Retailer does a diamond take on Apple Watch

Washington--Though Apple remains mum on distribution plans for its Apple Watch, one independent jeweler has gotten into the holiday spirit by adding a blinged-out version of the smartwatch to its gift guide.

The idea of a stone-enhanced version of the smartwatch arose when Mervis Diamond Importers wanted to make its gift book for the season that was a balance between classic pieces, like diamond studs and tennis bracelets, and “wow” pieces to pull people in to, hopefully, end up purchasing the classics, said Jonathan Mervis, the store’s chief growth officer.

So, based on the information Apple has released about Apple Watch, the Washington, D.C. retailer created a photo rendering of the smartwatch in 18-karat rose gold with a band covered in diamonds.

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The rendering of the “Diamond iWatch”--as the store is calling it to avoid any trademark issues with Apple, Mervis said--features eight rows of round brilliant-cut diamonds set in a shared-prong tennis bracelet design. It has more than 15 carats of diamonds, E/F in color and VS1/VS2 in clarity.

Though prices will vary based on the metal chosen as well as the quality of the diamonds, as Mervis is open to customizing the piece according to what the buyer wants, the retail price for this version is $30,150.

Once the Apple Watch is actually released and the retailer can buy a few, it will customize iWatches for its customers, Mervis said.

Currently, Apple has not released any details about where it will be selling its smartwatch, but Mervis said that even if the store doesn’t become an authorized seller of the Apple Watch, it will go to a retailer that is and purchase a select amount to set with diamonds and sell as the “Diamond iWatch.”

The first run of production will be extremely limited.

“My goal is to make five to 10 in this production,” he said, adding that the second edition might be different, depending on what Apple does as it updates its smartwatch and how Mervis opts to vary its product to ensure exclusivity with each version.

The retailer is not yet accepting pre-payments for the watch but has posted it on its website to gauge interest via pre-orders.

Mervis said that the Diamond iWatch is garnering attention from all over the world, including from a number of buyers in the Middle East. Pre-orders are