MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
CollectionsAug 12, 2016
Apple Watch to hit stores in April
The much-anticipated smartwatch, which comes in 18-karat gold, will be sold in select specialty stores in addition to Apple’s own.
During an event held at its Cupertino headquarters and live-streamed over the Internet, Apple said its much-anticipated smartwatch will become fully available April 24 in the United States, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, China, France, the United Kingdom and Germany.
The Apple Watch will be available to preview at three stores outside the U.S. on April 10 and be sold there at shop-in-shops, as well as at “boutiques in major cities across the world,” including Maxfield in Los Angeles, a high-end store that carries both new and vintage clothing, shoes and accessories.
Apple initially will offer three collections of its 38mm and 42mm timepiece: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.
Apple Watch Sport will be available with an aluminum alloy face with colored bands, and will start at $349. Apple Watch is made in a stainless steel alloy, and will start at $549. Apple Watch Edition, available in 18-karat yellow and rose gold, will start at $10,000 and go up to as much as $17,000.
“It’s the most personal device we have ever created,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at Monday’s event, during which the company also made announcements about other products. “It’s not just with you, it’s on you. And since what you wear is an expression of who you are, we designed Apple Watch to appeal to a whole variety of people.”
So, what can the watch do?
Cook said it is “the most advanced timepiece ever created” and is accurate to within 15 milliseconds of Coordinated Universal Time.
Aesthetically, every watch features different faces and configurations that the user can personalize; it can be traditional analog, or colorful, or a digital watch face with details like the date, a stopwatch, or calendar events.
“Glances” allow users to check things quickly. For example, swiping the screen up from the bottom will display the weather, play music or show the wearer’s heart rate. Wearers also can read full emails and have the option to delete, flag or mark them.
RELATED CONTENT: 5 facts about Apple Watch
“Digital touch” gives users the ability to sketch on their
watch face with a fingertip and send the image to another person. They also can tap the watch to send a signal to a friend, or send their heartbeat as well, which Cook said is an “incredibly intimate way to tell someone you’re thinking of them.”
Apple Watch also acts as a “comprehensive fitness companion,” reminding the wearer if they’ve been sitting too long and summarizing their movements, such as calories burned and distance traveled. At the end of each week the wearer will get a report on their physical activity for the past seven days, and suggest a new fitness target. “It’s like having a coach on your wrist,” he said.
The timepiece allows people to communicate immediately and more intimately, Cook added. They can receive text messages, and read and respond instantly. A built-in speaker and microphone on the watch also affords the wearer the ability to take calls.
In addition, notifications iPhone users receive on their mobile device can be shown on the smartwatch, including sports scores and social media and news updates. Siri, Apple’s voice recognition software, also is programmed into Apple Watch.
With all of the multi-tasking the timepiece can perform, it’s equipped with an “all-day battery life” of 18 hours. A magnetic charger held to the back of the watch face re-charges the device.
“We make products that enhance people’s lives, and Apple Watch brings that to a new level,” Cook said. “It’s a revolutionary new way to connect with others.”
More on Collections
The Latest
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer BallroomThe NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
