Pricing rumours for Apple’s new wristwatch were pretty accurate and John Gruber got most of the goals in his final rundown yesterday.
The base Apple Watch Sport will start at $349 for 38mm with the 42mm version costing $50 more. This differential also applies to the stainless-steel Apple Watch collection which starts at $549 and tops out at $1,099, depending on bracelet, for the 38mm.
The 18k gold Apple Watch Edition will cost from $10,000. In the UK the Sport will cost £299 (£339 for 42mm) while the steel model will be £479 (£519) including a sport band. The gold edition will be £8,000. Bear in mind that these prices include VAT at 20% compared with the US prices which are before local taxes.
The band prices range from £39 for the sport strap to £379 for the 42mm link bracelet, a price which is very competitive with similar products from Swiss watch makers. It will be interesting to see if the quality is comparable.
The big seller will be the Sport, if only on price. But it is also beautifully crafted and will stand on its own merits. The stainless steel version with metal band should sell in the UK for around £849 and is likely to be the second most popular version.
I suspect many people will order the stainless steel version with the standard sport strap and will then spend some time deciding on which of the more expensive leather or steel bands to add.
You can pre-order from April 10 for delivery from April 24.