Originally released back in October, Apple partnered with French leather fashion company Hermès for a lineup of high-end leather bands for the Apple Watch. The Hermès bands, however, have only been available from Apple stores and Hermès stores in big cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Miami. Starting this Friday, however, the Hermès collection will be available online from both Hermes.com and Apple.com (via Fashionista).
All three Hermès bands will be available online. The “Single Tour” band is the most affordable of the three bands, starting at $1,100, and is available in Noir or Fauve in 42mm and an additional Capucine color in 38mm. Next is the “Double Tour,” which starts at $1,250 and comes in Etain, Fauve, Capucine and Bleu Jean. The most expensive band is the “Cuff,” starting at $1,500 and available in brown. In addition to the exclusive bands, the collection includes a stainless steel Watch, with Hermès branding on the back, and a number of special watch faces.
Apple’s partnership with Hermès was negotiated before the Apple Watch was officially announced to the public, Jony Ive reveled in an interview. Apple struck the partnership in an effort to presumably make its Watch appeal to the higher-end of the fashion market and released it only at select stores to further make it an “item” to have in the fashion industry.
We reported recently that Apple would available a second-generation Apple Watch during a March event and this expansion of Hermès availability could be the two companies clearing out inventory before the second-gen model is announced.
Uncompromising craftsmanship. Pioneering innovation. Groundbreaking functionality. Apple Watch Hermès is the culmination of a partnership based on parallel thinking, singular vision and mutual regard. It is a unique timepiece designed with both utility and beauty in mind. With leather straps handmade by Hermès artisans in France and an Hermès watch face reinterpreted by Apple designers in California, Apple Watch Hermès is a product of elegant, artful simplicity — the ultimate tool for modern life.
The Hermès collection will be available online at Apple.com and Hermes.com beginning this Friday, January 22nd.
