Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès now in Malaysia, costs as much as a MacBook Air M2

Apple has quietly introduced the Apple Watch Hermès in Malaysia, further underlining the market’s growing significance to Cupertino. These high-end variants sit at the top of the Series 8 lineup, with elevated pricing to match.

While the Series 8 starts at RM1,899 for the base aluminium versions, and those with a stainless steel case can cost up to RM3,699, the Hermès’ base price is a whopping RM5,399. That’s RM1,600 more than even the rugged Ultra, and within RM100 of an entry-level MacBook Air M2—and you don’t even get a leather strap for that. You’re gonna pay a lot more for cowhide, with the range topping out at an insane RM6,549.

All Hermès versions of the Series 8 come with a stainless steel case, as well as exclusive branded faces—including a Lucky Horse one that pays homage to the design house’s equestrian roots. But the highlight is the straps, starting with the Casaque woven nylon strap with a stainless steel buckle and a colour-blocked design inspired by horse jockey jackets.

Of course, you can get single-tour and double-tour straps in the company’s Swift leather, with the price increasing exponentially with each turn of the wrist. The full price list is as follows:

• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 41mm stainless steel, Casaque Single Tour (nylon) – RM5,399
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 45mm stainless steel, Casaque Single Tour (nylon) – RM5,599
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 41mm stainless steel, Single Tour (leather) – RM5,499
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 45mm stainless steel, Single Tour (leather) – RM5,699
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 41mm stainless steel, Attelage Double Tour (leather) – RM6,099
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 45mm stainless steel, Single Tour Deployant Buckle (leather) – RM6,499
• Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, 41mm stainless steel, Casaque Double Tour (leather) – RM6,549

The Hermès versions also come with an additional water-resistant Sport Band with an Hermès-branded buckle. It should be noted that Malaysia doesn’t get some of the fancier optional straps available in other countries, such as the part-chain Gourmette, the H Diagonal and the Jumping.

Otherwise, the Hermès versions are identical to other Series 8 models, coming with the latest S8 chip, new temperature sensors for more accurate retrospective menstrual cycle tracking, crash detection, an always-on Retina display (with a sapphire crystal on stainless steel models) and 50m water resistance.

Some commenters, such as Xavier Naxa on Twitter, say the addition of Apple Watch Hermès models in Malaysia is a further hint of an Apple Store coming to the country, as these are typically only sold in markets where Apple has a proper retail presence. However, that’s not always the case—the Apple Watch Hermès is also available in Philippines, which does not have an Apple Store.