Apple Watch Series 9 Colors and Finishes: Which Should You Choose?

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a range of color options and finishes, with an entirely new hue available alongside some popular classics.

Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a total of nine colors, one of which is a brand new shade, and two distinct finishes. With an aluminum casing, the Apple Watch Series 9's five available color options are:

  • Pink
  • Starlight
  • Silver
  • Midnight
  • (PRODUCT)RED

Starlight, Silver, Midnight, and (PRODUCT)RED were all available on last year's Series 8 models. The only difference with this year's aluminum models is a new soft pink color.

apple watch series 9 aluminum color options

Apple's Silver anodized aluminum finish has been available on the company's devices for well over a decade, while Starlight is a warmer shade of silver that subtly angles toward gold or champagne. Midnight is effectively black with a hint of dark blue or navy. Each of the color options has a matching Apple Watch band, except for silver, since it is easily matched with so many other Apple Watch bands.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is also available with a polished stainless steel casing in four different color options:

  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Graphite
  • Space Black (Apple Watch Hermès only)

This selection of stainless steel finishes is identical to the previous generation's offerings. While stainless steel is heavier than aluminum, it is much harder and more durable. It may be more liable to scratch due to its polished finish, but they can be buffed out like a conventional watch or an item of jewelry.

apple watch series 7 stainless steel colors
The stainless steel Apple Watch offers a more high-end, fashion-forward aesthetic, especially when paired with a premium band like the Modern Buckle. The Apple Watch Hermès takes the stainless steel Apple Watch to the next level with exclusive watch faces and ultra-premium bands.

The aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399, while the stainless steel model costs $699. The only difference between the casings other than their material and weight is the front crystal, which is upgraded from Ion-X strengthened glass to sapphire crystal on the stainless steel model.

How to Decide on an Apple Watch Color

It is important to consider which band you plan to use with your Apple Watch to ensure that they complement each other. You may prefer more neutral tones such as Midnight or Silver, and then use a more colorful band. Alternatively, you could choose a more striking device color like Pink, and then use a more neutral band. This is also a key consideration if you plan to switch bands regularly.

Silver on both the aluminum and stainless steel models may age better over time as new devices are released since they are more neutral, monochrome shades, and have been offered across multiple Apple Watch generations.

Pink could be a good choice, especially when combined with the Pink Sport Band, for a bold look, especially if you also have a Pink iPhone 15 or ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus. If you want an Apple Watch in a brand new shade, Pink is also the only option. It is the color that is most noticeably new and indicates that you have the latest-generation device.

Your choice of color may also be dependent on how often you upgrade your ‌Apple Watch. If you upgrade every year or two, you may be more confident in buying a more striking new color. If you upgrade more often, it can be a good idea to get a different color every time since a new color can certainly add some novelty to purchasing a new ‌Apple Watch and make it feel more different from your previous device. Alternatively, if you plan to keep your ‌Apple Watch for many years and upgrade less often, it may be wiser to consider a neutral color or one that is more similar to one you have enjoyed previously.

Customers with multiple Apple devices may also want to get an Apple Watch color that complements their other devices. For example, if you have a Midnight HomePod and MacBook Air, it will be best complemented by the Midnight Apple Watch Series 9. If you already have a Gold ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, it will likely be best accompanied by a Gold stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9. Likewise, if you have a Starlight Apple Watch, it will obviously match the Starlight ‌iPhone‌ 14 and iPad mini.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

vegetassj4 Avatar
26 months ago
There are FOUR colors

edit: They updated the article to show the fifth color.




Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yetanotherdave Avatar
26 months ago
Product Red is available? Maybe just not in the US?



Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ugahairydawgs Avatar
26 months ago

I wonder why (PRODUCT)RED is being phased out everywhere? It was a nice vibrant color.
It wasn't.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bookcase Avatar
26 months ago
The S9 (PRODUCT)RED is available online. I'm in the U.S.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
c84216 Avatar
26 months ago

There are FOUR colors


OMG if that's the TNG reference I think it is I'm absolutely WHEEZING. Well done!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
c84216 Avatar
26 months ago
I came here to say the same. I've been eyeing a Red S9. Its definitely available...even for pickup in store today!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)