Space Black Apple Watch - Is it worth it?
We finally got our hands on the 42mm Space Black Steel Apple Watch with the steel link bracelet to review and answer the question — is it worth the big price tag? This is the most expensive model costing $1,100 plus tax, before getting into the $10,000 gold versions (unless you gold plate it). We’ve been using our Space gray sport model which we really like, be sure to check out our comparison of the Space Black vs Space Gray Sport.
As we unboxed the watch we found the packaging and included accessories like the charger are the same as what you would get with the Silver Steel version. However the real difference is when you open the box and find the Space Black Apple watch with the link bracelet — and it really is an eye turner.
For the Steel case, Apple uses 316L Stainless Steel which is the same type commonly found in high end watches and jewelry. Then they use a cold forging process which helps make the metal up to 80% stronger to prevent nicks and scratches.They take the process even further with the Space Black edition by giving it a diamond like carbon layer coating which is then polished to give it a mirror-like finish.
The result is what gives off an amazing deep black color with a shiny smooth finish. The color of the case matches the dark black OLED Sapphire glass display and it all blends together so nicely that the entire watch looks like one seamless piece of steel and sapphire — which was rated by ConsumerReports as very scratch resistant.
Steel Link Bracelet
The link bracelet is another nice feature of the watch. It’s similar to the bracelet found on the Silver Stainless steel, except Apple does not sell the space black link bracelet separately. Apple says each bracelet is made from 140 individual parts, and they have innovated new technology by creating a unique mechanism to resize the band. All you have to do is push a button and the link comes out. We really love this feature and we have never seen a watch band with this type of functionality before — it may justify part of the hefty price tag you’re paying.
Smudge Magnet
However, there are two downsides we found with this watch. The first one being how this watch is a huge smudge magnet. Even after taking it out of the box we immediately started spotting fingerprints and smudges both on the watch and the band. And while it might not be visible to others, you can definitely notice them yourself — so keep that in mind if you hate smudgy gadgets.
The other downside to the bracelet we found is that it’s not as quick to swap out like other bands. You’ll need to first detach one of the links on either side of the band in order to slide the bracelet off the watch.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, this watch is very nice looking and excellent build quality — if you have cash to throw around it's the one you want, go for it! But we don't think it's best way to spend $1,100 + tax to get your hands on it. Keep in mind this is still a 1st generation smartwatch and Apple plans on coming out with the Apple Watch 2 in the next couple years with more functionality and most likely more colors!
We’ve been using our Space gray sport model which we really like, be sure to check out our next post where we compare the Space Black Apple Watch vs Space Gray Sport.
Watch our full review video on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwlIsQUft1E
