I've been a relatively firm critic of the Apple Watch. Since the Cupertino giant introduced its first portable gadget, my reaction has generally been a "why?" Reliable. You can consider my skepticism here. Or here. Or here.
Admittedly, I did not hate the idea of an Apple Watch: I promised to buy a first-generation version, made of stainless steel with a steel bracelet, once prices have dropped. And, overall, I was more excited about the pre-launch of Apple Watch than any other device in the company's history.
When the Watch landed, however, I was not delighted and mounted something resistant to Apple Watch.
But then, I experienced a moment of what one might call a weakness. My iPhone fell on me just before I left Detroit and California successively to attend the Detroit Auto Show and provide coverage for Tesla, respectively. The phone being under warranty, so I went to the Verizon friendly store in my neighborhood, and bought a new one. I then gave the seller the convincing tone of adding an Apple Watch Series 3 to my package.
"What the hell?" I thought about it. I love watches, and the world of the serious watch is pronounced on the Apple Watch since the first day. The LTE version of the Apple Watch Series 3 also boasts a true wireless feature, which means you can leave your iPhone at home.
I was curious, but I also felt that the Verizon seller was a great seller. Plus, I've been with Verizon for almost two decades. Sometimes, if you are in such a deep relationship, you follow the flow.
My Apple Watch Series 3. Matthew DeBord / BI
Nine months with the Apple Watch Series 3
I have owned the Apple Watch Series 3 for about nine months so far, and although I have not yet touched many of its possibilities (I just discovered the night table mode, which allows you to use your watch like a bedside clock a few weeks ago), I am willing to admit that everything I had previously thought of the device was fake.
For starters, the watch has three key factors in its favor.
First of all, it is an excellent and versatile watch, a valuable addition to any collection. Secondly, it is quite robust. Thirdly, it's one of the most comfortable watches I've ever worn, and I really like that the watches are comfortable to wear (in my previous reviews of the watch, I said it's not was not comfortable to wear, but I did not wear it very long, which is why I was so wrong).
I have the 42-millimeter version in Space Gray, which stands out as Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE by its red crown. I prefer the Space Gray watch to the stainless steel watch, because it makes it slightly more discreet and gives it a high-tech, sporty and serious atmosphere, which easily passes workouts to professional clothing.
I do not like to have a lot of watches in rotation, and my modest collection supports it. At the moment, I have three automatic coins and two quartz coins, one of the quartz watches serving mainly on the weekends.
In the first few months, I did not really buy the Apple Watch and rarely did it. But then, I thought I should submit it to a proper test, so I forced myself to wear it almost every day.
The rest of my collection immediately suffered and it got worse when I bought a second strap. The Apple Watch comes with a fluoroelastomer band (a type of synthetic rubber) that is extremely well executed, robust and comfortable. However, I got bored and started looking for a number two. After sifting through the vast world of aftermarket tapes and straps, I decided to stay with the mother ship and bought myself a dark blue leather buckle.
The leather buckle band. Matthew DeBord / BI
At $ 149, this is an expensive strap. It's also one of the most beautiful leather straps I've ever enjoyed. The Apple Watch was above me.
For the record, changing the strap on the Apple Watch is a pleasure. With most watches, you have to use a special tool to swap the bracelets (or do your best with a pocket knife), an operation that can be tedious. In addition to that, I do not like to change the strap too much, unlike many watch lovers.
But on the Apple Watch, two small buttons on the underside of the watch allow you to exchange bracelets in seconds. The leather buckle is also rather innovative in its design: a high quality fine leather is combined with a built-in magnetic closure system to provide an impressively precise fit. The result is a really beautiful package.
The scenario "a watch"
So beautiful, in fact, that the Apple Watch can induce a kind of crisis.
Once I started wearing it regularly, it created the famous "one watch" scenario. Some watch lovers, even though they have amassed large collections, often wonder if they could just wear a watch and call it a day. Others argue that it takes two, a sports watch / to wear every day and a dress watch.
I know some unique observers and they tend to choose: Rolex Submariners or GMT Masters, Panerai Luminors, Cartier Tanks. Other people did not spend so much money, but still put on TAG Heuers with joy on a daily basis. They are parts of life and they can go anywhere, but they basically do one thing and do it well: tell the time.
The Apple Watch obviously goes for miles and miles beyond the simple time display It also does it while offering a fantastic build quality – my $ 399 Space Gray model has an aluminum case, a backrest ceramic and an element called Ion-X glass on the face – and a substantial presence on the wrist.
It can be aesthetically suspended with high-end luxury watches worth more than $ 10,000. Although the materials and watchmaking made in China do not impress the watch snobs, the Apple Watch is a really important part of California industrial design is presented as "Rolex smartwatches."
The Apple Series 3 watch wears a bit big, but it's very comfortable. Matthew DeBord / BI
A technological learning curve
There is a learning curve and I am still there. But I'm clever enough to change the faces of the watch (Mickey Mouse in black and white, the chronograph and the Utility, Explorer and Kaleidoscope faces are more useful), which allows me to think of the Apple Watch as a watch. half dozen or more separate timepieces.
Personally, I would like to have a dial in Roman numerals that uses the square position of the watch to create a kind of Cartier Santos ambiance, but I'll let this one to Apple's creators to think about (if you are ready to pay a premium for the edition of the Hermes watch, you can get an exclusive dial in Roman numerals).
The fitness tracker is superb. I have moved to a permanent office in my home office and am delighted that every day I hit my measured goal of the Apple Watch. The exercises and movements are also followed, thanks to an extremely motivating and complete multicolor design. If you reach your goal during the day, the Apple Watch will alert you.
My diver Seiko. Matthew DeBord / BI
I have not tried swimming with the watch yet, but in this third configuration, she is supposed to be able to handle this tricky activity using a nifty water ejection function. My best swimming pool watch is my Seiko Diver SKX009, a dedicated diving watch designed to work underwater and live live. Apple's assurances aside, the notion of an electric gadget without gasket joints and a screw-down crown subjected to the natural enemy of Apple devices seems risky to me. I would not take it either in salt water and avoid steam and heat from a shower. If I submit test series 3, I should probably do it during the warranty period.
Beyond faces and fitness, I used the watch to quiz Siri on the weather, buy items at Starbucks and make calls. The flashlight feature has also been used a lot.
And yes, I have often left my iPhone at home and am no longer just a watch, a liberating experience that drastically reduces the time I spend unnecessarily watching the screen of a person. iPhone. All this thanks to the cellular connection of the Watch 3. Add Bluetooth headphones and you can do without the smartphone.
In terms of battery life, a full charge takes me about a day and a half.
The Montblanc Heritage Chronometry Automatic is a beautiful watch, but it does not do much. Matthew DeBord / BI
As for toughness, it's hard to say for now, but I played tennis long enough while wearing the Apple Watch, and the discordant aspects of the sport had no apparent negative effect .
Clearly, aside from some attractive design elements, such as the call of "complications" to micro-applications and the use of an extra second hand – the Apple Watch is quite different from 39, a potentially fragile mechanical timepiece. You would not expect it to be less than a Timex Ironman (although I have not dropped it yet, so the jury is still supportive of the durability of the glass).
The vicious upgrade cycle
The Apple Watch Series 4 has just arrived, adding a good measure of new features to the device, as well as a slightly improved design. Some of the first evaluations of reliable monitoring companies, such as Hodinkee, have been quite positive. So, if you want to take the leap of the latest version, it's up to you to decide. I'm happy with the series 3 and I have not even cleared his abilities.
The real question to be asked while Apple continues to improve the watch is: "Can you justify spending $ 400 to update your watch every few years?"
Four upgrades equivalent to a layout of $ 1,600. For around $ 600 you can get the Montblanc Heritage Chronometry pictured above – a rather pretty and affordable Swiss automatic watch that, with proper care, would give you decades (if not a lifetime) of service. Two decades of Apple watches and you could have a Rolex. I thought I did not have to worry about it at the time when I did not care about the Apple Watch. Now that I do it, it's a problem.
I have not made a decision yet, but it should be clear that all I thought of the Apple Watch before being enlightened was, to be quite honest, totally wrong. I resume all that.
