At its Sept. 9 product event, Apple announced a new partnership with French luxury brand Hermès to produce a co-branded version of its Apple Watch.
The stainless steel Apple Watch Hermès boasts Hermès-designed leather straps and virtual versions of its signature watch faces. Price points range from $1,000 to $1,500. A gallery can be seen here.
The new product will be sold starting Oct. 5 at select Apple and Hermès stores, as well at specialty and department stores. Apple did not specify which stores, and they are not currently listed on its site.
The new joint venture is a sign that the tech giant isn’t letting go of its quest to produce a high-tech timepiece that appeals to luxury and fashion shoppers. It recently enlisted New York’s London Jewelers to sell its 18k gold Edition model, making it the first, and so far only, U.S. jeweler to do so. Apple declined comment on whether it will target other jewelers.
Hermès’ partnership with Apple is surprising given its past indifference toward smartwatches. As a parade of high-tech introductions monopolized press attention at this year’s Baselworld fair, managing director Guillaume de Seynes told Reuters his company had no plans to enter the smartwatch field.
“For the moment, Hermès is observing what is going on,” he said. “We still do not know how the smartwatch market will evolve.”
