The Apple Watch Leather Link was an Apple Watch band released in 2020. The design is similar to Apple’s previous Leather Loop design, but while the Leather Loop included a metal “eye” that looped back on itself, the Leather Link is secured solely by magnets.
Apple described the Leather Link:
“The Leather Link features handcrafted Roux Granada leather made in France. The strap elegantly wraps around the wrist and magically attaches with flexible moulded magnets that gently flex to help maintain a secure, comfortable fit throughout the day.”
In their press release, Apple mentioned: “The first-of-its-kind Leather Link wraps elegantly around the wrist, effortlessly attaching on the other side with flexible molded magnets.”
The Leather Link came in sizes including 41mm in S/M (130–160mm wrists) and M/L (140–180mm wrists), and 45mm in S/M (140–180mm wrists) and M/L (165–205mm wrists).
This example is Midnight, a shade of black, for the 45mm Apple Watch, and fit wrists in the M/L size range.
The Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Textile Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Each Braided Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design that’s ultracomfortable and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments in each band are interwoven with thin silicone threads using advanced braiding machinery then laser cut to an exact length. The 300D construction offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat-resistant and water-resistant.”
The color of this band is Slate Blue, a desaturated shade of medium blue. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths. The 41mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 4–12.
According to Apple’s website, “This band comes in custom sizes because it’s designed for an ultracomfortable fit. An accurate measurement will help you get the size that’s right for you.” The website allowed buyers to download a PDF and cut out a “tool” that wrapped around the wrist to designate the band size needed.
The Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Textile Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Each Braided Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design that’s ultracomfortable and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments in each band are interwoven with thin silicone threads using advanced braiding machinery then laser cut to an exact length. The 300D construction offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat-resistant and water-resistant.”
The color of this band is Rainforest, a shade of dark gray/green. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths. The 41mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 4–12.
According to Apple’s website, “This band comes in custom sizes because it’s designed for an ultracomfortable fit. An accurate measurement will help you get the size that’s right for you.” The website allowed buyers to download a PDF and cut out a “tool” that wrapped around the wrist to designate the band size needed.
The Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Textile Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Each Braided Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design that’s ultracomfortable and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments in each band are interwoven with thin silicone threads using advanced braiding machinery then laser cut to an exact length. The 300D construction offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat-resistant and water-resistant.”
The color of this band is beige. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths. The 41mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 4–12.
According to Apple’s website, “This band comes in custom sizes because it’s designed for an ultracomfortable fit. An accurate measurement will help you get the size that’s right for you.” The website allowed buyers to download a PDF and cut out a “tool” that wrapped around the wrist to designate the band size needed.
For the die-hard Apple fans among us, one might mark the release of this band with a bit of melancholy. When the original iMac was introduced in 1998, Steve Jobs said, “Today we brought romance and innovation back into the industry. iMac reminds everyone of what Apple stands for.” The groundbreaking design of the original iMac in translucent Bondi Blue included a series of taglines, including one that has suck with me for the past 24 years—”Sorry, no beige.” I wistfully report that beige is back in an official Apple product.
The Apple Watch Sport Loop band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 41mm and 45mm Apple Watch models, and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200mm wrists (41mm) and 145–220mm wrists (45mm). The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes.
This Dark Cherry/Forest Green band used a two-stripe design first introduced in Fall 2021. One stripe was “Dark Cherry,” a shade of dark red, and the other was “Forest Green,” a shade of dark green. The edges were pale melon and provided a striking contrast to the dark stripes. The connector plastics were dark red—a similar shade to the “Dark Cherry” color—and the closure plastic matched the pale melon color of the edges.
Apple described the Apple Watch Sport Loop band:
“Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Sport Loop features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
The International Collection Sport Loop was released at the time the Summer Olympics were played in 2021 (referred to as the 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 delay). The bands came in 22 designs “representing nations across the globe, each with a downloadable matching watch face.”
The bands used the Sport Loop design and were described by Apple as, “Soft, breathable, and lightweight, it features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
The packaging for each band was customized (compared to the typical Sport Loop packaging) and featured the Apple Watch logo on the box exterior in metallic gold (presumably a reference to Olympic gold medals). The interior packaging used the design of the sport band (as opposed to the generic design used in other Sport Loop designs) and included an App Clip Code (Apple’s custom circular QR Code design) that led directly to a downloadable Watch face that matched the band.
According to an Apple Newsroom release from June 29, 2021:
“To celebrate the indescribable drive and competitive spirit of all athletes and fans, Apple is launching the International Collection bands for Apple Watch, featuring 22 limited-edition Sport Loop bands with colorful designs that represent those nations across the globe. Each band also features a matching downloadable Stripes watch face showcasing color combinations that customers around the world can use to personalize their Apple Watch and boldly show their country support.
The soft, breathable, and lightweight International Collection Sport Loop bands are available representing the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the US.”
The colorful designs used a variety of designs including one-color bands, one- and two-color facing bands, and some bands were split vertically with two colors (a first for Apple Watch band designs). All bands used a contrasting edge color, and many bands featured contrasting plastic connectors/closure colors. Bands matched the flags of each country and featured two to five colors each.
These are my descriptions of each of the band designs:
Australia—2-sided bright green and yellow band; bright green edges; bright green plastic connectors/closure.
Belgium—yellow gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Brazil—bright green band; yellow edges; dark blue plastic connectors/closure.
Canada—vertical striped white and red band; white and red edges; white plastic connectors, white closure.
China—red band; yellow-gold edges; red plastic connectors, yellow-gold closure.
Denmark—red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
France—white band; blue and red edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
Germany—2-sided black and yellow-gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Greece—vertical striped white and blue band; blue and white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
Italy—bright blue band; white edges; green plastic connectors, red closure.
Jamaica—2-sided bright green and black band; yellow edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
Japan—white band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Mexico—white band; green and red edges; white plastic connectors, green closure.
Netherlands—bright orange band; white edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
New Zealand—black band; white edges; black plastic connectors, white closure.
Russia—2-sided blue and red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
South Africa—2-sided red and blue band; green edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
South Korea—white band; black edges; blue plastic connectors, red closure.
Spain—2-sided yellow-gold and red band; red edges; red plastic connectors/closure.
Sweden—2-sided yellow and medium-blue band; medium-blue edges; medium-blue plastic connectors/closure.
United States—vertical striped white and blue band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Great Britain—2-sided red and blue band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
This example is a 44mm Sport Loop representing Mexico, a white band with green and red edges, white plastic connectors, and a green closure.
The International Collection Sport Loop was released at the time the Summer Olympics were played in 2021 (referred to as the 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 delay). The bands came in 22 designs “representing nations across the globe, each with a downloadable matching watch face.”
The bands used the Sport Loop design and were described by Apple as, “Soft, breathable, and lightweight, it features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
The packaging for each band was customized (compared to the typical Sport Loop packaging) and featured the Apple Watch logo on the box exterior in metallic gold (presumably a reference to Olympic gold medals). The interior packaging used the design of the sport band (as opposed to the generic design used in other Sport Loop designs) and included an App Clip Code (Apple’s custom circular QR Code design) that led directly to a downloadable Watch face that matched the band.
According to an Apple Newsroom release from June 29, 2021:
“To celebrate the indescribable drive and competitive spirit of all athletes and fans, Apple is launching the International Collection bands for Apple Watch, featuring 22 limited-edition Sport Loop bands with colorful designs that represent those nations across the globe. Each band also features a matching downloadable Stripes watch face showcasing color combinations that customers around the world can use to personalize their Apple Watch and boldly show their country support.
The soft, breathable, and lightweight International Collection Sport Loop bands are available representing the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the US.”
The colorful designs used a variety of designs including one-color bands, one- and two-color facing bands, and some bands were split vertically with two colors (a first for Apple Watch band designs). All bands used a contrasting edge color, and many bands featured contrasting plastic connectors/closure colors. Bands matched the flags of each country and featured two to five colors each.
These are my descriptions of each of the band designs:
Australia—2-sided bright green and yellow band; bright green edges; bright green plastic connectors/closure.
Belgium—yellow gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Brazil—bright green band; yellow edges; dark blue plastic connectors/closure.
Canada—vertical striped white and red band; white and red edges; white plastic connectors, white closure.
China—red band; yellow-gold edges; red plastic connectors, yellow-gold closure.
Denmark—red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
France—white band; blue and red edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
Germany—2-sided black and yellow-gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Greece—vertical striped white and blue band; blue and white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
Italy—bright blue band; white edges; green plastic connectors, red closure.
Jamaica—2-sided bright green and black band; yellow edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
Japan—white band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Mexico—white band; green and red edges; white plastic connectors, green closure.
Netherlands—bright orange band; white edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
New Zealand—black band; white edges; black plastic connectors, white closure.
Russia—2-sided blue and red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
South Africa—2-sided red and blue band; green edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
South Korea—white band; black edges; blue plastic connectors, red closure.
Spain—2-sided yellow-gold and red band; red edges; red plastic connectors/closure.
Sweden—2-sided yellow and medium-blue band; medium-blue edges; medium-blue plastic connectors/closure.
United States—vertical striped white and blue band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Great Britain—2-sided red and blue band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
This example is a 44mm Sport Loop representing Brazil, a bright green band with yellow edges and dark blue plastic connectors/closure.
The International Collection Sport Loop was released at the time the Summer Olympics were played in 2021 (referred to as the 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 delay). The bands came in 22 designs “representing nations across the globe, each with a downloadable matching watch face.”
The bands used the Sport Loop design and were described by Apple as, “Soft, breathable, and lightweight, it features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
The packaging for each band was customized (compared to the typical Sport Loop packaging) and featured the Apple Watch logo on the box exterior in metallic gold (presumably a reference to Olympic gold medals). The interior packaging used the design of the sport band (as opposed to the generic design used in other Sport Loop designs) and included an App Clip Code (Apple’s custom circular QR Code design) that led directly to a downloadable Watch face that matched the band.
According to an Apple Newsroom release from June 29, 2021:
“To celebrate the indescribable drive and competitive spirit of all athletes and fans, Apple is launching the International Collection bands for Apple Watch, featuring 22 limited-edition Sport Loop bands with colorful designs that represent those nations across the globe. Each band also features a matching downloadable Stripes watch face showcasing color combinations that customers around the world can use to personalize their Apple Watch and boldly show their country support.
The soft, breathable, and lightweight International Collection Sport Loop bands are available representing the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the US.”
The colorful designs used a variety of designs including one-color bands, one- and two-color facing bands, and some bands were split vertically with two colors (a first for Apple Watch band designs). All bands used a contrasting edge color, and many bands featured contrasting plastic connectors/closure colors. Bands matched the flags of each country and featured two to five colors each.
These are my descriptions of each of the band designs:
Australia—2-sided bright green and yellow band; bright green edges; bright green plastic connectors/closure.
Belgium—yellow gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Brazil—bright green band; yellow edges; dark blue plastic connectors/closure.
Canada—vertical striped white and red band; white and red edges; white plastic connectors, white closure.
China—red band; yellow-gold edges; red plastic connectors, yellow-gold closure.
Denmark—red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
France—white band; blue and red edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
Germany—2-sided black and yellow-gold band; red edges; black plastic connectors/closure.
Greece—vertical striped white and blue band; blue and white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
Italy—bright blue band; white edges; green plastic connectors, red closure.
Jamaica—2-sided bright green and black band; yellow edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
Japan—white band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Mexico—white band; green and red edges; white plastic connectors, green closure.
Netherlands—bright orange band; white edges; white plastic connectors, blue closure.
New Zealand—black band; white edges; black plastic connectors, white closure.
Russia—2-sided blue and red band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
South Africa—2-sided red and blue band; green edges; black plastic connectors, yellow closure.
South Korea—white band; black edges; blue plastic connectors, red closure.
Spain—2-sided yellow-gold and red band; red edges; red plastic connectors/closure.
Sweden—2-sided yellow and medium-blue band; medium-blue edges; medium-blue plastic connectors/closure.
United States—vertical striped white and blue band; red edges; white plastic connectors, red closure.
Great Britain—2-sided red and blue band; white edges; white plastic connectors/closure.
This example is a 44mm Sport Loop representing Denmark, a red band with white edges and white plastic connectors/closure.
The Apple Watch Trail Loop was released along with the Apple Watch Ultra on September 7, 2022. The Apple Watch Ultra “brings a new bold design and a wide range of features built for endurance, exploration, and adventure.”
In the original press release, Apple described the Trail Loop as one of its “New Bands Designed for the Great Outdoors.” Apple added:
“Designed specifically for endurance athletes and runners, the Trail Loop band is the thinnest Apple Watch band to date. The lightweight woven textile is both soft and flexible, allowing it to cinch to the optimal fit, and the convenient tab is designed for quick and easy adjustment.”
Apple’s product page described the Trail Loop:
“The thin, lightweight Trail Loop is made from a nylon weave creating a soft band with increased elasticity for a comfortable fit. The band is infinitely adjustable with a convenient pull tab for quick adjustments on the go.”
This Trail Loop is Black/Gray. The main outer field of the band is a dark gray, while the inside of the band uses a thin alternating stripe pattern of dark and light gray. One edge of the band is accented in dark gray and the other side is accented in black. The connectors are made of the same color titanium as the Apple Watch Ultra. The band has a bright orange closure tab that is stitched to the main band.
All Apple Watch Ultra models fit the single-size 49mm case. The Trail Loop is made primarily of nylon.
The Apple Watch Sport Loop band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 41mm and 45mm Apple Watch models, and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200mm wrists (41mm) and 145–220mm wrists (45mm). This band is the much rarer XL size, offered only in the 45 mm size to fit 170–245mm wrists.
This Midnight band used a multi-stripe design. The primary color of the background was dark gray, and 8 thin rows of contrasting colors accented the background, including two rows of gray-green, 2 rows of rust, 2 rows of dark brown, and 2 more rows of light gray. The two edges were different colors—one side was gray-green, and the other side was light gray. The connector and closure plastics were dark gray.
Apple described the Apple Watch Sport Loop band:
“Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Sport Loop features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
