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Apple preparing to ship first standalone Apple Watch Link Bracelet & Leather Loop orders

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Nearly one month following the start of Apple Watch and Apple Watch band pre orders, Apple has begun preparing to ship the first orders of standalone Link Bracelets, according to multiple 9to5 readers. These $449 Link Bracelets are separate from orders of the Apple Watch with Link Bracelet, in both the standard silver and Space Black combinations, which do not appear to have begun preparing to ship as of yet. Apple explains the Link Bracelet’s design on its website:

Crafted from the same 316L stainless steel alloy as the case, the Link Bracelet has more than 100 components. The machining process is so precise, it takes nearly nine hours to cut the links for a single strap. In part that’s because they aren’t simply a uniform size, but subtly increase in width as they approach the case. Once assembled, the links are brushed by hand to ensure that the texture follows the contours of the design. The custom butterfly closure folds neatly within the bracelet. And several links feature a simple release button, so you can add and remove links without any special tools.

The first Apple Watch with Link Bracelet orders currently sit in a shipping window between May 13 and May 27, and customers of those models should expect credit card charges and shipment alerts over the course of the next week. It is notable that Apple is only now shipping Apple Watch Link Bracelet accessories weeks after many press review units included the most expensive Apple Watch band. Charges and shipment alerts for the standalone Leather Loop band are also starting to trickle out. Thanks, Mark and everyone who sent this in!

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Comments

  1. andreww500 - 9 years ago

    My shipment date is May 1st to May 14th.

    • andreww500 - 9 years ago

      Update: My link bracelet status changed to dispatched, and upon checking the UPS tracking, it says it has departed from China.

  2. TechSHIZZLE.com - 9 years ago

    What about Sport bands?!

    I got the Milanese Loop, and ordered a BSB and WSB separately. Both bands are still “processing”.

  3. fangirl4160 - 9 years ago

    Got my notice this afternoon for my extra blue sports band. It is preparing to ship.

  4. Ali Ebrahim - 9 years ago

    It’s a bit disappointing that Apple is shipping out spare strap orders ahead of watch orders that depend on the same straps.

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      Maybe the bottleneck is on the Watch itself, and not the bands (?). I doubt they’d ship people’s 2nd and 3rd bands if it caused people not to get their Watch at all. It’s probably the Taptic Engine holding things up…

  5. Joshua Carroll - 9 years ago

    Ordered stainless steel watch with Milanese loop band on April 13. Status still says, “Processing Items Available to ship: June.”

    • Manon Guerin - 9 years ago

      Exactly the same thing here. Ordered SS Watch with Milanese loop on April 13 (the 42mm) and I have the same status as you… (Processing Items Available to ship: June). I live in Montreal, Canada…

      • Diana Dolina - 9 years ago

        Same here. Says “available to ship – June”… does anyone have any idea whether it early/mid/late june???

  6. david255145 - 9 years ago

    i can’t find any of apple watch leather loops unboxing video on youtube ! interesting ! and my Apple watch (leather loops) still not change anything yet :( the estimate arrived time is 5/12-5/26.

  7. Delivers: May 29 – Jun 11 by Standard Shipping for mine. Apple Watch Sport 42mm Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band.

  8. Alec Giusti - 9 years ago

    How about you get the bands on watches and get the watches out before you start sending people extra bands who have cheaper models. I mean hell wtf kinda strategy is that. Give the ones who got the cheap models their watch plus extra bands but the ones who got the expensive models get nothing?

  9. it’s fake
    why there are few people got the shipping email and most of us are still processing
    i order the 38 link bracelet and ask some people, they say their watch (some kinds of watvh is leather loop too) are also processing in 3 days!!
    too disappointing that apple doing this worst in their product

  10. Keith Tomkins - 9 years ago

    Ordered 42mm S/Steel with leather loop
    April 10th got email processing order on the same!
    I have not heard since, so I phoned apple today May 11th and got the reply they cannot update me as they do not have any further information.
    I will be emailed when item is shipped!
    Just an update would be good. Even to say it’s delayed…..