Like the AirPods, the existence of the Apple Watch always makes themselves present. We can ignore them as much as we want, join the internet to diss but the advantages they offer are hard to overlook. More to add, since last year’s model with display, it is more like a watch than ever without looking like a black screen. Today we’ll take a look at the Series 6 from a person with huge appreciation for mechanical watches. I acknowledge the benefits of a smart watch but the biggest drawback is having yet another device to charge at the end of the day.
PRO
Fit and finish
Always on display
CON
Wears thick
SPECIFICATION
40 mm Diameter
10.7 mm Thickness
18 hours Power Reserve
50m Water Resistance
40 mm Lug to Lug
From A$1,080
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The base aluminium model offers all the functionality with the choice of topping up for cellular connectivity signified with a red ring around its crown. Any case material above that will get cellular carrier front sapphire crystal as standard and a steel rimmed charger. A feature I am particularly fond of is international SOS which is doable without additional charges. As a watch person taking these pictures, I must admit I am drawn to the Apple Watch in this configuration prior to any interaction.
I’d recommend the stainless steel case to go with a link bracelet for those who are used to a sport watch for that familiar feel on the wrist. A band like this one apparently takes nine hours to machine so each link can be added or removed to fit the wrist without the use of any tool. Though it is the least flexible bracelet of the bunch, it is the one that’s most engineered. A$560 seems steep for a band but if you were to get a replacement from say Rolex, one is several times that if they are inclined to even sell you one.
The leather link gives a more casual look to the watch and should you share this device with others in the household, a strap like this makes it easier to put on and take off than a pin buckle. Only strong magnets are tasked to hold things down but I am sitting on the fence on how long they will maintain their strength as my iPad smart cover had not too long lifespan. Leather gives a patina over time and is less likely to cause irritation while space in between helps with breathability.
It is fun to swap between straps as it feels like you are having more than just one watch but the process of doing so isn’t the easiest to do. You’d need to hold a button down and wiggle at the same time to slide the strap out. Once that’s done, the other side will require the same. More effort is required for the link bracelet as both ends will need attention because it cannot be done on one side first then the other. Lastly, at under 11 millimetres thick, it wears larger than a circular 40 mm watch.
With handcrafting taken care of by machines, time and effort is spent on what actually matters, the insides. Having all features that anyone could possibly want does the existence of mechanical watches. Since traditional wristwatches had become an investment in days of late, watchmakers have been resting on their laurels instead of making any real innovation both in design and mechanical prowess. Are smart watches the quartz crisis of the 70s? With most of us working from home, it is a good time for mechanical watch manufacturers to do some serious thinking.