14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is known as a brand that sells more expensive items. That may be because their products hold value over time and are quality-built. However, selling the gold Apple Watch for $1,200 (€928.76) may be a bad idea. That doesn't mean such a device won't sell.
The company is testing the waters right now with a price tag of $349 (€270.11) for the Apple Watch. No one knows whether that is the baseline for the product or prices will go up with different models, and we don't have an idea if that price includes the fancy bands or not.
Expensive Edition
The Apple Watch Edition will also come with some fancy bracelets and a case made of 18-karat gold. Not a golden case, like the iPhone 6, but real gold. Apple did not announce the price for their expensive device, but Techcrunch has contacted a jewelry maker for a quote.
It appears that the gold Apple Watch may cost around $1,200 (€928.76). Their price tag was established by the size and weight of the device and all the other materials used to manufacture it. Techcrunch also explains that this is only an estimate and the actual retail price may fall below that.
Apple watchers don't know if the tech giant will have a gold-plated device or if it is going to be made out of gold. If Apple goes with the second choice, the price may be increased.
Chad Rickicki, a watch expert in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, told Techcrunch that a case that has the size and the shape of the Apple Watch and comes in 18-karat gold would cost about $600 (€464.38) to make. But the Apple watch will also have sapphire glass on the back for the sensors, some next-generation electronics inside, and an expensive buckle and band.
Who would buy it?
The Apple Watch's target is not only the nerds. The fashion industry is just as hyped about this new product. Apple invited some well-known fashion bloggers and journalists along with some big names in showbiz to come to their event. Having them talk and write about or wear a high-end Apple Watch is the best way to promote an expensive device.
So far, Apple has hired a number of fashion experts and former higher-ups from companies like Burberry, Gap, Yves Saint Laurent, and Nike. They are helping shape the marketing department for the tech giant. The alternative on the smartwatch market are either cheap, poorly-designed gadgets that work as a notifications-only device for your smartphone, or devices like Moto 360, where good design is ill-fated by bad technology choices.