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Milanese Loop.. worth it?
- Thread starter heyyitssusan
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I like the idea of the loop and it is comfortable when I try it on, but I just can't bring myself to spend the money on it.
I just bought one from user NotSafeForWork (great guy by the way, fast shipping and the band was exactly as described) and its one of the best metal watch bands I've ever owned. It looks great, and also feels great on the wrist as it breathes. It is also very easy to adjust, and its great to get an exact grip on my wrist with its infinite adjustments. It feels very secure and has yet to loosen up on me inadvertently.
My thought is for most of the bands, its more than likely that Apple will at least continue to use the same adapters for the bands, so you are investing well even when the next version of the watch hardware itself comes out. The only one I'd have a hard time justifying is the link band, and only because it costs as much as one of the watches; it looks like a great band, and the idea of being able to take links out without any special tool is a great one - hopefully more metal band manufacturers will be inspired to include similar features.
My thought is for most of the bands, its more than likely that Apple will at least continue to use the same adapters for the bands, so you are investing well even when the next version of the watch hardware itself comes out. The only one I'd have a hard time justifying is the link band, and only because it costs as much as one of the watches; it looks like a great band, and the idea of being able to take links out without any special tool is a great one - hopefully more metal band manufacturers will be inspired to include similar features.
I'd say it's worth it yes. Mine arrived yesterday, and it's pretty comfortable to wear. That being said, I'm sending it back as I already have a black leather loop that feels more comfortable, is just as adjustable, and I personally find looks better for my tastes. I've never been a flashy silver shiny kind of watch guy.
I still think the Milanese loop is totally worth it though, it looks and feels great, and the magnet is super strong.
I still think the Milanese loop is totally worth it though, it looks and feels great, and the magnet is super strong.
Is it flexible as far as being adjustable? I have small wrists and mine fit on the last hole on the 38MM sport band.
Hopefully I will enjoy mine, ordered one last night. I have been waiting for the processing time to move to under a week before I ordered. Ordered last night with a processing time of 5 days, I am hoping it will ship sooner.
I never tried on the Milanese Loop band, but I have tried on Skagen watches before.
Reason for the Milanese loop is basically to complement dressing up, due to having to wear professional attire for work. The Apple Watch Sport band is not really suit and tie appropriate in a way, but I made it work (for now)
I never tried on the Milanese Loop band, but I have tried on Skagen watches before.
Reason for the Milanese loop is basically to complement dressing up, due to having to wear professional attire for work. The Apple Watch Sport band is not really suit and tie appropriate in a way, but I made it work (for now)
Here's a couple of shots of the watch (38mm SS) w/Milanese on my wrist. I have small wrists too, and you can see where the magnetic clasp comes to. The 38mm watch w/Milanese is perfect for smaller wrists.
i got the wsb and later bought the leather loop, but i havent even used the wsb ever since. i will probably try to sell the wsb and upgrade to milanese.
for those that already have it, how is the milanese when working out? i would think it is ok bc u can easily wash it unlike the leather loop
for those that already have it, how is the milanese when working out? i would think it is ok bc u can easily wash it unlike the leather loop
I got my 38 Milanese on launch day and love it! So easy to adjust the fit. Since it opens to a circle that you slip your hand through, I feel it's unlikely to fall off or be pulled off your arm. I like the way it looks with casual or dressier outfits.
Such as? All the 3rd party Milanese bands I've seen look ridiculous.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion as these things are subjective. So here's mine.
Sorry but I completely disagree with this. I've had the Apple Milanese for about a week now and I think the quality is excellent.
None of the third party straps I've seen compare to the quality and flexibility of the Apple Milanese. Although I can't comment on the recent 1-to-1 copy that's appeared on AliExpress as I've not seen it in the flesh.
I've found the Apple strap to be extremely comfortable and as someone who needs the vast adjustability of the magnetic closure I think it's a very well thought out option.
Not everyone will agree of course and it is a lot of money to justify for some people. But I would have gladly paid more for my Milanese and I'd be every bit as happy with it if I did. Which pretty much sums up how good I think this strap is.
Thanks for this!! I wanted to get one eventually but wasn't sure if I wanted to fork out $150 just for a watch band, but it looks like it'll be worth the money.
Totally worth it (insert obligatory "in my opinion" here). Very comfortable. I also have the sport band and a leather loop and the Milanese is as comfortable, or more, than either. And it's so shiny.
Do you have the sport watch? I think the ML is the only one that truly "fits" with the sport watch, if that makes sense.
It's extremely flexible in terms of how adjustable it is. The magnet is incredibly strong, and I find it doesn't shift positions at all after wearing it all day.
I ended up changing my mind and kept the Milanese loop. After switching back to the leather loop, I found I missed the feel and texture, and definitely the look of the Milanese loop. I find it doesn't clash at all with the Space Grey Sport. It's all personal preference, but I really like the look.
My Milanese definitely suffered from loosening itself through the day.
Oddly though today has been the first day it hasn't moved at all. It's stayed nicely in position all day without me having to adjust it at all.
The only difference has been that last night I cleaned the magnetic clasp, the rubber grommet side, don't know why really I just felt like doing it. But that can't have made a difference surely.
In another thread I qualified my opinion a bit more. I am a watch guy, having a decent collection of high-end watches, so I'm very familiar with what exists from traditional watchmakers and third parties as far mesh bracelets go, which perhaps also makes me a little biased when evaluating watch accessories such as straps/bracelets.
Relative to something like a Breitling mesh bracelet, which, in my opinion, is arguably one of the best mesh bracelets I've ever worn, the Apple ML is not that great in terms of quality. Of course, that bracelet is also a $700 bracelet, so perhaps that's an unfair comparison.
So let's make a fair comparison with a bracelet that is in the same ballpark in terms of price as the Apple ML, that is, in my opinion, far better quality than Apple's ML. Check out Staib bracelets. They cost the same, maybe a little less, maybe a little more than depending on model than the Apple ML. They are engineered in Germany and they absolutely blow away the quality of the Apple ML. You call the Apple ML flexible. I call it flimsy. To me, a proper mesh band is like the one below.
I think the problem is that all the offerings that people are finding on Amazon or eBay are complete garbage, so Apple's looks like the best of the bunch, which in that case, it probably is. However, if you know where to look and what you're looking for, I still stand by my initial opinion that there are far better options than what Apple is providing. I have similar sentiments towards the Apple leather bands as well.
In another thread I qualified my opinion a bit more. I am a watch guy, having a decent collection of high-end watches, so I'm very familiar with what exists from traditional watchmakers and third parties as far mesh bracelets go, which perhaps also makes me a little biased when evaluating watch accessories such as straps/bracelets.
Relative to something like a Breitling mesh bracelet, which, in my opinion, is arguably one of the best mesh bracelets I've ever worn, the Apple ML is not that great in terms of quality. Of course, that bracelet is also a $700 bracelet, so perhaps that's an unfair comparison.
So let's make a fair comparison with a bracelet that is in the same ballpark in terms of price as the Apple ML, that is, in my opinion, far better quality than Apple's ML. Check out Staib bracelets. They cost the same, maybe a little less, maybe a little more than depending on model than the Apple ML. They are engineered in Germany and they absolutely blow away the quality of the Apple ML. You call the Apple ML flexible. I call it flimsy. To me, a proper mesh band is like the one below.
I think the problem is that all the offerings that people are finding on Amazon or eBay are complete garbage, so Apple's looks like the best of the bunch, which in that case, it probably is. However, if you know where to look and what you're looking for, I still stand by my initial opinion that there are far better options than what Apple is providing. I have similar sentiments towards the Apple leather bands as well.
I see your point and I am familiar with that particular bracelet, I've been wearing watches for over 30 years myself. However even it does not ofer the extreme level of adjustability that the Apple Milanese does and for someone such as myself that is infinitely more important. The magnetic closure of the Apple Milanese offers a level of convenience and flexibility that most traditional straps do not.
And again this is subjective but I prefer the look of the Apple Milanese. The sheer simplicity of it is something I find very appealing. To me the magnetic closure makes it seem modern, sleek and interesting whereas I find the Staib, while attractive, somewhat old fashioned. Not that that's always a bad thing.
While you may think the Apple bracelet is flimsy, I prefer the weight of the Apple Milanese, once it's on I barely notice it, something that cannot always be said for the heavier bands. I certainly don't consider Apples Milanese flimsy, I have no concern about it's durability whatsoever. I think Apple have been quite deliberate in the choosing of the gauge of the steel they use in order to keep the weight down and sometimes that's a perfectly acceptable option.
So I also stand by my opinion that the convenience, feel and flexibility that Apples Milanese offers, I would have paid more for. Not much more, but more none the less.
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Fair enough. As we've both pointed out, personal preference is just that. It's subjective based on what the interested person intends to get out of it.
For your average consumer, the Apple ML is a fine choice, and far exceeds the quality of a great majority of the garbage third party options that manufacturers have put out in response to the AW release. I just have a particular preference in what I want out of a mesh bracelet and unfortunately for me, the Apple ML did not meet my expectations.
In the end, just trying to help inform others that there are other, and possibly better, options out there based on one's particular style and likes.
And there's nothing wrong with that at all, the more information a person has the better as far as I'm concerned.
For some context of my own though, before I settled on the Apple Milanese the Staib you mentioned was pretty much at the top of my list. I'm not spending an awful lot of money on a watch strap for something that won't last for decades.
But after a lot of careful consideration the sheer flexibility of the magnetic closure won out in the end for me. Well and the general style as well, it's just so minimalist.
A large part of that decision was due to the severe nerve damage in my watch wearing arm, which causes it to swell up and reduce at it's own will. So having the instant and near limitless adjustment of Apples offering was a huge boon and made it particularly suitable to my needs.
The Apple Milanese is by far and away the thinnest and lightest strap that I have ever worn in my adult life, but I don't find it flimsy in the traditional sense of the word. Mine has already been bashed on walls, my desk, doors, the wife's car, the poor dog and caught on many things when my arm spasms and flails about unexpectedly and it's held up perfectly well. In fact, so far, there isn't a mark on it.
Would I have been happier if it were as traditionally sturdy as other watch straps I have owned though? Perhaps, but to be honest, I'm actually rather liking the weight. When I buy expensive shoes I want them to feel as if I'm wearing nothing on my feet, I don't want them to keep pinching at my tootsies to remind me I've spent a lot of money and that is pretty much how I feel about this Apple Milanese. It's a relatively inexpensive item and being lightweight it just sort of disappears on my wrist, which again is good for me and my stupidly over-sensitive arm.
I received it just today and I love it already. So far it seems more comfortable than the sport band for me, because I can adjust it to the perfect size, whereas the sport band is always either too tight or too loose, depending on which of the 2 holes I set it to. Also, it makes the watch look quite a bit nicer...
That's the trouble I had with the Sport Band, well any traditional band really, just couldn't get the perfect fit with the predetermined positions.
One of the main reasons I love the Apple Milanese is that ability for completely perfect fine-tuning of the fit.