New Colorful Apple Watches: A Fresh Take on Tradition

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This year, April will not only be welcoming colorful spring flowers, it will also debut the new, equally colorful Apple Watches. With a variety of faces, finishes and interchangeable bands, this new take on a traditional staple has everyone wondering just how well Apple's newest offering in five years will be received.

The new Apple Watch has two case sizes: 38 mm. and 42 mm. It is designed to be worn on either the left or the right wrist. The finishes include a dulled space-gray aluminum, a shiny space-black stainless steel, an 18-Karat rose gold alloy and an 18-Karat yellow gold alloy. A sapphire crystal is standard.

Apple Watches are also available in a variety of faces. For serious business, the traditional look is always appropriate, but Mickey Mouse and his friends are also choices for a more playful approach. Because the faces are customizable, shoppers can create a watch that reflects their personal interests. Delicate butterflies, solar lines, and the world as seen from afar are just a few examples that cater to utilitarian or simplistic designs.

Perhaps the most interesting possibilities lie in the assortment of interchangeable bands that Apple is offering. The Sport Watch bands are made of durable fluoroelastomer and available in lime green, pink, blue, white and black. With frames of anodized aluminum in space and silver gray, each watch is sold with two band choices per box. Interestingly, the various colors are also of different weights. White is the heaviest band and the brightest neutral color. Blue is a bright, rather impudent hue. The lime green version is definitely sassy and fun loving. Pink is actually more of a confident coral. Black is the lightest in weight. Like the little black dress, this band can go anywhere and move easily from daytime to nighttime activities. For shoppers who want to broaden their color choices, Apple will eventually be selling separate bands in additional colors for about $50 each.

In addition to the sport bands, Apple Watches are available in leather loop, a Venezia leather from Italy. Choices include light brown, stone, black and a light blue. Classic buckle bands are only available in black Dutch leather. Modern buckle is a Granada leather offered in soft pink, black, midnight blue and brown. Other Apple band choices include link bracelets, a stainless steel Milanese mesh loop and the two gold choices.

An 18-Karat rose gold case with white sport band and a yellow gold case with black sport band are currently being offered by Apple for $10,000 each. For $17,000 consumers can pick up a gold Apple Watch that has its own air of luxury and is distinctive among other smart watches. For those who buy watches to make a statement, gold or silver with a leather strap is the classic look.

Gold has traditionally been the jewelry color for daytime and silver more for evening wear. Another approach is to choose gold for earth-tone suits and silver for blues, blacks and grays. For the very particular, leather watch bands should not clash with leather belts and shoes.

According to CEO Tim Cook, the Apple Watch is to be, first and foremost, a fashion statement. British designer Sir Tony Ive put great effort towards this by incorporating a variety of colors and customizable choices. However, after appearance, this smart watch remains simple, classic, versatile and sophisticated. With starting prices around $350, it remains to be seen how well the public responds.