The Apple Watch has captured many people’s imagination by combining smartwatch features with wristwatch style, but one of the world’s best watchmakers thinks it’s “a bit bland.”
Apple will open preorders on its highly anticipated smartwatch on April 10, while the Apple Watch will ship on April 24.
At least one prestigious watchmaker won’t be in line to buy one, it seems. Britain’s Roger W. Smith, who operates his four man team of expert watchmakers from the Isle of Man, was in 2013 named as one of the 15 greatest watchmakers by The Wall Street Journal.
Having apprenticed under the late George Daniels, “the greatest of contemporary watchmakers,” Smith clearly knows a thing or two about timepieces. So, when he was asked for his views on the Apple Watch recently, he gave some interesting answers.
“To me, I just find an Apple Watch a bit bland really,” Smith told Business Insider.
Read More: Apple Watch vs Android Wear
According to Smith, the Apple Watch’s lack of individual craft and mechanical intricacy make it significantly less interesting than a traditionally made watch.
“People often sort of talk about mechanical watches having a bit of a soul and a life to them,” he said. “You can often relate it to cars. People like the sound of the engine of their cars. It’s the same with watches; people like to hear them tick, people like to see the movements in the back of the watch.”
The Apple Watch, meanwhile, “will never have that mechanical connection.”
We dread to think what he’d make of the Sony SmartWatch 3.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.