More Uncouth Accusations For Apple Watch Buyers
Apple’s focus should be on selling as many watches as possible, not becoming a fashion brand. Gold (the color) is hot right now in the fashion world. Why not use technology to get the gold watch in the hands of more people. Why didn’t Apple develop some type of “10x stronger gold coating” giving us the same visual aesthetic with the technological payoff? I’d happily pay an extra $500-$1,000 for that upgrade. But we don’t need solid gold on something that is disposable after a couple years.
So, I’m lost. Who is this watch for?
So, Rose would be happy to spend “an extra $500-$1000″ for a dollar’s worth of gold plating, but bigger spenders who want Apple Watch Edition are to be mocked derisively? After all, the title of his piece (which seems to be a theme so far this week) is “The Gold Apple Watch Is Perfect For Douchebags.” Kevin Rose, the “mechanical watch collector,” says Apple Watch Edition is for douchebags. And he says this in his free moments between Meerkatting his rare tea collection and showing off his expensive coffee toys in his even more expensive San Francisco apartment. “Takes one to know one” comes to mind.
Of course, Rose is just a rich guy calling out his rich guy rivals. This kind of criticism doesn’t really matter to you or me. But the logical extension might: Remember, for most of us, Apple Watch Sport costs more (compared to our total net worth) than Apple Watch Edition costs for guys like Rose. If Millionaire A is a fool for spending so much on so little, what does that make Average Joe B for spending comparatively way more? This is something Apple Watch early adopters are going to have to deal with.
To the question about who Apple Watch Edition is for: It’s for all the wealthy people of the world who spend money on status items. It’s for people who spend hundreds on dinner and drinks. It’s for people who spend thousands on bags and shoes. It’s for people who spend a quarter of a million dollars on high performance sports cars, drive the speed limit, never take them to the track, and then trade them in two years later while happily absorbing the 40-percent hit to its value. That’s who it’s for.
Apple’s priciest wearable is not for watch aficionados. It’s for extremely wealthy people who want an Apple Watch.
And I’m betting there’s a lot of them.