Classic Buckle band feels fake & cheap

[roken]

Received mine on Thursday, and I actually agree with this. For me, the only reason is the ring link design that it attaches to the watch with, it looks cheap, fragile and uninspiring. Had the leather gone straight into a curved metal link like the leather loop for example, it would probably look much more premium for me; the modern buckle also suffers from this but to a lesser degree. Presently trying to swap it out for another.

 

[dannyyankou]

I agree

 

[mbhforum]

The sport band feels cheap to me, and is difficult to put on. I was skeptical of the classic band and bought it only so that I'd be in the initial shipping window, but now that I have it I think it's a good choice. There is barely an indentation on it after 10 days of usage. With most other bands it's pretty obvious early on.

I actually got the hang of putting the sport band on. You have to hold your middle finger in the strap hole then, then with your thumb press the pin through the hole. Once I started doing that, it's easy to put on, the sports band is temporary for me until I get my leather loop.

 

[flur]

You need to check again my friend.

These are bonded leather bands, a hallmark of low cost production. There is absolutely no doubt that the band mark-up is astronomical.

I was very disappointed when I saw/felt them. I'm going with a sport strap until there is a proper 3rd party alligator leather option.

Checked again. Yep, still stitched. It didn't become glued when I wasn't looking!

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The leather band seems to be laminated 3-ply. That is, a thin synthetic inner layer with a laminated thin inner and out covering of leather. I don't think it is leather through and through. I think the inner liner is needed to assure good, safe attachment to the watch fittings that would too hard to get from leather alone. I pulled a binocular microscope out and you can see the build by focusing in on the punched holes for the buckle tongue. It is clearly three distinct layers bonded together. Which is fine, it's an engineered material. Nothing wrong with that. I like mine, but am getting a sport band too for active wear and leaving the leather for work and such.

Yeah, that would make sense. I only see two layers with what looks like a bonding between them, but I'm only eyeballing it naked (the eyeball, not me ).

I've also got a sport band on order. No point in sweating all over the leather, regardless of the construction.

 

[trauma62]

Is really fun to read these forums. The leather is plasticky , the plastic is too rubbery, the SS link are dull. Jajajja GET AN ANDROID JAJAJAJA

 

[LiemTa]

I have only tried it in store but thought this band was the best.

Same here. When I first saw the introducing Apple Watch videos showing how the classic buckle references traditional watch vocabulary, I thought "why the hell would I go back in time with all these cool new alternatives?" Turns out the classic buckle just felt right and that's how I knew I made the right choice.

 

[Night Spring]

Is really fun to read these forums. The leather is plasticky , the plastic is too rubbery, the SS link are dull. Jajajja GET AN ANDROID JAJAJAJA

I think people would be much less nitpicky if Apple wasn't charging so much for them. As I mentioned before, I went looking at regular watch bands over the weekend. Coach had one for $90. A high class watch store that sells Rolex and other premium brand watches had leather bands starting at $50.

 

[wit4breakfast]

I think people would be much less nitpicky if Apple wasn't charging so much for them. As I mentioned before, I went looking at regular watch bands over the weekend. Coach had one for $90. A high class watch store that sells Rolex and other premium brand watches had leather bands starting at $50.

As someone who owns a few nice watches...I can get a decent quality gator band for $150. The band prices...only work because this is Apple.

 

[flur]

I think people would be much less nitpicky if Apple wasn't charging so much for them. As I mentioned before, I went looking at regular watch bands over the weekend. Coach had one for &90. A high class watch store that sells Rolex and other premium brand watches had leather bands starting at $50.

Well, 3rd parties are making it possible to use one of those bands. If that's your preference, go for it. IMO options are always a good thing.

 

[PedCrossing]

I guess it's how Apple treated the edges that made it look like plastic, but I quite like the look of it.

 

[BrianNH]

My wife's arrived today and it only took a single touch for me to realize this doesn't feel fake or cheap. If you are worried by this description, don't be. The band is premo.

 

[bunnicula]

My wife's arrived today and it only took a single touch for me to realize this doesn't feel fake or cheap. If you are worried by this description, don't be. The band is premo.

It's a nice band. It's not really for me because regular buckles on bands have always driven me crazy (the connector... I'm the same way with belts... I know, I'm weird).

It does feel nice, though.

And I do wear Ecco shoes.

 

[pragmatous]

Apple will allow you to swap bands without having to return the watch. Obviously you'll pay for the difference. If you have the SG model you can't swap for the SS model bands and vice versa.

Mine comes tomorrow and that isn't what I wanted to hear.

The more I think about it, the more tempted I am to buy a Citizen Ecodrive instead...not.

Hopefully others will chime in and re-assure me.

 

[iamasmith]

I've done a fair amount of leather working and my take on the band is this.

Leather has a skin side and a felted side, you can thin the leather down by a process called skiving but any real thickness and durability comes from the thick body of the leather extending into the felted side. It's skin at the end of the day made up of layers.

The classic band uses a modern tanning process and it is uncertain if it is chemically died or uses an iron oxide treatment (vinegaroon) for the black. I'm guessing chemically died.

The material used is skived quite thin and doubled over around the watch lugs. Near the lugs there is an additional leather insert which is stitched in by very small machine stitches to bulk out the shape and ensure there is no visible gap around the bar of the lug.

The straps are then glued, probably with UPVA glue. There is nothing wrong with this, it's durable and flexible. Applied in exactly the right amounts it will see out the life of the strap but one could have possibly hoped for micro stitching. Stitching, however, is debatable because the stitching could cause stiffness in the band.

Stitching only appears to be present on the inside of the band where the pads near the lugs are attached and the belt loop middle.

The edges are then burnished to produce a rounded and smoothed boundary and to hide the join of the felt parts meeting and to make the inserts near the lugs look uniform.

3 layer perception can be summarised as 2 skin sides and 2 felt sides impeccably and strongly glued with no discernible join between the felt side. Simply seeing the skin finish on the inside tells you it is back to backed.

The ONLY bit I can't work out is how sturdy the connection to the ring link on the buckle is and I'm not cracking it open to find out how they did it

I'm pretty happy with it, nice design job

 

[BrianNH]

It's a nice band. It's not really for me because regular buckles on bands have always driven me crazy (the connector... I'm the same way with belts... I know, I'm weird).

Agreed. I personally have the ML because I like to be able to micro adjust. I ordered this 38 classic buckle for my wife (surprise for mother's day) because it was shipping fast (ordered, Friday, here today). I was imagining we do a band swap but now that we've seen it, that seems less likely.

 

[flur]

I've done a fair amount of leather working and my take on the band is this.

Leather has a skin side and a felted side, you can thin the leather down by a process called skiving but any real thickness and durability comes from the thick body of the leather extending into the felted side. It's skin at the end of the day made up of layers.

The classic band uses a modern tanning process and it is uncertain if it is chemically died or uses an iron oxide treatment (vinegaroon) for the black. I'm guessing chemically died.

The material used is skived quite thin and doubled over around the watch lugs. Near the lugs there is an additional leather insert which is stitched in by very small machine stitches to bulk out the shape and ensure there is no visible gap around the bar of the lug.

The straps are then glued, probably with UPVA glue. There is nothing wrong with this, it's durable and flexible. Applied in exactly the right amounts it will see out the life of the strap but one could have possibly hoped for micro stitching. Stitching, however, is debatable because the stitching could cause stiffness in the band.

Stitching only appears to be present on the inside of the band where the pads near the lugs are attached and the belt loop middle.

The edges are then burnished to produce a rounded and smoothed boundary and to hide the join of the felt parts meeting and to make the inserts near the lugs look uniform.

3 layer perception can be summarised as 2 skin sides and 2 felt sides impeccably and strongly glued with no discernible join between the felt side. Simply seeing the skin finish on the inside tells you it is back to backed.

The ONLY bit I can't work out is how sturdy the connection to the ring link on the buckle is and I'm not cracking it open to find out how they did it

I'm pretty happy with it, nice design job

This is great, thanks for all the info!

You mentioned chemical versus iron oxide treatment - someone in another thread reported that they had an allergic reaction to the band. Is one of these more likely to result in allergic reactions? Just curious.

 

[Ljohnson72]

It looks fairly plain and mass-produced, but I wouldn't call it "cheap" or plasticky. To be fair, it's made by ECCO, and if you've ever had a pair of ECCO shoes, you'd recognize it instantly. It's the same type of machine mill-pattern leather (i.e. uniform from watch to watch) you'd expect. It's definitely made in multiple pieces and glued together. The smooth strip along each side feels somewhat rubbery. However, I think it will hold up well, and it feels comfortable to me. Most leather bands I've bought, including ones of comparable price, have fallen apart after about a year. I think this one should last 2 years easily. The Classic Band is plain, but functional, and the actual buckle part is better than on any other watch I've had.

That said, I do have a Milanese Loop on order for when I want something a little dressier.

Really, ECCO makes them? Their shoes are atrocious.

 

[KPOM]

Really, ECCO makes them? Their shoes are atrocious.

Here's from the Apple Watch website:


Classic Buckle

From the renowned ECCO tannery in the Netherlands, the Dutch leather used for this band is milled to give the grain a subtle, distinctive texture. The simple closure is crafted from the same stainless steel as the case. It’s a beautiful take on a traditional band design. Available in black.

The Modern Buckle and Leather Loop are sourced from other tanneries.

 

[iamasmith]

This is great, thanks for all the info!

You mentioned chemical versus iron oxide treatment - someone in another thread reported that they had an allergic reaction to the band. Is one of these more likely to result in allergic reactions? Just curious.

Not necessarily.

Synthetic dyes and vegetable dyes can be a better option for sensitivity.

Vinegaroon is made by soaking steel wool in vinegar. You dip the leather in the mix after a few days and it turns naturally black from the iron oxide but it leaves residue.

Historically leather is either tan or black. Black was done this way and tan by leaving the hide undyed and it got sunburn

 

[bunnicula]

Agreed. I personally have the ML because I like to be able to micro adjust. I ordered this 38 classic buckle for my wife (surprise for mother's day) because it was shipping fast (ordered, Friday, here today). I was imagining we do a band swap but now that we've seen it, that seems less likely.

Yeah... The ML isn't a perfect band, but the infinite adjustment is nice.

I have a sport band on order, but who knows when it'll show up. I've tried on my husband's sport band (he got it first and is waiting on his link band to ship) and I really like it the more times I try it on (I'd tried it in the stores previously). I think I could wear one of those all day if I adjusted it properly to give a bit of breathing room.

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Really, ECCO makes them? Their shoes are atrocious.

Depends on the ECCO shoe. Some are really great walking shoes and look decent. Not exactly what you'd wear to dress up, but great on vacations to walk long distances and not be relegated to hiking wear or sneakers.

All that said, I recently discovered a pair of Keen Mary Janes that are great for this purpose and are also rather cute. Look better than Ecco.

ETA: I take it back. I hadn't bought a pair of Ecco shoes in 10 years. They've become completely hideous save for a couple of pairs that I'd rather wear that go barefoot. Weird. They used to make some relatively decent shoes that weren't ugly for walking. Eh. Maybe some people think they're pretty? Anyway...

They do have decent leather. Or did. I'm rambling.

 

[DDustiNN]

I tried on every band on April 10th, and the black classic buckle was the only one I actually liked. It looked and felt much higher quality than my current Pebble Steel w/ black leather band. Honestly, my current watch now feels like a cheap piece of crap after trying on and using the Apple Watch.

I didn't like the Milanese loop because it moves too easily. I didn't like the Leather Loop because it also moved too easily. Those two felt the least secure. I didn't like the Sport band because it doesn't look classy, and I wasn't a fan of the clasp. I didn't like the Modern Buckle because of the clasp.

I did like the stainless link band much more than I expected, but not enough to spend an extra $300.

So I felt the classic leather buckle was the best of the bunch

 

[Night Spring]

Depends on the ECCO shoe. Some are really great walking shoes and look decent. Not exactly what you'd wear to dress up, but great on vacations to walk long distances and not be relegated to hiking wear or sneakers.

All that said, I recently discovered a pair of Keen Mary Janes that are great for this purpose and are also rather cute. Look better than Ecco.

ETA: I take it back. I hadn't bought a pair of Ecco shoes in 10 years. They've become completely hideous save for a couple of pairs that I'd rather wear that go barefoot. Weird. They used to make some relatively decent shoes that weren't ugly for walking. Eh. Maybe some people think they're pretty? Anyway...

They do have decent leather. Or did. I'm rambling.

I just bought a pair of ECCO walking shoes last year, and they are like you describe. I also bought a pair of flat sandals from them that are the most comfortable ones I've ever worn, but those aren't leather. I haven't checked their site this year, so don't know if they still sell the models I bought.

However, the leather in the shoes isn't the best leather I've seen. It's decent, but there are much better leather. Hearing that they make the leather for the classic buckle band leaves me feeling "meh."

 

[bunnicula]

I just bought a pair of ECCO walking shoes last year, and they are like you describe. I also bought a pair of flat sandals from them that are the most comfortable ones I've ever worn, but those aren't leather. I haven't checked their site this year, so don't know if they still sell the models I bought.

However, the leather in the shoes isn't the best leather I've seen. It's decent, but there are much better leather. Hearing that they make the leather for the classic buckle band leaves me feeling "meh."

The last pair I bought were for my husband. His daily, casual work shoes are Ecco. The leather is decent, but hardly from that little French tannery filled with elves or whatever that Jony Ive loves describing for the Modern Buckle.

They are, however, comfortable shoes. Perhaps the CB is the same?

 

[sbharj]

The leather softens with time, like the iPhone leather case. Mine is already starting to feel more supple, however I have noticed 3 things:

- On the bottom of the top part (skin contact side of the buckle half) the leather is almost worn down to the rubber core of the strap on the edges. The graining is gone and that's just after 2 weeks use.

- The strap is not just bent at the hole i use, it is actually dented quite badly. Looks poor as I have now starting wearing the watch one hole looser.

- where the strap connects to the watch is poor - mine sticks out and there is actually a gap visible on the bottom right hand side

 

[jbachandouris]

Mine arrived yesterday. It does indeed look and feel like cardboard. If it indeed wears as quickly as the poster above me has said, then the band will go back for sure.

The verdict on the watch itself...not sure yet...