I’m excited to have put in a pre-order for the new Apple Watch.  Mr.FireStation is a bit of a gadget-guy, but even so, at $399 it is about 4x what I have ever paid for a watch of any sort.  I know people who wear the luxury brand watches that cost thousands of dollars, but I’ve always resisted shelling out that kind of money.  Until now.

So how to save on an Apple Watch.  They are all basically the same, except for the band.  Whether you pay $400 or $650 dollars, the basic watch unit is the same.  My son and I went to the Apple Store the day after they went on sale and checked them out.  (There is a $10,000 version with gold trim on the watch, but don’t get me started on that)

Here’s how I decided.  When I went in the store, the first thing the clerk showed me is how easy the watch band clicks in & out of the watch itself.  There’s a simple little button on the back.  When you press it, the band easily slips out.  Hello, third party band makers!

Sure enough, just like there is a huge aftermarket of iPhone cases, there is now a huge aftermarket for Apple Watch bands.  Here’s a link to an article with dozens of them featured.  There are some really interesting new styles and some with value-added features, like extended battery power.  I haven’t ordered anything yet – I’ll wait until my Apple Watch finally arrives in a few weeks – but I will look forward to seeing the options grow (and the prices tumble).

Image Credit: Apple