Watch Paparazzi

Singer Pharrell William spotted wearing Apple

Pharrell Williams was photographed on stage at an outdoor concert — microphone in hand, crowd at capacity — wearing what sharp-eyed observers immediately clocked as the Apple Watch Edition in 18KT rose gold with a rose grey modern buckle. The modern buckle strap, with its clean rectangular clasp machined from matching rose gold, elevates the piece significantly above standard Apple Watch configurations and signals deliberate styling rather than casual tech adoption.

Apple launched the original Watch Edition in April 2015 alongside the standard Sport and Watch lines, positioning it explicitly as a luxury object. The 38mm Edition case is crafted from 18KT rose gold produced via Apple's own proprietary alloy process — the company claimed their gold was twice as hard as standard 18KT through a ceramic-composite matrix technique. The sapphire crystal display and ceramic back reinforced the premium brief. Internally, however, it ran the same S1 SiP (System in Package) processor as the base model, with watchOS and a one-day battery life. Retail price at launch in the UK sat at £13,500; US pricing reached $17,000 for the 38mm modern buckle configuration.

The collector calculus on the Edition is genuinely unusual. Apple ceased software support for Series 0 watches in 2018, rendering the Edition functionally obsolete as a smartwatch. What remains is a solid 18KT rose gold case of undeniable material value — the gold content alone accounts for a significant portion of original retail. Some collectors have pursued them precisely as objects of tech history, a snapshot of the moment Apple seriously courted the Swiss watch establishment.

Pharrell's relationship with boundary-pushing accessories is well documented — from his Vivienne Westwood hats to custom Chanel pieces. Wearing a $17,000 smartwatch that is technically a paperweight by 2024 standards is, characteristically, exactly his register: provocative, nostalgic, and entirely intentional.

On the secondary market, rose gold Edition units trade erratically. Without functional smartwatch utility, value is driven by gold weight and condition. Expect clean examples to fetch $2,000–$4,000 depending on strap and box presence — a steep depreciation from retail, but a fascinating artifact for the right collector.