Video: Check Out This Custom Engraved $2,200 Gold-Plated Apple Watch Series 4

Apple no longer makes a super expensive version of its Apple Watch made out of 18-karat gold, but there are companies out there making custom Apple Watches with gold plating and intricate designs like Aurum Edition for people who just need something a little flashier than what Apple's offering.

Aurum Edition sent us one of its super fancy Monarch Counsel Apple Watches, which we went hands-on with in our latest YouTube video to see what the Apple Watch customizing business is all about.


There are multiple companies dedicated to designing high-end custom iPhone and Apple Watch models, and while such devices aren't for the average consumer, it seems creating ultra expensive hardware made from exotic materials is a lucrative business with a dedicated customer base willing to pay quite a lot of cash for a unique look.

The Apple Watch in the video is a 44mm Series 4 GPS-only model that's been overhauled with a custom-engraved gold plating with a floral pattern. It's plated in 24-karat gold that's 8 microns thick, which means it's durable and the gold isn't going to wear away.

aurum1
Aurum Edition engraves each custom Apple Watch that it designs by hand, and it takes 40 hours to do each one, which explains the high price tag. It takes a skilled, steady hand to do this kind of intricate work.

In terms of functionality, the custom design doesn't cover the Apple Watch Series 4's large screen or the sensors at the back for measuring heart rate, but it does impede the pressing mechanism of the Digital Crown just a bit, making it harder to press. It still works well when scrolling, though, and the haptic feedback feature in the new models is functional.

aurum2
Such a fancy Apple Watch is, of course, accompanied by a fancy band made from a dark blue shark skin leather, and it ships in a high-quality wooden box for the kind of unpackaging experience you'd expect for $2,200.

Most of us here at MacRumors are tech focused, like to upgrade regularly, and aren't going to pay so much for an Apple Watch, but there are people out there who like this kind aesthetic and the work that Aurum Edition is doing is impressive.

aurum3
It can't be easy to overhaul such a small device and have it remain functional, and it's certainly interesting to get a peek behind the curtain at what these kind of custom devices look like in person and how they're made.

Aurum Edition does make Apple Watch and iPhone models in other designs and from other high-end materials, like platinum, so if you're in the market for a super fancy Apple Watch or iPhone, check out the website.

aurum
Would you ever shell out so much extra cash for a custom Apple Watch? Let us know in the comments. Stay tuned to MacRumors, because next week we're also going to be taking a look at a custom-designed high-end uber-expensive iPhone from another company.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 2

Monday November 4, 2024 12:34 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 updates to developers, and Apple is continuing to refine the Apple Intelligence capabilities. There are also a handful of smaller features that are worth knowing about. Find My Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced....
iphone passcode green

Cops Suspect iOS 18 iPhones Are Communicating to Force Reboots, Making Unlocking Harder

Thursday November 7, 2024 2:20 pm PST by
Law enforcement officials in Detroit, Michigan are warning other police officers about an alleged iPhone change that causes Apple devices stored for forensic examination to spontaneously restart, reports 404 Media. iPhones that are undergoing examination have apparently been rebooting, which makes them harder to unlock with brute force methods, and Michigan police think that it's due to a...
mac mini thermal architecture feature

New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD

Friday November 8, 2024 7:06 am PST by
Apple has returned to using two 128GB storage chips in the new Mac mini with 256GB of storage, according to a partial teardown video shared on social media today. This means the base-model Mac mini with the M4 chip will not have significantly slower SSD speeds compared to higher-end configurations of the computer with 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage, as multiple NAND chips allows for faster SSD...
early apple watch black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals

Wednesday November 6, 2024 6:33 am PST by
Black Friday is just around the corner, and Apple Watch deals have begun appearing ahead of the shopping holiday on November 29. In this article, we'll take a look at all of the best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, including the new Series 10 models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
iCloud General Feature

Here's What's New in Apple's Updated iCloud Terms and Conditions Taking Effect Next Week

Friday September 13, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple has started notifying users about an upcoming revision to its iCloud Terms and Conditions, which takes effect on Monday, September 16. We compared the text of the upcoming iCloud Terms and Conditions with the current U.S. version from September 18, 2023 and identified four key changes: "Apple ID" references have been changed to "Apple Account" throughout. iCloud users must agree to ...
M4 MacBook Pros Thumb

M4 MacBook Pro Reviews: Processor Benchmarks Impress, New Nano-Texture Option Worth the Extra $150

Thursday November 7, 2024 6:14 am PST by
The first wave of reviews of Apple's new M4-powered MacBook Pro models were published this morning. We've collected some of the latest impressions from YouTube channels and select media outlets below. Apple last month announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding next-generation M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, with Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display and camera ...
High Power Mode Feature 2

Apple Expands High Power Mode to MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models With M4 Pro Chip

Thursday November 7, 2024 12:15 pm PST by
High Power Mode is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models with the M4 Pro chip, according to Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham. The feature was previously limited to Macs with Apple's highest-end "Max" chip, so this is the first time it is available on Macs with a "Pro" chip. This is the second time that Apple has expanded availability of High Power...
ipads early bf deals

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Tuesday November 5, 2024 7:02 am PST by
Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but you can already find great prices on numerous iPads, including the 9th generation iPad, 10th generation iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Of course, there is a chance that ...

Top Rated Comments

F4C4 Avatar
78 months ago
Ugly as FUDGE!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
78 months ago
There it is, folks. Your daily reminder that personal taste is subjective. Utterly, utterly subjective.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shiro_Simba Avatar
78 months ago
Money does not buy class
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
78 months ago
The amount of gold required to make an 8 micron thick coating is miniscule, and the craftsman could spend 400 hours on prettying it up but it will still be obsolete in a year or two.
And to my mind, that's still 400hrs wasted. I admire craftsmanship but believe a large part of being a great craftsman is actually knowing where and how to apply your skill. This to me is just pretentious rubbish.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ryanwarsaw Avatar
78 months ago
It always makes me cringe when Apple caters to the uber-rich. It reinforces all the stereotypes....:apple:
All the more worse by the large increases in Apple products recently.
LOL Apple isn't responsible for this.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacWorld78 Avatar
78 months ago
Just wow that's beautiful craft.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)