $125. This is my first Apple Watch and I've been enjoying it. My plan was to use it until the Series 4 comes out and then pass it on to my wife or daughter. I liked it so much I decided to stop at Best Buy today and grab a Series 1 price matched to the Macy's sale. Unfortunately I could only go with 38mm since Macy's was out of the 42mm. I figured I would see if my wife wanted it and if not I'd let my daughter have it.

While checking out I mentioned to the Best Buy clerk about the one I bought Saturday. He asked to see it and was surprised how good condition it was in. He said a lot of Apple first generation products end up being collectibles and said it may be worth just putting it aside or putting a protective case on it as not to depreciate it. I understand some Apple first gen products are collectible and obviously so are watches but eventually the battery will fail on the watch and I can't see it being worth much at that point. Was he right? If so I could always just use the Series 1 38mm I bought today until the Series 4 comes out and then pass it on to my wife or daughter.

I really don’t see a first generation Apple Watch being a collectors item if it’s out of the package and used. It’s a piece of tech that was mass produced. It doesn’t carry the appeal like the first iPhone that was released in 2007 did.

 

[0007776]

There were too many sold for it to ever be likely to have a lot of value. Your best bet would be if you are a teenager to hold on to it until you’re in your 80’s, and maybe by then someone will be interested in it if you can get new batteries and nothing else has died on it. But even with that I doubt it will increase much in value after factoring in inflation.

 

[Mainiac]

Great, thanks for the replies.

I'll just keep going with the S0 Stainless then until the S4 comes out and not worry about it. My wife wants the S1 I bought today so I'm going to hit Best Buy again tomorrow and pickup up another for my daughter to give her for Easter.

 

[iPhysicist]

You need an iPhone for it to operate. So in say 1o years no iPhone will be able to pair it. The iOS version will be too advanced too. In my opinion this will even happen sooner.
And furthermore I only remember working tech becoming collectables.
Sorry! but at 125 you have ab amazing watch. I have the sport from April '15 and love it. Its slow but it does everything I want it to. Enjoy!

 

[gtg465x]

Also doesn't help that the Series 1, 2, and 3 look identical to the original. The second iPhone (3G) looked completely different than the original, making the original unique.

 

[44267547]

Also doesn't help that the Series 1, 2, and 3 look identical to the original.

Not Really. The Series 3 Apple Watch has the red digital crown which separates from the other two models to help differentiate.

 

[Endorphine88]

For something to be "collectible" it would need to be "rare". Maybe one day down the line it might have that value attached to it, but we're talking quite a few years out

 

[gtg465x]

Not Really. The Series 3 Apple Watch has the red digital crown which separates from the other two models to help differentiate.

Series 3 GPS doesn't have the red crown. Series 3 GPS, Series 2, Series 1, and Series 0 all look almost identical, meaning Series 0 is not going to be as collectible as something like the original iPhone because it's not as unique.

Also, 10.6 million Apple Watches were sold in the first year compared to only 1.4 million original iPhones, so again, not as rare. Maybe a specific color, like Space Black Stainless Steel, would have a better chance of being worth something since it's much rarer than any aluminum model or the standard stainless steel.

 

[BarracksSi]

Maybe a specific color, like Space Black Stainless Steel, would have a better chance of being worth something since it's much rarer than any aluminum model or the standard stainless steel.

Ah, yes -- possibly the most-sought color combo isn't one of the watches at all, but the black Sport band with the plain steel pin. It was only sold for the first few months as part of the polished SS watch-plus-black band combo. Apple then switched things up and put the Space Black SS watch on the black Sport band with a blackened steel pin, and the steel-pin'd black band hasn't been available since then.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I can not see mine collecting anything except dust in the drawer.

 

[sunapple]

If you want collectible you should get the gold Edition

 

[44267547]

Series 3 GPS doesn't have the red crown. Series 3 GPS, Series 2, Series 1, and Series 0 all look almost identical, meaning Series 0 is not going to be as collectible as something like the original iPhone because it's not as unique.

I said it before, Tech in general is not much of a collectible because its massed produced. The only thing collectible about the first generation iPhone, it was Apple’s first iPhone AND it launched under Jobs. You can’t really compare an Apple Watch to the first generation iPhone in that respect.

Also, 10.6 million Apple Watches were sold in the first year compared to only 1.4 million original iPhones, so again, not as rare. Maybe a specific color, like Space Black Stainless Steel, would have a better chance of being worth something since it's much rarer than any aluminum model or the standard stainless steel.

There’s nothing collectible about the Apple Watch. The only rarity with the first generation Apple Watch if anything was the 18 karat gold Edition casing. That’s it. Otherwise, It’s a mass produced superfluous commodity.

 

[gtg465x]

I said it before, Tech in general is not much of a collectible because its massed produced. The only thing collectible about the first generation iPhone, it was Apple’s first iPhone AND it launched under Jobs. You can’t really compare an Apple Watch to the first generation iPhone in that respect.



There’s nothing collectible about the Apple Watch. The only rarity with the first generation Apple Watch if anything was the 18 karat gold Edition casing. That’s it. Otherwise, It’s a mass produced superfluous commodity.

It seems like you're trying to argue with me, but I agree with you. Both of my points you responded to were stating reasons why the watch would NOT be collectible.

 

[44267547]

It seems like you're trying to argue with me, but I agree with you. Both of my points you responded to were stating reasons why the watch would NOT be collectible.

More or less a discussion, I was just refuting your original point when I said you can’t compare an Apple Watch to a first generation iPhone for reasons already mentioned.

 

[satchmo]

I could see in 30 years, it being a collectable as in desirable to own...but not monetarily.
Not unlike the original Macintosh, G4 Cube or iPod.
By then we’ll might be using a lot of wearables and look back laughingly at one of the pioneers.

 

[squirrrl]

problem with a "retro" 1st get watch is that you'd have to have an iPhone with a super old (by the time it's a collectible) iOS to pair the watch to use it. otherwise it's a mint condition paperweight.

 

[44267547]

At most, the first generation Apple Watch might be a museum piece along side other Apple products many years from now. But actually having any type of net worth, unlikely.