Hands on with the 40mm women's Hermes Apple Watch Series 4

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in Apple Watch
The Edition and ceramic models of Apple Watch are long gone, but if you're looking for the cream of the crop within the Apple Watch lineup, the Hermes models are here for you. AppleInsider goes hands-on with the feminine-skewing 40mm Apple Watch Series 4.

Apple Watch 40mm Hermes


This smaller Hermes Apple Watch isn't exclusively for women, but the slightly more diminutive size and rose-colored band definitely contribute to the disproportionately female audience.






There are quite a few 40mm Hermes Series 4 Apple Watches available, though we opted for the one bundled with the Bordeaux/Rose Extreme/Rose Azalee Swift Leather Single Tour. Unlike the standard Apple Watch, the Hermes editions come only in polished silver stainless steel and with cellular, though you don't have to activate.

Apple Watch 40mm Hermes


Inside the box you'll find the usual affair -- stainless steel Apple Watch charging puck, 5W wall adapter, and two bands -- the incredibly intricate Hermes band, as well as an exclusive Hermes-orange sports band.

To go with the Hermes bands is an exclusive Hermes watch face. There are several variations including multiple typography options, the number of hours around the edge, background colors, and the sole complication in the center. Since we have the rose-tinted version of band, we used the rose-colored face to complete the look.

Apple Watch 40mm Hermes


The band is extremely soft leather and a bit on the thin side. There are a variety of colors, even on our single band. There are small Hermes touches such as their wordmark imprinted on the stainless steel buckle.

Our biggest complaint with the Hermes version of the Apple Watch is only a minor one. Since the original Apple Watch hit the market, the unboxing and ownership experience has continued to dwindle. Instead of being paired with a solid travel/storage box or the round spaceship-esque charging dock, The Hermes just comes in an orange box that isn't too far off any other model. For the price, we wish Apple had opted for a few more differentiating elements.

Check out AppleInsider's other Series 4 hands-on -- 44mm Heremes, Nike+ edition, gold stainless, and aluminum.

Apple Watch 40mm Hermes


Those interested in a premium watch experience can purchase Apple Watch Hermes at Apple. Other Series 4 models can be found in our regularly updated Apple Watch Series 4 Price Guide.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys 😂
  • Reply 2 of 31
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    The only reason I looked at this post was to see who the guys hang out with. Come on, guys, get out there!
  • Reply 3 of 31
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys  :D 
    I've had the Watch (not the Hermes edition) since it first came out. I have, at this point, 8 or 9 Sports bands of various colors, which I often mix and match, just for fun. Pink is among those colors.

    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    racerhomie3bikertwinkayesschiaSoundJudgment
  • Reply 4 of 31
    sully54sully54 Posts: 108member
    This review contains a lot of implicit gender biases. Nothing in the way the 40mm watch is marketed suggests that it's "feminine-skewing". Oh it has a pink strap so it must be the womens apple watch. with that logic, anyone with the pride strap must be gay. like come on. what year are we in?
    kayessbikertwinchiaSoundJudgmentchristophb
  • Reply 5 of 31
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    anantksundaram said:
    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    Heh, while I agree, I think there is a lot more going on in current culture than throwbacks or freedom to wear colors you like. Interestingly, historically, pink was seen as part of the red spectrum, which was more masculine, and blue was a 'calmer' color, associated with femininity. So, the whole pink for girls, blue for boys, is a fairly recent inversion of that.

    All that said, I jumped in here to say that I think Hermes fashion is kind of ugly (especially the face). I don't get it at all.
    chia
  • Reply 6 of 31
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member

    sully54 said:
    This review contains a lot of implicit gender biases. Nothing in the way the 40mm watch is marketed suggests that it's "feminine-skewing". Oh it has a pink strap so it must be the womens apple watch. with that logic, anyone with the pride strap must be gay. like come on. what year are we in?
    FYI... arguments and logic don't really care what year it is. :)
    sully54
  • Reply 7 of 31
    As a guy I found the headline annoying having been very happy with the smaller watch 3 for the whole of last year.  With the 4, however, I’ve  now changed to the bigger size simply because the battery life was so noticeably poorer on the ’women’s’ size.  Now of course I like it big... that headline grated though! 
    bikertwinwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 31
    Nowhere in Apple’s marketing is this referred to as a “Women’s Watch”, not for Hermès and not for any Apple Watch. Likewise for the larger watch being the “Men’s Watch”.

    If more women buy it, great, good for them. More men buy the larger watch? Great.

    Buying a Chevy Suburban used to be a guy thing; now I see lots of moms buying them. Is a Chevy Suburban a “Men’s Car” or a “Men’s Model”? Of course not. How ridiculous is that?! Think of the sales they would lose if they called it a men’s model.

    Does Motor Trend’s headline read, “Hands on with the men's Chevy Suburban” or “Six Month Long Term Test of Men’s Tesla Model 3”? Of course not.

    Chevy and Apple want to sell product, and they couldn’t care less what gender they’re selling to. It’s all about 💰 💵 profits. So let’s skip the gender tagging, shall we?
    christophbSoundJudgment
  • Reply 9 of 31
    Speaking of “it’s 2018 and…”, it’s 2018 and I can’t use emoji on Apple Insider’s message board. 

    Those glyphs are supposed to be a money bag and a stack of $ bills emoji.
  • Reply 10 of 31
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys  :D 
    I've had the Watch (not the Hermes edition) since it first came out. I have, at this point, 8 or 9 Sports bands of various colors, which I often mix and match, just for fun. Pink is among those colors.

    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    I think he's poking fun at the fact that AppleInsider has chosen to call this a women's watch...
  • Reply 11 of 31
    aegeanaegean Posts: 164member
    I've got Apple Watch Hermes Series 3 42mm with Single Tour Rallye that it came with, and so far very happy with it. Funnily enough I ended up buying 4 more Hermes straps, Medor (my most fav one), Fauve Barenia, Feu Epson, and Rallye Blanc. I waited too long to get Lime Epsom, and now they no longer sell it and I regret not buying it when it was available :(
    welshdogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 31
    For me these Hermes watches don’t offer enough differentiation, style, or substance to justify the price. Very underwhelming.
  • Reply 13 of 31
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys  :D 
    I've had the Watch (not the Hermes edition) since it first came out. I have, at this point, 8 or 9 Sports bands of various colors, which I often mix and match, just for fun. Pink is among those colors.

    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    I was being sarcastic. 
  • Reply 14 of 31
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys  :D 
    I've had the Watch (not the Hermes edition) since it first came out. I have, at this point, 8 or 9 Sports bands of various colors, which I often mix and match, just for fun. Pink is among those colors.

    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    I was being sarcastic. 
    Yes, I picked up on the dry humor and appreciated it.  Some are a bit sensitive on the trigger.  Oh, can we say, "trigger" anymore?
    edited October 2018
  • Reply 15 of 31
    Pink is for girls, blue is for boys  :D 
    I've had the Watch (not the Hermes edition) since it first came out. I have, at this point, 8 or 9 Sports bands of various colors, which I often mix and match, just for fun. Pink is among those colors.

    I think your post is a silly throwback. It's 2018 -- wear the color you like, and move on.
    I was being sarcastic. 
    Yes, I picked up on the dry humor and appreciated it.  Some are a bit sensitive on the trigger.  Oh, can we say, "trigger" anymore?
    There are some really complex and non-obvious norms to follow if someone is trying to be sarcastic in a forum like this. 

    /sarcasm
  • Reply 16 of 31
    sully54sully54 Posts: 108member
    cgWerks said:
    FYI... arguments and logic don't really care what year it is. :)
    Fair enough. 
    cgWerks
  • Reply 17 of 31
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    bikertwin said:
    Nowhere in Apple’s marketing is this referred to as a “Women’s Watch”, not for Hermès and not for any Apple Watch. Likewise for the larger watch being the “Men’s Watch”.

    If more women buy it, great, good for them. More men buy the larger watch? Great.

    Buying a Chevy Suburban used to be a guy thing; now I see lots of moms buying them. Is a Chevy Suburban a “Men’s Car” or a “Men’s Model”? Of course not. How ridiculous is that?! Think of the sales they would lose if they called it a men’s model.
    To be fair, there are - in general - different sizes to men's and women's wrists and hand sizes, so one size watch might be more appropriate to a higher percentage of men than women, or vice versa.

    And, brands absolutely do create products and market to certain demographics, even men vs women, however (rather recently) culturally inappropriate it might be.

    kkqd1337 said:
    For me these Hermes watches don’t offer enough differentiation, style, or substance to justify the price. Very underwhelming.
    Fashion often isn't about style or substance, but if the differentiation isn't enough, that's valid argument (as that is the whole point of fashion).

    anantksundaram said:
    There are some really complex and non-obvious norms to follow if someone is trying to be sarcastic in a forum like this. 
    /sarcasm
    Heh, or people could grow up a bit and lay off the virtue signaling. But, I think maybe we're way, way down the cliff, beyond that, in our current culture. :(
  • Reply 18 of 31
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    sully54 said:
    cgWerks said:
    FYI... arguments and logic don't really care what year it is. :)
    Fair enough. 
    Heh. Sorry, I spend too much time in other venues arguing with people over relativism, objective vs subjective morality, postmodernism, intersectionality and Marxism, and such. It's bleeding through here. :)
    edited October 2018
  • Reply 19 of 31
    You can save a few hundred $ by buying a non-Hermes watch and separately a Hermes band, but you won't get the Hermes watch faces.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    Setting aside the debate on social color programming for a second, I’d like to know the purpose of this article. It added absolutely nothing to the previous one of the 44mm version. Couldn’t you have just provided a link to that with a simple line saying “it’s exactly the same, only smaller”? 

    Also, PLEASE learn how to pronounce “Hermès”. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to those who like the brand.
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