Raleigh, N.C.–based Bailey’s Fine Jewelry has found a way to make the Apple Watch—which has invariably been described as “understated” in the press—look decidedly overstated.
The jeweler customized the $17,000 18k gold Apple Watch in a rendering that shows its bezel and strap studded in 10 carats of diamonds. The watch, which store co-owner Trey Bailey says “can absolutely be created at our workshop,” will retail for approximately $41,000, after the watch has been purchased. A version with a diamond-less leather strap will also be available for $10,000.
Courtesy Bailey’s Fine Jewelry
A rendering of Bailey’s Fine Jewelry’s $41,000 18k gold Apple Watch
The retailer released the design as a marketing tool to promote the shop’s workshop, which is “one of the things that we’re most proud of and that truly sets Bailey’s apart from other jewelry stores,” says Bailey.
“We have some really awesome designers at the store,” he adds. “And they wanted to do something fun and creative to help show off we have our own workshop on the premises.”
The artisans did a CAD rendering of the watch (which no one has yet) by “literally going online and finding the protoypes,” he says. “They did a lot of math and figured out the scale of the watch.”
Courtesy Bailey’s Fine Jewelry
The watch as it would look on the wrist…of a very wealthy person
Whether the blinged-out watch will ever be actually commissioned is a big unknown. JCK news director Rob Bates wrote about the ephemeral nature of wearable tech as it relates to big-ticket devices yesterday. Basically, why would anyone invest that much in an item that’s sure to be outdated in a year or two?
But Bailey’s upgraded watch was designed as much for kicks as for potential profit. “It’s not a slam dunk,” Bailey concedes with a laugh, “but we have a lot of high-end clients, so we wanted to make sure it was something we could actually make. We feel like, yeah, someone will go for it.”
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