Do iWant an iWatch?

While Derek Zoolander was closing Valentino’s show, Apple announced the April 10 release date of the Apple Watch. And iThink iWant one.

This, of course, conflicts me.

I happen to be one of the dwindling population of people who actually wears a watch. Nothing fancy – a men’s “easy reader” silver metal Timex purchased from Walgreens. I get compliments on it all the time, which kills me. Sometimes I wear two (I also have an Indiglo). I just like to know what time it is without having to reach for my phone and reading glasses. Hands on a face is just easier. But more important, I like how the watch looks – the silver, the menswear vibe, the way it rotates around my wrist like a bangle (it is a man’s watch after all, so it fits loose).

And so it with this spirit — the spirit of style, that has me most intrigued with the Apple Watch, much more than the tech benefits. I don’t care to know my heart rate or number of steps I take. Or my temperature or the other stats they spit out. The current strain of smart watches that report these facts – the Fitbits of the world, just annoy me, in the same way that those dopey yellow “Live strong” bands branded wearers “annoying”, no words necessary, even before Lance crashed. Maybe it’s the tribe thing — belonging to the “iworkout” group. Well I do too, but I don’t need a band to announce that to the world.

Will the Apple Watch succeed as a fashion piece? The fact that they hired executives from Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent to help design the watch means they are trying like hell. They’re also partnering with cutting edge global retailers Dover Street Market, Colette, The Corner and Maxfield to develop shop-in-shops to sell them.

There will be many types to choose from, ranging in price to a fairly reasonable price of $350 to the ridiculous of up to $17,000.

My biggest obstacle is the face, as they are rectangular, rather than round, which is all I’ve ever worn. But we’ll see.

Jslow, what do you think? Ladies, am I crazy to even ponder? Would the Apple Watch announce that I’m a sucker? It’s going to take a lot to muscle that Timex off my cold hard wrist.