Skip to main content

Apple Watch “3rd party gold-plated edition” w/ link bracelet gets first unboxing and hands-on (Video)

I know what you may be thinking: why would you spend any significant amount of money on a gold Apple Watch? Well, this isn’t an Apple Watch Edition, but it’s the closest thing available to my wallet. This Apple Watch and Link Bracelet was beautifully plated with 18K gold and it looks stunning.

I’m not even a fan of gold, but I can definitely appreciate the beauty here. This is just about as classy as it gets if you’re into the style. Last week, this used to be an ordinary Apple Watch, but a few days with the people over at WatchPlate changed it for life. If you’re not into spending a boat load of cash on an Apple Watch Edition, this is the next best thing and quite possibly a better option…

I opted for the Link Bracelet combination, but they can plate any stainless steel Apple Watch with any band style for the same price. I was very impressed with the quality. Sure, it’s not solid gold like you’d get straight from Apple, but at the same time it’s way less of a liability and looks just as good. Every inch of this Apple Watch is covered in gold and over the last week, it has held up great.

The cool thing about this gold plated Link Bracelet is that you can’t even buy this configuration from Apple. It’s completely unique, unless you’re Beyonce, Kanye West, or Karl Lagerfeld. I realize this kind of thing may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for an Edition on a budget WatchPlate will serve up the goods for $399 and the turnaround time is only four days. For a detailed look at our gold plated Apple Watch, take a look at the video below.

Check out our gold plated Link Bracelet Apple Watch unboxing & hands-on video:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRnvqHJUE74]

I think this specific version is absolutely gorgeous and if anything, may prove to be an interesting social experiment. I chose yellow over rose gold and have no regrets. I’m not big on wearing flashy gold stuff, but this gold plated tech has changed my mind a bit. My opinions on Apple Watch remain the same, but this look is hard to pass up. If you wanna check out our full review, click here.

Another favorite combination of mine, is the Leather Loop with the 42mm gold plated Apple Watch (shown in video). It’s a very clean combination and again would be another combination that you can’t purchase as a package from Apple. Just another way to stand out in the crowd.

Plating the Apple Watch won’t affect its functionality or water-proofing at all. Everything will be just as it was when purchased from Apple, but with a little added bling. I think it’s a great idea and you’ll get the same look and attention (if you’re looking for that) as you would with an Edition. There’s no doubt that this is an attractive piece of technology, but the gold plating definitely bumps it up a few notches. If you’d like to find out about gold plating your Apple Watch, visit WatchPlate’s website for more details.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. Davide Benatti - 10 years ago

    Mmmm cool, But what if the device was in need of replacement due to defective parts?

    • SKR Imaging - 10 years ago

      if you do get this mod done on your Apple Watch.. Say goodbye to your Apple Warranty.. If the watch has an issue, you might need to get it repaired from a third party repair center (and hope they know how to repair Apple Watch)… That way, parts can be replaced without changing the Gold casing.

      • Jon R. (@jrt500) - 9 years ago

        It’s actually pretty easy to take gold plating off. If there is an issue just get the finish polished off. Apple should have offered this option anyway so seriously, fuck them.

      • SKR Imaging - 9 years ago

        Yeah.. Agreed.. maybe Apple will announce Apple Watch 2 next year with Gold, Space Grey and Silver editions, As they have been prone to doing with every other device these days.. what’s next, a gold iMac? lol

  2. srgmac - 10 years ago

    I was going to say this was ugly / dumb until I saw it with the leather loop band…that looks very very cool.

  3. freediverx - 10 years ago

    Not a fan of gold-colored / gold-plated jewelry. But even if I were, I wouldn’t plunk down $1000 for what amounts to costume jewelry and electronics that will be obsolete in a few years.

    • freediverx - 10 years ago

      Wow, and a generous 30 day warranty. Shows’s they stand behind the quality of their $400 service.

      • marsontherocks - 10 years ago

        The wear and tear will show after 31 days… ;)

      • Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 10 years ago

        To marsontherocks: Not necessarily, if the plating was done properly, it can last a long time. I have a gold plated Movado watch that I’ve had for almost 20 years and it looks just as good as it did the day I bought it and I wear it all of the time. There are different quality of gold plating. I think the bracelet would look at lot better if it was polished and not brushed.

  4. vandy75 - 10 years ago

    Love it! Love it! Love it!

  5. rnc - 10 years ago

    Why would anyone spend money on this?

    It’s not the real deal, it will never will be.

    Everyone will always suspect that a “golden” watch will be fake, so you can only buy the edition for your personal pleasure anyways…

  6. eastpointvet - 10 years ago

    Looks good and I’m not a gold fan either

  7. Howie Isaacks - 10 years ago

    Looks tacky. The REAL Apple Watch Edition doesn’t.

  8. Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 10 years ago

    Apple should be offering a Gold plated version watch and charge an extra $500 and I think they’d sell a bunch of them.

  9. William Robinson - 9 years ago

    If it looks like the gold Edition, then you can expect to be mugged as if you were wearing a gold Edition.

  10. ibuildhope - 9 years ago

    I saw one on Etsy for $299

  11. Karl Snow - 9 years ago

    Moi like this and will send those guys 3 pieces for makeover

  12. Skyler JamesEngland - 9 years ago

    The http://honeydipped.com/ is way better than this the gold is plated the same hue as the apple watch edition this one looks way different.

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications