For a few dollars more
Apple Watch pricing, expressed in terms of upgrades relative to other models:
Sport models only come with Sport Bands, and both the space gray and silver cost the same.
The 42mm cases are always more expensive, but for us mere mortals, it’s always just a $50 premium. (Not only is the 42mm bigger, for bigger-handed people, it has a larger display. Makes sense Apple would charge more.)
Within the flagship, steel Watch collection:
- Naturally, for the $549/599 base price, you get a Sport Band.
- $100 over base price is where you get the widest selection of band options: a classic leather buckle, the Milanese loop, or the leather loop (42mm only). That is, for most people, the Apple Watch price worth noting is $649 for 38mm, or $699 for 42mm.
- For $200 over base price, you can get the Modern Buckle, which looks like a traditional watch band, but with some magnet-y Apple magic.
- Finally, not too surprisingly, the all-steel link bracelets are the most expensive: $400 over base price for the silver one, or $500 for the all-black version.
Finally, the Apple Watch Edition. The simplest, most honest way to express this upgrade is that you get a gold watch for WHAT THE FUCK dollars more. It’s not really worth expressing those prices in terms of upgrades from a normal Apple Watch. Within the Edition family, it’s $2,000 extra for 42mm. A classic buckle adds $5,000 to the price. Modern Buckles add $7,000. The whole range tops out at $17,000 for a 38mm Watch with a Modern Buckle.
One of the fun things about the Watch is not having to choose just one band. You can buy extras and switch them out. Just be careful to note that several watch bands come in different sizes, but different sizes don’t seem to add anything to the price.
Of course, the one upgrade many of us will definitely want/need: an extra power cord. That’ll be $29 for a 1m cord, $39 for a 2m one.
Just make sure you’re not trying to charge it from one of those new MacBooks. They don’t even have normal USB ports.