Time to replace my series 0 so I went to the Apple store to check out the new models, since I could not decide between Aluminium and steel. Saw a queue at the door and was told I had to pick either one or the other and then get a reservation for about 30-40 minutes in the future. I chose Aluminium, 44 and cell. I noticed the person taking the order kept re-asking me the same questions and entering the wrong answers, but thought I had it all correct at the end.
Went into the store to explore other products while I waited. Saw the steel - very pretty, but apparently out of stock. The new watch faces are gorgeous, and seem much more detailed.
Another customer was interested in a steel 44, and the staff were telling her it looked too big on her and she should get the 40.
Then it got to my reservation time. I showed one of the specialists the bar code on my phone. He typed my name into his phone and then asked to see my ID to prove that I was the same person who had made the reservation. What’s the point of the bar code?
Finally out came my watch and instead of a 44, it was a 40. I said this was not what I’d ordered and was told I would have to restart the reservation process and wait another 30-40 minutes. We decided against this and left.
On the way home, I realized that I would regret not getting the steel after all.
At home, ordered steel 44. Delivery estimate is 4-5 weeks from today and there are none available for pickup at any of the stores within striking distance.
I ordered the Steel 44mm version a few minutes after they went on sale (as soon as I completed my iPhone XS order) and got a ship date in early October. They seem to be in very high demand.
I think the Steel Watches are overpriced for a device that you might be upgrading each other year.
I have Aluminum Series 2, and Aluminim works perfect for me. The chassis looks the same, with 2/3rd the price of a Steel watch.
I like the look of the gold steel much more than the gold aluminum. Same for the silver ones. Yet I’m holding off until in its infinite wisdom Apple decides to allow an always-on time option. I might not primarily use my iPhone as a phone, but if I replace my current watch with an Apple Watch it needs to allow me to discretely glance at it to see the time without raising to wake.
High demand or low supply? We really don’t know - maybe Apple put more effort at intro to manufacture and delivery of the Sport watches.
Over the years my favorite nonsmartwatch choice has been brushed steel, which apparently Apple avoided so as to more obviously diverge the looks of the two watch lines.
If Apple could have gotten ceramic model price below $1000 it might have sold a lot better, and even taken sales from the steel model. I know two people with ceramic Series 3 AWs and both watches look today as if they had just been taken out of the box. They’re amazingly scratch- and chip-resistant. One of those people said he’d assumed Apple would come out with additional colors and he was ready to immediately update to a blue or black ceramic watch.
For me, the sapphire crystal on the steel watch is more than worth the price premium. The glass on my aluminum Series 0 got quite scratched up early in it’s life and it annoyed me every single time I saw that scratch. On the other hand the sapphire on my Series 3 steel model is in absolutely pristine condition after a year of ownership.
Worth it.
It’s important to buy the device that makes most sense to your daily use.
I did this to purchase my wife’s iPhone X and it may help here. I know that there is a selection of stock they try and reserve for in store purchases. If you open the Apple Store app and look for the item you want to purchase but for in store pick-up it lets you know the availability in your area and you can reserve for pickup within 24 hours. I just saved the exact model you want to your favorites and kept checking every morning. I was able to get the phone after about 4 or 5 days of doing this while online orders were saying multiple weeks until it would ship.