Can a gadget be made fashionable? Well, Apple has been doing it since 2015 with their collaboration with Hermès and Oura, following suit, tapped into the luxury market with their collaboration with Gucci.
I have been an Apple Watch user for years, and don’t get me wrong– I love the OG Apple Watches. So, do I need the same tech in fancy packaging? My bank says no, but the heart wants what it wants. So I burned $1249 out of my pocket so that you don’t have to.
Or maybe it was just an excuse to enter the Hermès boutique, knowing I was not gonna walk out of there empty-handed; you’ll never know.
Hermès Apple Watch vs Apple Watch: What’s the difference?
Design
At first glance, perhaps the only noticeable difference in the Hermès Apple Watch as opposed to other Apple Watches is the colour and bands. The Hermès Apple Watch is the only watch in the Series 10 lineup that comes in a silver titanium case, while the regular Series 10 in titanium comes in three colours– natural, gold, and slate.
So, if you want the silver finish, the Hermès Apple Watch is the only way to go in the Series 10. While the finish is available in previous Apple Watch versions and is quite similar, the Hermès variant is slightly brighter, in my opinion. Both are available in two sizes– 42mm and 46mm, with five styles and multiple colours of bands to choose from, which aren’t available with the regular Apple Watch Series 10.
I picked up the 42mm with the Toile H single tour band. The Toile H is an homage to Hermès’ signature checkered canvas and would go with a lot of my wardrobe. The back of the Hermès Apple Watch has the Hermès name in order to differentiate it from the regular Apple Watch Series 10.
Another notable change in the design is that since the Hermès Apple Watch only comes in the Cellular + GPS variant, you would expect the red loop on the Digital Crown. Apple has gotten rid of that red loop and turned it into a very subtle white loop instead, which doesn’t look like a stark contrast.
Packaging
When it comes to the packaging of the Hermès Apple Watch, it is definitely very different to the classic white box that Apple gives. The Hermès Apple Watch comes in its bright, signature orange box and paper bag.
There is also a difference in the packaging if you buy from Apple or the Hermès boutique. Since Apple sells the product and Hermès sells the experience, the packaging of both very vividly depicts this difference.
When you buy the Hermès Apple Watch from the Apple store, the carry bag is the signature Hermès orange shade with Apple’s and Hermès’ logo printed on top. The same when bought from an Hermès boutique comes in the classic Hermès carry bag without the Apple logo.
The box in which the watch comes is the same apart from the Hermès ribbon that the Hermès boutique ties around the box to sell the experience. Another notable fact is that buying from an Hermès boutique will add to your purchase history, which is needed if you want to buy a Birkin down the line.
This purchase won’t count towards your purchase history if you buy the watch from an Apple store.
Bands
Apart from slight tweaks in the design, the Hermès watch bands are probably the only thing that you’re paying those extra bucks for. The watch also comes with a sports band in Hermès’ signature orange colour, which cannot be purchased separately.
This is especially great because I can’t and I won’t wear any of the other bands while swimming or at the gym. Why? Because of the convenience and the price tag. The bands alone start at $349 and no way I’m wearing that to the gym.
This is the first time that Hermès has made an all-metal band– Grand H, and I love that because since Apple stopped using leather, we don’t get the Hermès leather bands anymore with the Hermès Apple Watch.
These bands can be purchased separately online from Hermès or from an Hermès boutique. Barring the leather bands, the others can also be purchased separately from Apple or Hermès.
Watch faces
Another thing that sets the Hermès Apple Watch apart from the Apple Watch Series 10 is the watch faces. The Hermès Apple Watch has five faces- Hermès Circuit H, Hermès Circulaire, Hermès Lucky Horse, and Hermès Radial, that can be customised.
Personally, I love the Lucky Horse and how it wakes up and winks at me every time I wake up my watch. But it might be a little too much for some people, and the Hermès Apple Watch offers more subtle and “old money” aesthetic watch faces in that case. The only new watch face is the Hermès Maritime, which is featured in the Hermès Apple Watch Ultra.
Splurge or Save?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Provides exclusivity and brand value. | High price tag. |
| Leather straps look amazing, and more straps can be bought separately. | No extra features apart from the exclusive Hermès watch faces. |
| Comes with a sports band for workouts and swimming so that your Hermès bands don’t get ruined. | It becomes obsolete when Apple releases their new watch edition every year. |
| Since it is Hermès and Apple, the quality is unmatched. | Additional bands from Hermès start at $349. |
| It can help you create a purchase history with Hermès when bought from a boutique and not the Apple store. | |
| Not overpriced as compared to other timepieces offered by Hermès. |
The fact is that there is no difference in the working of the Hermès Apple Watch, and you’re just paying a luxury tax for the watch faces, a titanium silver finish and watch bands from Hermès. If you have cash to spare, I would save it for a more classic timepiece like a Rolex or a Piguet.
That said, there is no price comparison between the luxury watch segment and the Hermès Apple Watch. And quite honestly, the Hermès Apple Watch is not overpriced if I look at brands like Patek and Piguet, but then again, with the Hermès Apple Watch, you’re only paying for the watch band and a few fancy watch faces.
As pretty as the Hermès Apple Watch is, I would save my money and get the regular Apple Watch Series 10 as I get all the functions at almost half the price.
Wrap Up
Hermès’ artistic director, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, described the collection as “an alliance in excellence; like horse and carriage, a perfect team”, and I couldn’t agree more. But at the same time, the functionality is the same, and you’re only paying for the Hermès bands and brand value, which is why I wouldn’t splurge on this variant.
I would much rather spend more on the Apple Watch Ultra, which is still less priced than the Hermès Apple Watch but has so many more features and functionality. But if you’re a brand buff or are looking to start building a purchase history with Hermès, you can start with the Hermès Apple Watch and buy from an Hermès boutique, not the Apple store.
