The world’s most expensive Apple Watch case looks… kind of terrible?

We’ve seen plenty of garish iPhone mods and cases in our time, mostly courtesy of “luxury” accessories brand Caviar. But it seems wearables aren’t entirely safe either, if the world’s most expensive Apple Watch case if anything to go by.

Yours for just $15,000, Golden Concept’s ‘Diamond Edition’ Apple Watch case is encrusted with 443 diamonds. And with just seven editions available, it’s extremely limited edition – which, having taken one look at the thing, is absolutely fine by me. (Check out the best Apple Watch Series 7 deals if you’re in the market for a new watch.)

Carved from a single block of titanium, the Diamond Edition (opens in new tab) is “the world’s first and only Apple Watch case designed with real diamonds.” Each piece takes a week to handcraft, and can be personalised with an engraving on the backplate. Oh, and included in the price is an actual Apple Watch Series 7. 

But from where I’m standing, the Diamond Edition is proof if proof be needed that money can’t buy taste. For one thing, the whole thing looks simply massive. Sure, you’ll want your 443 diamonds to attract some attention, but the whole point of the Apple Watch is that it’s a sleek piece of kit. Squint your eyes, and the chonky Diamond Edition could be a distant cousin of the Casio G-Shock. Oh, and if you’re a fitness freak, you might want to save your $15k – this 107 gram beast doesn’t sound particularly marathon-friendly. 

And then there’s the strap, which feels like something of an after-thought. Attached to this ostentatious watch case is, erm, a plain synthetic rubber strap. Now, I’m not asking for a diamond-encrusted strap, but if you’re going to buy the world’s most expensive Apple Watch case, surely you want it to be accompanied by something that looks pricier than a generic $10 strap. Golden Concept says the strap is made from “heat, cold and chemical-resistant fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber,” but you can’t see these features – and this case is arguably all about the appearance.