Gold Baby: One Apple Watch, or Four Galaxy S6s?

Well, Apple already has a "gold" iPhone, but it wouldn't surprise me if they had a real 24-karat gold iPhone 7 (or even an iPhone 6) after seeing the Apple Watch Edition. If people have money to throw away on a gold phone, more power to them. It's just like buying a $200K+ luxury car. Who cares? I don't need one. I do wish they'd spend their money on better things, like this guy, but it's theirs to do with what they want. I won't be getting a gold phone any time soon. Now if they could figure out a way to make one magnetic, I might go for that.

The standard S6 will also be available in a "Gold Platinum" color, but of course that isn't real gold, much like the iPhone 6.

I just think it's interesting, though not surprising, that while Apple will of course sell the 24k Apple Watch Edition themselves, Samsung and most other OEMs leave this stuff to 3rd-parties, where demand and supply are more in line with each other.

I guess only time will tell whether Apple's gamble with the Edition will pay off.

These "luxury" models are nothing more than a status symbol. They're meant for the rich, not for us regular consumers like Justin mentioned above. Even if they go obsolete in a few years, to them (the rich) it won't matter. They have enough money to replace it.

And I think it'll work in Apple's favor. Not sure about the jeweler, since it's priced more for regular consumers. If anything, they should raise the price a few thousand hah.

Even as a status symbol I can't see many people buying a 24-karat gold device. If a wealthy person is going to pay that much for a watch they will get a Rolex or a Tag, because those are recognized watch makers and more obvious status symbols. Who knows, Apple seems to be able to sell anything.

I think the gold pricing is more about price-expectation anchoring, with exclusivity by design being a happy by-product. If the only options to compare were $400 aluminum/rubber and $1100 stainless steel (with steel band), everyone would say the stainless steel is ridiculous and only for the super rich who want to make a status statement. But because there's a $17,000 option, suddenly the $1,100 option doesn't look so crazy by comparison... I'm certain they're going to get more people to go for it as a result.

That said, because this is Apple, I wouldn't be surprised if collectors pay even more than $17k for a well-kept old original gold Apple watch in a couple decades. Just look at what Apple ][s go for now.

I totally agree with that last sentiment. I think that both the S6 and Apple Watch are collector's pieces and not something meant for everyday fanboys. I know if I had the money I'd buy one of the gold watches, wear it maybe one time to see how it feels, and then keep it on display somewhere.