Apple watch

APPLE WATCH

The Apple Watch comes in two sizes. The case, measured vertically, is either 38mm or 42mm. Every single person who’s seen the 42mm model I’ve been testing immediately presumed it was the smaller one – this is not an oversized watch.

You begin to appreciate the classiness of Apple’s latest golden child the moment you remove it from the box. Seeing it and trying it on your wrist challenges your presumptions – it’s much more attractive and premium than the photos suggest. It’s solid and weighty with that trademark oblong-with-rounded-corners shape. Compare it to a regular analogue watch and it’s thick from front to back, but doesn’t feel over-sized in any direction. It’s also balanced, sitting firmly on the wrist and not bouncing around as you touch it.

The build quality is so much higher than with any rival smartwatch we've tested that it’s not even really a competition. And thanks to some extensive hands-on sessions I can confirm that’s true even if you’re looking at the “entry-level” Apple Watch Sport - although it was the more deluxe Apple Watch that I selected as a review sample.

The vast range of options available for the Watch is very uncharacteristic of Apple, but put the more fussy customisation choices to one side and there are three core models - the Apple Watch Sport with its aluminium case and glass face, the Apple Watch with its stainless steel and sapphire crystal combination, and the Apple Watch Edition, which has an 18-carat gold case. And starts (yes, starts) at £8000. And which one you go for can be based almost entirely on which you most like the look and feel of - inside they’re all identical.

But you may well find yourself making the decision based more on which you can afford, and even the cheapest looks expensive next to the best non-Apple smartwatches out there - £300 is the entry point here, which is mighty steep compared to a £200 Moto 360 or £150 Pebble Steel. Step up to the stainless steel Apple Watch and you need to budget at least £480. Add a lovely leather or meticulous metal strap and you can find yourself hitting the £950 mark before you know it.

You really don’t need to hit those heady heights, though. The most affordable strap, the sport band, is surprisingly comfortable – a soft and smooth elastomer that feels sumptuous and tactile.