Technology Wearables
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ByKetaki Bhojnagarwala/
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Apple's sports bands are the default Apple Watch bands, and with good reason. They're durable and water-resistant, making them ideal to wear while working out or even doing household chores. You can also get a variety of other band types, including textile bands like Apple's new FineWovenand the more expensive stainless steel bands like the Milanese Loop and Link Bracelet.
If you prefer a designer watch band, the Apple Watch Hermès comes with a custom Hermès watch face and a choice of four Hermes watch bands. Expectedly, the Apple Watch Hermès is significantly more expensive than the standard version, with prices starting at $1,249 –a $850 markup over the Apple Watch Series 9.
If you're on the hunt for an Apple Watch designer band that looks premium but doesn't break the bank, we've shortlisted five options with varying styles. All the bands on this list are priced under $200 and are highly rated by users on sites like Amazon and Nordstrom. There's a detailed explanation of the methodology used at the end of this article.
Kate Spade Pavé Stainless Steel Bracelet
Kate Spade has a large collection of Apple Watch bands, and this Pavé Stainless Steel Bracelet is one of the brand's most popular options. The band is available in Silver, Silver/Gold, Gold, and Rose Gold colors, and it is ideal if you want an Apple Watch band that looks like jewelry. It is made of stainless steel and embellished with stones that look like diamonds, making it ideal for special occasions.
It features fold-over scallop links that can be removed individually to make it smaller. Like other Kate Spade bands, this one only fits 38-millimeter, 40-millimeter, and 41-millimeter case sizes, so if you have a larger Apple Watch, such as the Apple Watch Ultra, you won't be able to use this band. The New York Times Wirecutter says the band is sturdy and elegant, and the folding clasp is hidden. It's also surprisingly slim, with the band measuring 0.625 inches.
The band has 4.4 stars on Amazon, with over 180 reviews. Customers say it's heavier than it looks and is easy to put on one-handed. The links can be removed without any tools, but some buyers have reported that a few stones have fallen out over time.
The Kate Spade Pavé Stainless Steel Bracelet is listed for $148 on Kate Spade, but you can get it cheaper on Amazon, which is currently available for $120.
Coach Apple Watch Strap
You're probably familiar with Coach for its designer handbags, but the brand also sells various styles of Apple Watch bands. If you want an understated band for your Apple Watch, this mesh-style band is a highly-rated option. It comes in a black mesh finish, ideal to use with the Apple Watch colors like midnight and silver. The band fits 42-millimeter and 44-millimeter Apple Watches, unlike some bands that only fit the smaller case sizes.
The Apple Watch Coach mesh band features a foldover clasp and the Coach badge. It has 4.5 stars on the Coach website with over 260 reviews, and customers say it looks classy, feels sturdy, and is versatile enough to dress up and down. One person mentioned that they even got it to fit their 45-millimeter Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Coach mesh band is listed for $125 on the Coach website and Amazon. You can also pick up the mesh band in Gold for the same $125 price, but this one features a Tea Rose charm instead of the Coach logo. The gold mesh band is compatible with 38-millimeter, 41-millimeter, and 41-millimeter case sizes.
Tory Burch Double-T Link Watchband
The Tory Burch Apple Watch band is an unusual jewelry style band that's compatible with most Apple Watch models. It's a polished T-link stainless steel bracelet in gold and silver. It features a clasp enclosure, and the size can be adjusted by removing individual links.
The watch band fits 38-millimeter, and 40-millimeter Apple Watch models and the brand says it's compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 through Series 9. It should also be compatible with the Apple Watch SE. The watch band has a four-star rating on Nordstrom with over 145 reviews. Buyers say the watch band looks elegant, and the quality is great, too. The only downside is that the individual links are pretty big, so some users find that it can be too big or too small, depending on their wrist size.
The Tory Burch watch band is listed for $145 on Nordstrom.
Nomad Steel Band
If you're on the hunt for a premium steel band for your Apple Watch, this one from Nomad should be on your list. The band is made from 316L high-grade stainless steel that's durable and has a scratch-resistant coating. It features adjustable links and integrated lugs, and Nomad includes a tool to adjust the length of the box.
The Nomad steel band features a magnetic clasp that makes it easy to open and close. It's compatible with the Apple Watch Series 9 and earlier, Apple Watch Ultra, and Apple Watch SE, and comes in two sizes: 45-millimeter/49-millimeter and 40-millimeter/41-millimeter. The Nomad Steel Band has a 4.5-star rating on the brand's website, with over 160 reviews. Customers say the band looks classy and is suited to both smart casual and formal wear. One person said the band makes the Apple Watch look more like an analog watch than a smartwatch, while another said that the Nomad band looks more premium than Apple's Link Bracelet, which is significantly more expensive than the Nomad's Band at $349.
You can pick up the Nomad Steel Band for $200 on Nomad's website in either Silver or Graphite color options.
Michael Kors Leather Band
If you're looking for a designer leather Apple Watch band, Michael Kors has them in several colors. The straps fit 38-millimeter, 40-millimeter, and 41-millimeter Apple Watch models and are compatible with the Apple Watch and Apple Watch SE. The leather bands feature a slim profile and a traditional buckle clasp design. There's a Michael Kors engraving on the clasp and an MK gold charm on the strap, too.
The leather bands come in a range of colors, including green, cream, pink, apricot, brown, blue, and animal prints. The leather bands have 4.4 stars on Amazon, with over 1,600 ratings and reviews. Customers say that the bands look dressy and are sleeker than most Apple Watch bands. Changing the band on your Apple Watch is also easy with this particular option. Many of the leather bands match other Michael Kors accessories, like bags and sandals, so you might want to when choosing a band color.
The Michael Kors leather Apple Watch bands are priced between $60 and $100 on Amazon.
Methodology: How we chose the Apple Watch bands
Jhao Yang/Shutterstock
There were two main factors for choosing the Apple Watch bands for this article. The first was price — all the options in this list are under $200. While you can get similar styles for cheaper, many of the top-rated options tend to be more expensive.
The second factor was the average rating. The New York Times has tested and recommended one of the bands on this list, but given that there aren't enough credible reviews of designer watch bands, we also relied on customer ratings and reviews. We looked at user reviews on sites like Amazon, Nordstrom, and brand websites and picked the ones with at least four stars and an average of 100 user ratings or more.
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