The gold luxury Apple Watch experiment is dead
A funny thing happened during the Apple Watch Series 2 reveal on Wednesday: Apple didn't make a big deal about the pricey new Edition version of the device.
Yes, they mentioned there's now a ceramic Apple Watch, but it's odd that the new Edition model got little attention compared to the grand entrance of the $10,000 original gold Edition.
In fact, when Apple's Jeff Williams wrapped up his Apple Watch presentation, laying out the pricing details for the Series 2 and Nike+ versions, he left out any mention of the Edition. The only mention made of the model was in the middle of the presentation, and even then Williams referred to it as the "Apple Watch ceramic."
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It's unclear if this very obvious omission is a deliberate attempt to gloss over the apparent disappearance of the gold Apple Watch, or perhaps an assumption that most consumers won't be interested in what is now the most expensive Apple Watch. Since Apple didn't make a fuss about it on stage, we'll tell you about it here.
The 38mm version of the ceramic Apple Watch Edition is $1,249 and the 42mm version is $1,299.
What do you get for that price? Williams says the ceramic housing the device is four times harder than stainless steel and Apple's website describes the device as having a "a pearly, lustrous finish that won’t scratch or tarnish."
And, of course, Apple also gives us details on the painstaking process necessary to create the new version of the Edition.
The process of creating the Apple Watch Edition case begins with a high-strength zirconia powder that’s combined with alumina to achieve its rich, white color. Each case is then compression molded, sintered, and polished using a diamond slurry, which results in a remarkably smooth surface and an exquisite shine. With this precise level of workmanship, every Apple Watch Edition case takes days to make.
That sounds amazing. Whether it's a $1,000-plus worth of amazing will be up to your and your budget.
However, to be fair, the top end of the first generation Apple Watch (non-Edition) offered a black stainless steel version that topped out at $1,099. Sure, that's a lot less than $10,000, but this is nevertheless a significant change in price and materials from what was previously deemed an "Edition" Apple Watch.
Oh, and about that gold Apple Watch – it has apparently disappeared. We looked all over Apple's site and could find no trace of the $10,000 device. Did Apple discover that the device was too pricey for most consumers, or was it just a hassle to produce?
Since the company claims the ceramic model takes days to produce, it's reasonable to wonder if the switch might have had more to do with demand than process.
In any case, the era of the gold Apple Watch appears to be over.
Topics Apple Apple Watch iPhone
