Apple Watch Edition's gold case undergoes unique hardening process, hand polishing during manufactur
Following Monday's "Spring forward" event, Apple updated its website with a few expository videos relating to Apple Watch, including a clip detailing the production process each gold Apple Watch Edition unit goes through prior to sale.
Narrated by Apple SVP of Design Jony Ive, the video offers insight into an involved production process that results in one of the most expensive products Apple has ever brought to market.
Work begins at the molecular level, Ive says, with raw materials, including gold, silver, copper and palladium mixed using a specific recipe to create a custom alloy with unique 18 karat yellow and rose gold hues.
After exiting the crucible, a new hardening process thought up by Apple's metallurgists. Molten gold is cast into solid ingots, milled down to remove imperfections and compressed, which creates dense pore-free billets. Ultrasonic scanners are used weed out units that show defects.
Apple machines the hardened ingots into housings and other parts, like the Digital Crown and solid gold clasps for strap accessories. Finally, artisans hand polish each piece of metal to a lustrous sheen.
The Apple Watch Edition starts at $10,000 and tops out at $17,000 as configured through Apple's website. Preorders and in-store previews begin on April 10, with shipments to start two weeks later on April 24.
Narrated by Apple SVP of Design Jony Ive, the video offers insight into an involved production process that results in one of the most expensive products Apple has ever brought to market.
Work begins at the molecular level, Ive says, with raw materials, including gold, silver, copper and palladium mixed using a specific recipe to create a custom alloy with unique 18 karat yellow and rose gold hues.
After exiting the crucible, a new hardening process thought up by Apple's metallurgists. Molten gold is cast into solid ingots, milled down to remove imperfections and compressed, which creates dense pore-free billets. Ultrasonic scanners are used weed out units that show defects.
Apple machines the hardened ingots into housings and other parts, like the Digital Crown and solid gold clasps for strap accessories. Finally, artisans hand polish each piece of metal to a lustrous sheen.
The Apple Watch Edition starts at $10,000 and tops out at $17,000 as configured through Apple's website. Preorders and in-store previews begin on April 10, with shipments to start two weeks later on April 24.
Comments
$17,000 for a watch that is going to be outdated in 9 months!!!
Am not sure who will buy these. My Hong Kong friend says, every Chinese customer and his mother will buy one. They love gold !!
Rich tech dorks in San Francisco, the Millennial Russian Mafia, and yes, the Chinese, because having $100,000 worth of showy merchandise while living with 5 generations of family in a 2 bedroom apartment is how they roll!
I can't even begin to think of how this is going to increase the crime rate in urban areas..
$17,000 for a watch that is going to be outdated in 9 months!!!
Most $17,000 watches on the market are decades outdated.
It would be nice if they replaced the internal components every year. You're probably correct though... I wonder how much it would be second hand next year.
The style and size of the face will change. Plus that would be tedious to do. I think a much better option is to have a trade-in option for the gold watches where they give you a credit towards the purchase of a new one. They could then just melt the gold from the old ones.
Any idea how many actual grams of gold these will contain? It doesn't appear to be that much just from the photos.
don't judge. People have different priorities.
Many will spend $30k on a european vacation that last a few weeks. Or a $10k bottle of wine that lasts 1 hour.
People that actually *have* money do these things. I guess you missed my point.
Apple site says the large case is 69 grams.
That comes to about 1.67 troy ounces of pure gold. Worth about $2k just for the gold. And people though this would sell for $2k. LOL.
Is that using a standard calculator or one that considers Apples use of ceramic particles in the gold mix that reduces the gold content by almost half?
You don't understand luxury.
People buy $30k Gold Rolex watches that have technology that has been OUTDATED for DECADES!
I understand a saying about a fool and his money.
A 1965 Mustang is outdated.
So is a 1993 BMW 325i.
Apples and oranges.
I think we are seeing class envy rearing its ugly head. To be expected I guess. Just another anti-Apple talking point.
Hand polished with real gypsy tears, legend has it.
standard. The Apple site says the case WEIGHTS 69 grams.
Too bad pure gold is 18k, which is what I think the question was. 24k is pure gold. 18k is 75% gold content. Hopefully, the other 25% is Liquidmetal. 18k gold is soft and scratches easily, the only way to make it stronger would be to add a special alloy but keep the gold lust color. 18k white gold is stronger than 18k yellow gold because of the nickle added to give it a white look. Then white gold is rhodium finished to give it that bright white color.
Seriously? Are you high on crack or something? Stop trolling and GTFO, your comments are mindless ramblings that bring nothing to the discussion, except make yourself look like a moron.
Wow, you AI forumers sure have fragile egos. Makes it fun to poke you with a stick
Lighten up and get a sense of humor bro,
I'll sell you one for 17 Gs.
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