Apple Watch Ultra User Mods Titanium Casing to 'Deuglify' Design

An Apple Watch Ultra user has modified their new device's casing to add a brushed finish and remove the orange color of the Action Button in an effort to make it more visually appealing.

apple watch ultra deuglify 1
The Apple Watch Ultra offers the first complete redesign of the Apple Watch since the product line's announcement in 2014, and while the design has been met with praise from many users, some have criticized the size of the device and its bold new look. In a thread on the MacRumors forums, user "perezr10" gave their take on the Apple Watch Ultra's design:

First, I think there is nothing wrong with the way the Ultra looks for its intended market. Rugged sport watches should look like this. And they pretty much all do. The things I dislike about the Ultra have practical reasons for being. I used to wear a humongous Garmin sport watch for running.

BUT… I was never wanting to wear my Garmin to work or out on a date. And I don't think I'll ever want to wear this Ultra whenever I'm dressing up either.

There are five things I hate about the design when I consider wearing it as a normal everyday watch. The "tallness," the hunchback which is the crown guard, the holes everywhere, the orange button, and the finish which looked like Starlight aluminum. There is nothing that can be done about the first three but the last two are solvable.

Using a Dremel power tool, they set about making two key visual changes to the Apple Watch Ultra, starting with removing the high-contrast "international orange" color layer on the Action Button.

apple watch ultra deuglify action button
The user then proceeded to give the Apple Watch Ultra's entire titanium casing a brushed finish using a coarse abrasive finishing buff, moving away from the uniform sandblasted effect of the original device.

apple watch ultra deuglify 2
The resultant brushed titanium finish is very similar to the casings of some of the Apple Watch Edition models, which were available in a brushed titanium with the Series 5, Series 6, and Series 7. Apple discontinued the Apple Watch Edition line upon the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra.

apple watch ultra deuglify comparedperezr10's modified Apple Watch Ultra compared to the titanium Apple Watch Series 5.

"It may not be to everyone's liking, but I gotta say, I'm really liking my Ultra more after this. I still won't ever wear it with a suit, but I'm more likely now to use it when going out and about in town in jeans," perezr10 added.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

heystu Avatar
13 months ago
That's incredible, it looks just like he's attacked an $800 Watch with a Dremel hobbyist tool...oh wait...
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
13 months ago
I'm Team Orange button.

Respect that others people's tastes differ from mine, though.

I also wear orange pants for our "nights out on the town" so take that for what its worth.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
13 months ago
Kudos to him.

But I like my Watch just the way Apple designed it. Beautiful design is one of the many reasons I bought it in the first place.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
13 months ago
I prefer the original design.

Nice work by the modder though.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CharlesShaw Avatar
13 months ago
I suppose it’s better to have a watch you like than one that Apple would repair under warranty.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zachari Avatar
13 months ago
...I ...I don't think it looks that good. (no hate) Glad it works for them.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...