Apple targets Watch wearers with a taste for the exclusive

This article titled “Apple targets Watch wearers with a taste for the exclusive” was written by Dominic Rushe, for theguardian.com on Monday 30th March 2015 20.12 UTC

New Apple releases are usually accompanied by lines of fans outside their stores waiting patiently to be the first to get their hands on the tech icon’s latest gizmo. Not this time. Well, if you have at least ,000 to spend on a watch.

Apple is creating a club class for customers looking to buy its new Apple Watch. There’ll be no lines, private lessons for users and 24-hour support for those buying the high-end version of its soon-to-be-released smart watch, according to documents seen by tech site 9to5Mac.

Apple unveiled the long-rumoured Watch at the start of March. While most of its functions had been widely trailed the price of the top models came as a shock to many.

Apple Watch will start at 9 but prices rise to ,000 for the 18-carat rose gold version with a sapphire display. Apple Watch will go on sale on 24 April.

The so-called Apple Watch Edition is Apple’s first foray into truly high-end consumer goods. The company has recently hired a clique of designer executives, including Angela Ahrendts, former CEO of Burberry, and their luxury aesthetic is being applied to the Watch sales.

According to 9to5 Apple briefing notes to employees the Apple Watch Edition is: “the ultimate expression of extraordinary craftsmanship, incredible innovation, and design driven by functionality and end use … technology becoming seductive, with desirability not necessarily defined simply by a price tag or elitism, but rather meticulous focus on usefulness and utility rooted in beauty.”

Edition customers are “interested in this collection for the intrinsic value that a gold watch offers along with the unique style choices available”. And the sale experience “is intended to be extremely personal, elegant, and purposeful”.

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