His Instagram account, @applewatchcenter, has more
than 70,000 followers who count on Verbeek to post at
least one picture a day. His watch-centric account is not the
only one of its kind on Instagram. Search Apple Watch and
you’ll find more than 50 accounts devoted to the device.
“The Apple Watch gives you so many options and com-
binations, not just with the band but also with the watch faces,”
said Helmut Barroso, another Apple Watch aficionado who
has a small band collection and an Instagram following. “This
makes the Apple Watch a very personal item.”
Eugene Ho, a longtime product designer in the watch
industry who started a company called Juuk Design that
creates Apple Watch bands, says that easy “swap-ability”
has allowed third-party vendors to create exciting design
options for the watch. The Apple Watch makes it easy to
swap out bands: just press a button on the underside of the
watch, slide the band in, and release to lock it in place.
“I thought it was brilliant,” Ho said of the swap-ability.
“None of us in the watch industry ever thought of that. There
are a few solutions that require a pen or tool to push the
spring mechanism to release it, but nothing as ingenious as
Apple’s two-stage mechanism.”
Verbeek bought an Apple Watch with a sports band, and
then got a third-party ostrich leg leather band from Gordon
Straps in hopes he would show it off on Instagram. The collec-
tion began to grow after that, with more band manufacturers
reaching out to Verbeek with their products. “That’s how I got
the biggest part of my collection,” he said. “I acquire a new
band when I feel like the others I’ve worn get boring. This is
roughly every two months or so.”
Verbeek planned to study marketing and business
management in college. His Instagram success may already
be a nice entry on a résumé that demonstrates a keen apti-
tude for marketing.
A French company, Clessant, following him on
Instagram, invited him to collaborate on two watch bands
after he discussed his love for batik patterns. Clessant’s
cofounder, William Laurent, said the company was impressed
with Verbeek’s energy for promoting the idea. The red and
blue batik bands can be found on the company’s home page.
“That was definitely an amazing chance and milestone for
both me and my account,” said Verbeek. “For people who are
doubting whether they should get an Apple Watch, just visit
an Apple Store. Try on the watches. You might like [them].”
03.005.02
A smattering of the Apple Watch bands
in Ryan Verbeek’s collection. PHOTO:
Dyan Verbeek
03.005.03
With several watch faces and hundreds of
bands to choose from, the Apple Watch
can give its wearer a unique look. PHOTO:
Ryan Verbeek
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