When the Apple Watch Hermès collection first arrived on the scene, iMore scooped up a Hermes Apple Watch + Double Tour and I was lucky enough to try it out for a few months. I found myself surprisingly liking the double-strap; I wasn't expecting to enjoy the feeling, but it ended up growing on me during my testing. Unfortunately, that watch inevitably moved on, and as I wasn't wealthy enough to buy a whole new Apple Watch just to get that fancy band, I considered other, cheaper alternatives — like Amazon.
I ended picking up a blue "Fauxermes" Double Tour from a Chinese Amazon manufacturer, which, given its $37 price, was actually pretty cool. (I bought a 38mm Fauxermes Cuff, too, because why not.) It had some noticeable differences when compared to the real band, but hey — you can't beat a knockoff price.
When Apple began selling Hermes bands a la carte, I was lucky enough to receive a Fauve Barenia (or, y'know, brown) Double Tour as a gift; it arrived late Tuesday, and at my colleague, Rene Ritchie's urging, I did an unboxing video on Facebook Live.
But why just focus on unboxing when I had a Fauxermes right on my desk? Instead of merely showing off my new official Double Tour, I also did a live-on-the-spot comparison of the two bands. You can watch (and judge my oh-so-stylish bands paired with my yardwork and roller derby clothes) below, or on Facebook directly.
What do you think, folks? Is the Double Tour worth $499, or is the Amazon pick the way to go? Are both of them terrible and not worth your time? Let us know in the comments.
