- Apple has released a gold-link Apple Watch band for $349, once exclusive to celebrities.
- A similar band was previously seen on Beyoncé, Karl Lagerfeld, and Kanye West in 2015.
- Originally estimated at $25,000, the new version is made of stainless steel alloy.
An Apple accessory that looks like a model once reserved for the tech giant’s A-list customers is now available for purchase.
Apple is officially selling its gold-link Apple Watch band to the public for $349 — almost 10 years after tech and fashion nerds spotted a similar one on the wrists of a small group of celebrities.
The exclusive list of owners included Beyoncé, the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. All three had been seen wearing the band in 2015, the same year the Apple Watch first launched.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images; Apple
At the time, MacRumors estimated that the band was a limited-edition accessory for the Apple Watch Edition (the now-discontinued luxury smartwatch), likely to cost around $25,000.
Apple is charging $349 for the current model, which could be related to the material. The new bands are made of stainless steel alloy and available in gold, natural, or slate finishes.
Apple said on its website that the link band is compatible with “most versions of Apple Watch.” The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
In April 2015, designer Lagerfeld’s assistant posted a photo of his boss’s watch and thanked the company for the model “specially made for Karl.” After his death in 2019, wristwatch website Hodinkee said the fashion icon may never have set it up and instead wore it like an accessory.
For $350, Apple Watch owners can look like they’re on the same exclusive client list as fashion icons — albeit nine years later.
