An Apple accessory appearing on their QPromo sale (quarterly promo) usually indicates it’s being discontinued, at least in that color. Happened for the rose gold Milanese band and previous color leather and Hermes bands, too!
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Apple Steeply Discounts Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop for Employees
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QPromo sales are usually for end of life products internally
Thats because they are, the one from Alibaba did not pass QC.
I have tried a couple of non-Apple devices over the years and detested the silicone straps they had.
So, when thinking about an Apple Watch, I bought a cheap silver Milanese style and a link strap. The Milanese-style strap was so much nicer than silicone, or bracelets I've had on other watches over the years. Then got a black version (for free) and switched to that. Looks better than silver.
In a shop, I can tell the difference between the ones I got and the real thing. But not sure the differences make one actually better than the other.
I was content to pay for the watch but the real straps are far too expensive.
Woot has the 38mm link bracelet for $179.99 and the Milanese Loop in gold for $36.99. eBay also has legit sellers that have these available with steep discounts, although the link bracelet has been harder to find lately.
I’ve had a link bracelet since release date 2015. It’s nice and when I wear it people ask where I got it from 
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Even at these discounts you’re a tool if you pay that much. Stainless steel is cheap metal and I’m sure there’s a perfect knockoff for under $30 on Amazon
This is from memory, but I believe the 9 hours is due to them putting a scratch resistant coating on it and needing to let it set. Which is perfectly understandable. And it's not like they make these one at a time, they probably make lots of them and let them all sit for 9 hours.
Edit: Nope, my bad. The 9 hours is for cutting the links. I was thinking about the space black coating.
The new redesigned Apple Watch is a said to feature incompatible bands. What a better time to rid themselves of bands that dont sell well
Nope that’s exactly why. It’s been said the watch bands are incompatible and these particular band do not sell. There is no better time to do away with these tacky things
I hope this doesn't mean they're getting rid of some nice-looking bands like when they discontinued the leather bands!
Still - a diamond ring will not really become “vintage” and useless after 5-10 years. Apple can decide to ditch the current standard for any of their bands at next release and after a few years that expensive link bracelet is worthless.
Unless of course you buy the $59 adapter they’re gonna launch when they ditch the old standard 😂😂😂
let me introduce you to apple tax xDD
Me too. I really wish they would produce some less ridiculously priced bands that are just nice. The sport thingy is a joke. Its only purpose is to make you crave for something better. A bit like the 8 gb ram in a MBP. The famous Apple ladder.I hope this doesn't mean they're getting rid of some nice-looking bands like when they discontinued the leather bands!
I own several “regular dumb watches” with metal bracelets and I guarantee you, you cannot get a watch nicer metal deployant for under $200. Or $500.
90% is quite steep and indicative of discontinuation…however: I’m one to fully jump on the board that this confirms the classic AW watch-band mechanism is dead, given they are discounting their most expensive bands. I have a feeling they’ll start with the Ultra (smallest user base = least amount of user complaints), shill the benefits of the new mechanism for a year or so (larger battery, more room for an improved SiP, potentially a larger screen? etc, etc), then trickle it down to Series 11 (or they’ll pull an iPhone X, release Series X along the new Ultras with the new mechanism, and just say “sorry about the old bands”).
my only question is if I can repurchase a Pride Woven Solo Loop with this new mechanism. my favorite 1st-party band of all time, only to get stretched to absolute sh*t—either way, they realized they couldn’t outdo it with future Pride editions, hence why it remains on sale. 🏳️🌈🤙
Are they gonna obsolete themselves after 5-10 years?
Currently wearing the link bracelet with my Ultra 2. I agree it is very close, and unless you knew otherwise it looks like the Ultra has came with that strap (if that makes sense).
Going to miss it when Apple eventually change the band connection, but I've owned it since 2016 and its still in excellent condition. Saying that, there are some nice premium titanium bands around that I'm assuming the manufacturers will make still when the band connection changes. So I can source one of them to replace it when the time comes.
Right?? Like you can barely tell apart genuine Milanese Loops from the replicas. Same goes for the Link Bracelet.
Also what never ceases to puzzle me is why Apple never bothered to update the laser etched size designation on the link bracelet to match the current Watch Sizes despite updating the packaging, so it still reads 38 / 42mm.
Because that would involve opening the boxes. I’m pretty sure these thinks are not still being made. They’ve been sitting on a ton of stock for a good while.
Though bands are compatible, there are subtle differences in shape between each generation. Maybe the band connection for the next watch won’t make all previous bands obsolete but somehow won’t work with 38mm/42mm bands?
The main difference I found with third-party metal bands was that they never quite fitted right to the watch body. There was always a bit of movement, or a slight angle. And with one the vibration of the watch when I got an alert was really resonate, and audible to everyone in a quiet room - that doesn't happen with the genuine Apple Milanese loop.
I haven't found the perfect band yet. The Milanese loop is close in terms of appearance, but it's not quite as nice-looking as a classic link bracelet. Also, it doesn't sit quite square on the wrist - the single band at the top versus the double loop at the bottom pulls the watch upwards slights. It requires constant tightening during the day due to the magnetic clasp slipping slightly, and it doesn't look as good as a classic link band. The solo sports loop is the most comfortable usually, but too hot in summer, and doesn't look good with business clothing.
I love the people in this thread taking "9 hours to make 1 band" at face value... There is not a machine with 2 stubby arms and 10 sausage fingers assembling one band over the course of a workday.
Precise machinery is shipping these things down an assembly line one right after the other, and Apple's exaggeration is that a single component to a complete, packaged-for-retail band is 9 hours.
There's one right after the other every few seconds. Settle down. Machines have rights, darn it!! Plus it gets a meal break! Also assuming it doesn't smoke... (Would that be blue smoke? Does that mean it can only smoke once?)
Precise machinery is shipping these things down an assembly line one right after the other, and Apple's exaggeration is that a single component to a complete, packaged-for-retail band is 9 hours.
There's one right after the other every few seconds. Settle down. Machines have rights, darn it!! Plus it gets a meal break! Also assuming it doesn't smoke... (Would that be blue smoke? Does that mean it can only smoke once?)
Be careful. One of those loops may contain lead, which is easily absorbed. I hope you discontinue the right one.