Customers who don't have an extra $10,000 to spend on an Apple Watch Edition could opt for a new service that can turn an Apple Watch into the wearable's most expensive model. Based on a new video published by 9to5Mac, anyone can have an Apple Watch with gold plating.
It even comes with a link bracelet at a cost that is way too affordable, yet doesn't compromise on quality.
Called WatchPlate, the new service is so good that it can make the cheapest Sport version of the wearable into an 18-karat gold-plated model. For only $399, customers can get their new bling-bling in just four business days.
Currently, Apple doesn't have a gold link bracelet available for its wearable. However, the new service allows users to have not just a gold-plated Apple Watch but also a gorgeously gold-plated link bracelet. The end result is a fashionable 18-karat wearable that will truly make any owner feel proud.
According to Dom Esposito, the person who demoed the wearable in a video, gold-plating the Watch is totally safe because it will not affect its functionality, nor will it destroy the wearable's water-resistance. This means that customers can expect to get the same performance from the watch even after it goes through the gold-plating process.
"Plating the Apple Watch won't affect its functionality or water-proofing at all," wrote Esposito. "Everything will be just as it was when purchased from Apple, but with a little added bling. I think it's a great idea and you'll get the same look and attention (if you're looking for that) as you would with an Edition."
In addition to the new service, customers can also try a DIY kit that is now available as a Kickstarter project. Priced at $100, the kit allows users to give their wearables a 24K gold makeover.
The project, dubbed the "Midas Touch," is the brainchild of chemist Eric Knoll. It currently has 86 backers and has already earned almost $10,000, surpassing its goal of $1,500 worth of pledges. The project ends in 14 days.
The project is also about gold-plating the Apple Watch, the whole process of which is inspired by the concept known as "electrochemistry." It's just like charging a cell phone's Lithium-ion battery. During the charging period, Lithium-ions (Li+) that are positively charged are then converted to uncharged Li atoms using the power of the USB charger.
In a process called analogous, gold plating changes the positively-charged ions that are dissolved in the pre-mixed solution that comes with the project kit into neutral gold atoms, which then bond atomically with the steel surface. It isn't similar to paint as in the process, the gold actually becomes part of the metal found on the steel surface. At the end, the surface achieves a pure gold top layer akin to the solid gold feature of the Apple Watch Edition with the $10,000 price tag.
Here's a quick view of how Midas Touch works:
