The new gadget is cool, but its luxe box is magic
Tiffany & Co. has its little blue box, Hermès its signature orange hue.
When it comes to capturing the hearts — and wallets — of the luxury consumer, packaging can be as important as product. So with Apple’s first foray into the luxury fashion realm, what is it about that box?
That thought kept crossing my mind as I sat at a local Apple Store trying on assorted versions of the new wrist-based gadget in much the same way any potential customer walking in off the street might (though making an appointment is highly encouraged).
The first two styles of watch (the Sport, which starts at $349, and the Classic, $549) are presented en masse and are revealed by an Apple sales associate removing the lid of a sleek, white rectangular case with rounded edges. Inside are 10 cup-holder-like depressions, each lined with a gray circle of microfiber fabric and containing a watch in a different size, metal and strap combination, with the back of each device nestled against a white charging disc as big around as a quarter. In a flourish reminiscent of a visit to a high-end establishment, each watch gets an earnest polishing with another cloth before and after each trip to a wrist.
As my sales associate was polishing his way into a repetitive motion injury, something caught my eye: Just to my left, a thirtysomething couple was being presented a small white tray as delicately as if it contained a tin of caviar. Upon the tray sat a small, gray leather-bound box about the size of a Mac Mini with rounded edges. The sales associate removed the top of the box to reveal a 38-mm, 18-karat rose gold Watch Edition ($17,000) and, just for a moment, it seemed like the couple, who leaned forward and stared at the gadget as if it were a crystal ball, had forgotten to breathe.
Even though I’d already seen it once, the big reveal felt no less dramatic the second time around, as another gray box was whisked at my behest from an undisclosed location to the table in front of me, the lid opening and closing with that same satisfying “thunk” as the brand’s other signature magnetic closures (including iPad covers and many of the Apple Watch bands). The only thing noticeable on the box — apart from the Apple logo embossed on the lid — was a small hole in the base that looked to be a perfect fit for one of Apple’s lightning connectors. An Apple rep confirmed my suspicion and noted that the Watch Edition was the only version of the three that came with such a luxe charging setup (the other two versions simply ship with the cord).
Whether there’s anything more hidden inside that magic box, the magnetic pull of the lid, the elegant simplicity of the hidden cord and the heft of the box in the hand goes a long way to helping create a halo of horological luxe around the high-end version of the gadget by crafting a container that’s not only worth keeping but also worthy of displaying on top of the dresser like a mini work of art.
Sure, I could be overthinking it. But I don’t think I am. Since all three versions of the watch are exactly the same under the hood (the software and apps are all the same), these not-so-subtle nods to the luxe life may ultimately determine how well the monied crowd embraces the Apple Watch as a fashion statement.
Especially since this Apple product is destined for the display cases of some of the world’s most fashionable retailers — Selfridges in London, Colette in Paris and Maxfield in West Hollywood, among them.