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Every Apple Watch band Apple released. Ever.
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Periwinkle sport loop (silver steel)
Northern Lights solo loop (silver aluminum)
Summit White/Black nike sport band (silver aluminum)
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Wild how long it took me to get Fall 2024 complete, outside the Magnetic bands…lake green goo was elusive!
5mp version (should open in safari)
5mp version (should open in safari)
The Barry McGee Sport Band - Apple's secret OEM band release you never heard of.
Back in Fall 2018, Medicom partnered with San Francisco artist Barry McGee to create a 100% and 400% Bearbrick set which retailed for $180. This set, unlike others before it, included a 44mm Apple watch Sport Band, a White (First Gen, seemingly) Sport Band with special printing on it.
This printing is unlike anything ever before seen from an official Apple release, especially back in 2018. The multicolor harlequin pattern wraps perfectly around and even slightly under the pin and lugs, hinting at an Apple factory finish.
While there is no official placard or press release that tied Apple to this release, I can confirm without a doubt that the Apple Watch band included is 100% OEM. Someone might argue "Sure, they probably just bought OEM bands and printed on top of them themselves." There's several reasons I don't think that's the case, though.
First of all, the printing quality is near perfect. The different layers line up so well, the finish quality feels soft and smooth, and the printing wraps underneath the lugs and pin, something that had to be done pre-assembly. In addition to this, the pin strap is missing printing, while the S/M and M/L have it, likely as this is a 42mm band released in Fall 2018, which would have been right when the switch to 44mm was happening. Missing printing bands like this logically can only come out of the Apple factory. (The fact that there's both a S/M and M/L helps the case... 99% of fakes only include a M/L!)
It's worth pointing out the packaging. This band comes sort of just shoved into the box, in an L shaped plastic brace. The band pieces themselves are wrapped in small plastic bags, identical to those we've seen from Chargersotre on eBay. These bags are tied to the China factory which produces these bands, as multiple sources which get factory seconds and samples all sell these bands in the same plastic wraps.
I can say with very high confidence this is an official-but-secret Apple release in collaboration with Barry McGee. It's worth noting that Apple had collaborated with this artist in the past, releasing a limited edition Beats Pill 2.0 just 6 months after the company was purchased by Apple in 2015. I find it highly likely they collaborated with him again for this Apple Watch band, but decided not to make any official press release or sale on the Apple website for it. Maybe a sort of limited release for "those in the know."
There also exist very official Apple-esque renders, which, as evidence above suggest, were actually made in-house by Apple.
Very glad to have added this secret band to my collection! Hoping for an official Bandbreite entry soon.
@choreographics
Back in Fall 2018, Medicom partnered with San Francisco artist Barry McGee to create a 100% and 400% Bearbrick set which retailed for $180. This set, unlike others before it, included a 44mm Apple watch Sport Band, a White (First Gen, seemingly) Sport Band with special printing on it.
This printing is unlike anything ever before seen from an official Apple release, especially back in 2018. The multicolor harlequin pattern wraps perfectly around and even slightly under the pin and lugs, hinting at an Apple factory finish.
While there is no official placard or press release that tied Apple to this release, I can confirm without a doubt that the Apple Watch band included is 100% OEM. Someone might argue "Sure, they probably just bought OEM bands and printed on top of them themselves." There's several reasons I don't think that's the case, though.
First of all, the printing quality is near perfect. The different layers line up so well, the finish quality feels soft and smooth, and the printing wraps underneath the lugs and pin, something that had to be done pre-assembly. In addition to this, the pin strap is missing printing, while the S/M and M/L have it, likely as this is a 42mm band released in Fall 2018, which would have been right when the switch to 44mm was happening. Missing printing bands like this logically can only come out of the Apple factory. (The fact that there's both a S/M and M/L helps the case... 99% of fakes only include a M/L!)
It's worth pointing out the packaging. This band comes sort of just shoved into the box, in an L shaped plastic brace. The band pieces themselves are wrapped in small plastic bags, identical to those we've seen from Chargersotre on eBay. These bags are tied to the China factory which produces these bands, as multiple sources which get factory seconds and samples all sell these bands in the same plastic wraps.
I can say with very high confidence this is an official-but-secret Apple release in collaboration with Barry McGee. It's worth noting that Apple had collaborated with this artist in the past, releasing a limited edition Beats Pill 2.0 just 6 months after the company was purchased by Apple in 2015. I find it highly likely they collaborated with him again for this Apple Watch band, but decided not to make any official press release or sale on the Apple website for it. Maybe a sort of limited release for "those in the know."
There also exist very official Apple-esque renders, which, as evidence above suggest, were actually made in-house by Apple.
Very glad to have added this secret band to my collection! Hoping for an official Bandbreite entry soon.
@choreographics
You should mock up what the apple dot com section woulda looked likeThe Barry McGee Sport Band - Apple's secret OEM band release you never heard of.
Back in Fall 2018, Medicom partnered with San Francisco artist Barry McGee to create a 100% and 400% Bearbrick set which retailed for $180. This set, unlike others before it, included a 44mm Apple watch Sport Band, a White (First Gen, seemingly) Sport Band with special printing on it.
View attachment 2501020
This printing is unlike anything ever before seen from an official Apple release, especially back in 2018. The multicolor harlequin pattern wraps perfectly around and even slightly under the pin and lugs, hinting at an Apple factory finish.
View attachment 2501021
While there is no official placard or press release that tied Apple to this release, I can confirm without a doubt that the Apple Watch band included is 100% OEM. Someone might argue "Sure, they probably just bought OEM bands and printed on top of them themselves." There's several reasons I don't think that's the case, though.
First of all, the printing quality is near perfect. The different layers line up so well, the finish quality feels soft and smooth, and the printing wraps underneath the lugs and pin, something that had to be done pre-assembly. In addition to this, the pin strap is missing printing, while the S/M and M/L have it, likely as this is a 42mm band released in Fall 2018, which would have been right when the switch to 44mm was happening. Missing printing bands like this logically can only come out of the Apple factory. (The fact that there's both a S/M and M/L helps the case... 99% of fakes only include a M/L!)
View attachment 2501024
It's worth pointing out the packaging. This band comes sort of just shoved into the box, in an L shaped plastic brace. The band pieces themselves are wrapped in small plastic bags, identical to those we've seen from Chargersotre on eBay. These bags are tied to the China factory which produces these bands, as multiple sources which get factory seconds and samples all sell these bands in the same plastic wraps.
View attachment 2501023
View attachment 2501022
I can say with very high confidence this is an official-but-secret Apple release in collaboration with Barry McGee. It's worth noting that Apple had collaborated with this artist in the past, releasing a limited edition Beats Pill 2.0 just 6 months after the company was purchased by Apple in 2015. I find it highly likely they collaborated with him again for this Apple Watch band, but decided not to make any official press release or sale on the Apple website for it. Maybe a sort of limited release for "those in the know."
There also exist very official Apple-esque renders, which, as evidence above suggest, were actually made in-house by Apple.
View attachment 2501026
View attachment 2501027
Very glad to have added this secret band to my collection! Hoping for an official Bandbreite entry soon.
Apple started engraving a super tiny serial # on Bands starting around early 2016. Its hidden usually on one of the spring pins. You have to push the pin out and zoom in super closely to make it out. I used Halides macro mode in conjunction with a 16ProMax using the 0.5x macro capable lens to get these photos.
In terms of Hermes, they only started having serial #'s present on their Bands sometime in 2022. Prior to that they had no serial # on the lugs beyond the usual datecode stamps. I couldn't tell you when exactly, since my Hermes collection of bands post-2021 is pretty small, but none of my 2021 and prior bands have it, of which I have many. They also funny enough often include the serial # on both lugs, which is not something Apple does. Any Hermes leather bands that have a stamp on the buckle piece that begins with U B W or K are made in 2022-2025 respectively and should have serialized lugs, while T X A C D Y Z are 2015-2021 respectively will be blank. Textile bands have no datecode stamps at all, granted the oldest Textile bands, which are the Jumping Single Tours, came out Fall 2021. The oldest Fluoroelastomer bands (rubber) are the Kilims, which didnt exist before 2023 and actually have a datecode stamp under the keeper closest to the deployment buckle.
Apple serial numbers had a 10-character format, and eventually around mid 2020's switched to a 13-character alphanumeric format, and then sometime around late-2021 to early 2022 they switched again to an 18-character format, while Hermes serial #'s are also very different from Apples and follow a 14-character CCCCC******* format. The Orange and Noir Sport Bands follow Apples serializing rules since they are an Apple band that just licences the Hermes name.
Berry Stripe Woven Nylon:
California Poppy Leather Link (Fall 2020):
Pride 2021 Sport Loop:
Desert Stone Nike (Fall 2023):
Hermes 2022+:
Also, none of these serial numbers are ever used at Apple stores or Apple Service Providers or anywhere else. They literally wont even pull up in GSX/MobileGenius/Core (Apple Service Provider, Genius Bar, and Apple Phone/Chat Advisor systems respectively), theyre used for nothing as far as warranty and support and repair is concerned. Its an accessory, and accessories are "unserialized" as far as Apple cares so dont stress too much over it. Apple also never services Hermes bands anyways, with exception for the Sport band. All Hermes non-sport bands have to go to Hermes store.
Fun fact: this is not the tiniest serial number Apple uses. Apple Watches have an even tinier one engraved onto the inner part of the very center sensor on the health sensor array, and its so small that a spec of dust is many times larger. its not engraved as text, but a 2D Datamatrix and you can only really see it under a microscope.
Also to contribute to the band chat and to get to the 500 post quota to get to MacRumors marketplace, here's my new near-mint condition Bordeaux Double Tour on my 41mm Series 9 Gold. Got this as part of a super nicely priced 15-and package that also came with 2x link bracelets one of which was mint, Indogo Double Tour (en-route to a happy new buyer already), some mint condition classic buckles, and a bunch of less noteworthy bands
Picked up Tangerine and Aquamarine sport bands today. Love them! Aquamarine especially looks great in person.
Great piece of info. I noticed these minuscule numbers on my Nike strap, a few sport bands and my other leather Apple straps.
Here how it shows up on a Gen1 black:
They can still identify a band but it is still quite useful.
Looks really nice finally you got a 41mm so the Hermes straps make sense in how they look now. When you had the 45mm it was a bit awkward to see it on the side.
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Always-Off Display? 😏
Lake Green sport band (silver steel)
this one really looks better in more light, please excuse my 45mm tan line
this one really looks better in more light, please excuse my 45mm tan line
You switch between Apple Watch sizes? I stick to 40/41mm.
Ultramarine sport loop (white ceramic)
