Do these 10k versions have $9k worth of gold? It seems that the only difference between each collection is the materials. Functionally, they appear to be the same, so I'm curious to know what you get for the additional $9k.
I believe most lux watchmakers offer the same basic watch design in various materials starting from Stainless Steel to composite gold and SS, to gold, and at the very top jewel-encrusted gold.
Dont be so sure. a 1st generation gold watch will be worth major coin in 40 years.
Even an unopened iPhone1 is worth $5k - $10k. And these gold watches will be much much much more rare.
I was thinking that too--maybe they've been following the auctions for Apple I in recent years and feeling like their first-gen products are underpriced! It may in fact be a good investment, especially if you don't actually use it.
But otherwise, it does seem odd to compare this to something like a Rolex, that's not mass-produced in China (although granted the gold case itself probably won't be made in large numbers), not going to be rendered "obsolete" by a more sophisticated new model in 12 months, etc. Sure, if you want to show off and money is no object, this is probably as good a way as any, but if you pay any attention at all to how you spend your money, I would think it would be annoying to know that within the year somebody will be able to buy a watch that is similar but unequivocally more technically advanced for 96.5% less than yours cost.
wdowell's point about compatibility is also an excellent one--given that this device is dependent on an iPhone, do we have any evidence that it will be compatible with the phones in use many years from now? I think 40 years is unlikely, and 20 might be a stretch.
Will see! Personally I think if ? was that certain with how this will go they'd not hide the sales in "Other".. For me it'll be a success. First year will be a massive learning curve for ?. in terms of logistics, supply, marketing, etc etc. They're not stupid. There are enough of those people to buy the watches, and it'll be a relative hit in a market where the competition is lamentable. Fast forward 5 years, we will see. Essentially the technology needs to get out of the way. But that takes time. only have to look at how amazingly thinner iPhones, iPads and MacBooks are today. When that happens the Watch will go true luxury for me.
Indeed. Sometimes I think everyone forgets what the first iPhone was like, and the criticisms it had at the time (no 3G, poor camera, poor battery life, no physical keyboard, no 3rd party apps...) - but it was a ground breaking new platform for mobile computing & internet use. It took a few versions to get into its stride, addressing those shortcomings as the tech improved (and improved for large quantities, which is important to always note). I think the ?Watch is like that for a wearable computing platform. You can't wait until every tech feature is addressed before you put a product to market.
Please go read what a luxury means. MacBooks and iPhones are definitely not that, just a premium tech product and that's why we love them... Hi end luxury market is what Apple is going for. But they are mad. It's not mass consumer market and people are different. Those guys won't stop buying Rolex...
I will try the sport edition, but I will wait because it'll probably die in mountain environment just like normal phones do... So I'll probably just stick with my Suunto. And I want my watch to be working without recharging it every night. I need watch on the move, in the wilderness not in my living room.
You can buy a Mercedes Benz for a little over $30K but they have a model that will go for over $1 Million dollars. You have to stop being so rigid with your categories.
A quick search turned up the fact that there are slightly less than 10 million millionaires not including real estate in the US alone.
I would venture a conservative guess that at least 50%.... 5 million... are carrying either the 5s, 6 or 6+ iPhone and are one of the 99% of customer sat scores.
1% (50k) of that number will surely take a look at the Edition, and Apple hasn't even crossed an ocean yet. I'm guessing supply will be constrained and that Apple will sell as many Editions as they release, and the unofficial channels will be selling the Edition at $20k and up.
Pulled-out-of-butt-guess: 250 -300k Editions sold in one year officially with average price of $14k and "dealer prices" around $19k.
Indeed. Sometimes I think everyone forgets what the first iPhone was like, and the criticisms it had at the time (no 3G, poor camera, poor battery life, no physical keyboard, no 3rd party apps...) - but it was a ground breaking new platform for mobile computing & internet use. It took a few versions to get into its stride, addressing those shortcomings as the tech improved (and improved for large quantities, which is important to always note). I think the ?Watch is like that for a wearable computing platform. You can't wait until every tech feature is addressed before you put a product to market.
I agree with you (and agree that you agree with me ). They couldn't realistically have sat back for the next 3 years, waiting for the teach to go tiny, and let other brands dominate the market. Today they have put the stake in the ground, said "We're here and we're serious, join the journey" and that'll carry forward as an established expectation by buyers that ? is a leader of wearables.
Customers will join in waves - v1 relative enthusiasts, their most loyal and probably financially generous. v2/3 the ASP will fall gradually but numbers of people grow exponentially. Like iPhone/iPad. (Though with distorting effects of carrier subsidies they've actually managed to sustained the ASP with the iPhone line, something which hasn't happened with a more normalised market of iPads)
A rolex still works in 20 years time. I am not sure a Smartwatch wholly dependent on iOS 8 (plus what, 9, 10, 11, and possibly 12?) will work with the iPhones of 2035?
My 10-year-old iPod is still compatible with Mac OS X Yosemite and iTunes 12. I have to use a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter, but it's still good.
The ?Watch WILL outsell Rolex. Quit saying the ?Watch looks like other smart watches. It doesn't at all. Everything else is junk.
You taking bets on this? Well at least Apple won't have to worry about defending any design copying lawsuits, they've succeeded in designing the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived.
A rolex still works in 20 years time. I am not sure a Smartwatch wholly dependent on iOS 8 (plus what, 9, 10, 11, and possibly 12?) will work with the iPhones of 2035?
I guess you haven't considered that the floor might just drop out of the heirloom worth of a Rolex... kinda like bespoke horse saddles... within 35 years, and they only be valuable as the gold they contain.
Give a kid a Rolex that they must keep and never sell because it's a family heirloom, or give them a new iDevice, or a working Apple Watch. You tell me which will will evoke more joy. I know the answer.
Gold covered shit is still shit. The Edition will be obsolete in 5 years time. What good is it if it's covered in gold?
My 10-year-old iPod may be "obsolete," in terms of the almighty spec sheet, but it also continued to plays all my MP3, AAC, and WAV music as well as the day I opened the box.
You can buy a gold Rolex and will it to your grandkids. It's a timeless item (pun intended). A gold Apple Watch is not gonna be functional and useful after a few years. It'll be like my original iPhone. That sucker still "works" but it has lost 90% of its compatibility and functionality.
Tech is disposable but Apple is making it a luxury item --- very interesting.
Solid gold Macbook Airs, anyone?
You've never owned a lux mech movement watch, have you? Because you seem to be unaware of the cost of making it "timeless" and functional for decades. It's about $300 every three years for an overhaul and easily 4 digits for a repair.
Now if you want to go non-lux, overhaul cost for Seiko automatics is only about $150, but you can buy a new one for about that price or a little over. So Seiko autos are basically disposable watches.
You taking bets on this? Well at least Apple won't have to worry about defending any design copying lawsuits, they've succeeded in designing the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived.
Yeah, by choosing a rectangular face, Apple has managed to design the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived. But every round-faced luxury watch is a unique design that doesn't have anything in common with any other round-faced luxury watch, right?
You could at least be consistent with your standards for design uniqueness and thus attain even a modicum of credibility.
A gold watch just looks tacky to me these days. I have one from the 90s. Never wear it. I also have a stainless dive chronometer. Never wear that either. If I were to buy one of these it would be the Sport, just to check it out. It will be obsolete in one year.
Well thank god congress is not passing a law that would require you to wear a gold watch then! :-)
10,000 freaking dollars for something that will be useless in less than three years. One has to be REALLY an idiot to buy it, quite frankly. Now where are those geniuses who said that Apple would sell one for less than USD 3,000 given its massive economies of scale? Of course not since gold is a very scarce resource, pundits.
Today's best announcement by far: the new MacBooks - all the rest is irrelevant.
Now my question to Ben Frost: are you gonna buy an "Apple Watch Edition"?
I guess you haven't considered that the floor might just drop out of the heirloom worth of a Rolex... kinda like bespoke horse saddles... within 35 years, and they only be valuable as the gold they contain.
Give a kid a Rolex that they must keep and never sell because it's a family heirloom, or give them a new iDevice, or a working Apple Watch. You tell me which will will evoke more joy. I know the answer.
Gold watches are becoming more valuable as their rarity increases due to them being melted down as the price of gold increases.
Comments
A piece of obsolete CE is indeed shit to the owner.
Do these 10k versions have $9k worth of gold? It seems that the only difference between each collection is the materials. Functionally, they appear to be the same, so I'm curious to know what you get for the additional $9k.
I believe most lux watchmakers offer the same basic watch design in various materials starting from Stainless Steel to composite gold and SS, to gold, and at the very top jewel-encrusted gold.
Yup, Darwin winner here folks!
Dont be so sure. a 1st generation gold watch will be worth major coin in 40 years.
Even an unopened iPhone1 is worth $5k - $10k. And these gold watches will be much much much more rare.
I was thinking that too--maybe they've been following the auctions for Apple I in recent years and feeling like their first-gen products are underpriced! It may in fact be a good investment, especially if you don't actually use it.
But otherwise, it does seem odd to compare this to something like a Rolex, that's not mass-produced in China (although granted the gold case itself probably won't be made in large numbers), not going to be rendered "obsolete" by a more sophisticated new model in 12 months, etc. Sure, if you want to show off and money is no object, this is probably as good a way as any, but if you pay any attention at all to how you spend your money, I would think it would be annoying to know that within the year somebody will be able to buy a watch that is similar but unequivocally more technically advanced for 96.5% less than yours cost.
wdowell's point about compatibility is also an excellent one--given that this device is dependent on an iPhone, do we have any evidence that it will be compatible with the phones in use many years from now? I think 40 years is unlikely, and 20 might be a stretch.
Will see! Personally I think if ? was that certain with how this will go they'd not hide the sales in "Other".. For me it'll be a success. First year will be a massive learning curve for ?. in terms of logistics, supply, marketing, etc etc. They're not stupid. There are enough of those people to buy the watches, and it'll be a relative hit in a market where the competition is lamentable. Fast forward 5 years, we will see. Essentially the technology needs to get out of the way. But that takes time. only have to look at how amazingly thinner iPhones, iPads and MacBooks are today. When that happens the Watch will go true luxury for me.
Indeed. Sometimes I think everyone forgets what the first iPhone was like, and the criticisms it had at the time (no 3G, poor camera, poor battery life, no physical keyboard, no 3rd party apps...) - but it was a ground breaking new platform for mobile computing & internet use. It took a few versions to get into its stride, addressing those shortcomings as the tech improved (and improved for large quantities, which is important to always note). I think the ?Watch is like that for a wearable computing platform. You can't wait until every tech feature is addressed before you put a product to market.
Does it matter? If I think it looks tacky, it is just my opinion. I rarely see anyone wearing gold watches these days.
Please go read what a luxury means. MacBooks and iPhones are definitely not that, just a premium tech product and that's why we love them... Hi end luxury market is what Apple is going for. But they are mad. It's not mass consumer market and people are different. Those guys won't stop buying Rolex...
I will try the sport edition, but I will wait because it'll probably die in mountain environment just like normal phones do... So I'll probably just stick with my Suunto. And I want my watch to be working without recharging it every night. I need watch on the move, in the wilderness not in my living room.
You can buy a Mercedes Benz for a little over $30K but they have a model that will go for over $1 Million dollars. You have to stop being so rigid with your categories.
I would venture a conservative guess that at least 50%.... 5 million... are carrying either the 5s, 6 or 6+ iPhone and are one of the 99% of customer sat scores.
1% (50k) of that number will surely take a look at the Edition, and Apple hasn't even crossed an ocean yet. I'm guessing supply will be constrained and that Apple will sell as many Editions as they release, and the unofficial channels will be selling the Edition at $20k and up.
Pulled-out-of-butt-guess: 250 -300k Editions sold in one year officially with average price of $14k and "dealer prices" around $19k.
Indeed. Sometimes I think everyone forgets what the first iPhone was like, and the criticisms it had at the time (no 3G, poor camera, poor battery life, no physical keyboard, no 3rd party apps...) - but it was a ground breaking new platform for mobile computing & internet use. It took a few versions to get into its stride, addressing those shortcomings as the tech improved (and improved for large quantities, which is important to always note). I think the ?Watch is like that for a wearable computing platform. You can't wait until every tech feature is addressed before you put a product to market.
I agree with you (and agree that you agree with me
Customers will join in waves - v1 relative enthusiasts, their most loyal and probably financially generous. v2/3 the ASP will fall gradually but numbers of people grow exponentially. Like iPhone/iPad. (Though with distorting effects of carrier subsidies they've actually managed to sustained the ASP with the iPhone line, something which hasn't happened with a more normalised market of iPads)
My 10-year-old iPod is still compatible with Mac OS X Yosemite and iTunes 12. I have to use a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter, but it's still good.
The ?Watch WILL outsell Rolex. Quit saying the ?Watch looks like other smart watches. It doesn't at all. Everything else is junk.
You taking bets on this? Well at least Apple won't have to worry about defending any design copying lawsuits, they've succeeded in designing the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived.
I guess you haven't considered that the floor might just drop out of the heirloom worth of a Rolex... kinda like bespoke horse saddles... within 35 years, and they only be valuable as the gold they contain.
Give a kid a Rolex that they must keep and never sell because it's a family heirloom, or give them a new iDevice, or a working Apple Watch. You tell me which will will evoke more joy. I know the answer.
My 10-year-old iPod may be "obsolete," in terms of the almighty spec sheet, but it also continued to plays all my MP3, AAC, and WAV music as well as the day I opened the box.
Try not to see everything as an Intel x86 chip.
You can buy a gold Rolex and will it to your grandkids. It's a timeless item (pun intended). A gold Apple Watch is not gonna be functional and useful after a few years. It'll be like my original iPhone. That sucker still "works" but it has lost 90% of its compatibility and functionality.
Tech is disposable but Apple is making it a luxury item --- very interesting.
Solid gold Macbook Airs, anyone?
You've never owned a lux mech movement watch, have you? Because you seem to be unaware of the cost of making it "timeless" and functional for decades. It's about $300 every three years for an overhaul and easily 4 digits for a repair.
Now if you want to go non-lux, overhaul cost for Seiko automatics is only about $150, but you can buy a new one for about that price or a little over. So Seiko autos are basically disposable watches.
Have any of you actually owned a luxury watch like a Rolex?
This is built at least as well as a Rolex.
All this talk about it won't last as long... Rolex watches need upkeep. Very expensive upkeep. It's not like you buy one and it lasts forever.
Someone in the market for this kind of watch already owns a Rolex anyways. It is an accessory to those with the dough.
/Watch for the lucrative market of buying the aluminum one and anodizing it gold for a big markup!
Here's mine, 1967 Oyster, after spending $A1600 for Rolex to restore it.
It depends on how limited, the limited edition is, will it be numbered as part of a series?
That will give it some future value.
I can see a single Product Red auction version going through the roof, maybe platinum.
You taking bets on this? Well at least Apple won't have to worry about defending any design copying lawsuits, they've succeeded in designing the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived.
Yeah, by choosing a rectangular face, Apple has managed to design the most common design for a digital watch ever conceived. But every round-faced luxury watch is a unique design that doesn't have anything in common with any other round-faced luxury watch, right?
You could at least be consistent with your standards for design uniqueness and thus attain even a modicum of credibility.
A gold watch just looks tacky to me these days. I have one from the 90s. Never wear it. I also have a stainless dive chronometer. Never wear that either. If I were to buy one of these it would be the Sport, just to check it out. It will be obsolete in one year.
Well thank god congress is not passing a law that would require you to wear a gold watch then! :-)
If the Apple Watch does not fit your taste, go try one of these pens...
http://www.amazon.com/Montegrappa-Special-Limited-Edition-Rollerball/dp/B00AAKDHQY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_misc_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YANSN9N7PKV6A08F51Y
10,000 freaking dollars for something that will be useless in less than three years. One has to be REALLY an idiot to buy it, quite frankly. Now where are those geniuses who said that Apple would sell one for less than USD 3,000 given its massive economies of scale? Of course not since gold is a very scarce resource, pundits.
Today's best announcement by far: the new MacBooks - all the rest is irrelevant.
Now my question to Ben Frost: are you gonna buy an "Apple Watch Edition"?
I guess you haven't considered that the floor might just drop out of the heirloom worth of a Rolex... kinda like bespoke horse saddles... within 35 years, and they only be valuable as the gold they contain.
Give a kid a Rolex that they must keep and never sell because it's a family heirloom, or give them a new iDevice, or a working Apple Watch. You tell me which will will evoke more joy. I know the answer.
Gold watches are becoming more valuable as their rarity increases due to them being melted down as the price of gold increases.