Best Apple Watch Accessories to Buy

The Apple Watch just became available on April 10, and people from all over the world will be able to admire it, as well as order the watch starting on April 24. In case you didn’t hear about it yet, this brand new watch from Apple is a high quality device that tells you the time around the globe, as well as the weather, but can also be used as a GPS, calendar and SMS-sender.

Since every cool watch deserves to have its cool accessories, too, Apple didn’t wait too long before designing its own cases, docks, straps, watch faces, screen protection and many others. However, there are many third parties out there trying to contribute with their own ideas. Although making your Apple Watch look cooler with a nice band or case is valued among users, you’ll quickly notice that the main thing everyone seems to be preoccupied with is charging docks.

As the watch requires its battery to be recharged every now and again, and this is a little difficult to do when you’re on the go, having the right device for it becomes very important. While the team keeps updating their online shop with a new thing to buy every week, we’ll take a look at 10 of the hottest Apple Watch accessories available at the moment.

Aluminium and Leather Dock

A good example to start with is the Mophie’s charging dock called the “watch dock”. This one comes with an elegant, imposing pedestal to place the watch on and is made of aluminum. Guaranteeing protection against all scratches, the whole station only weighs 3.86 ounces.

While the time at Mophie is still working on it, the device will be available for shipping at the beginning of May. It can already be pre-ordered, though, and the price for one dock is around $60. Coming with 1 year warranty and being compatible with all Apple Watch models, you can find this charging option here and learn more about its features.

X-Doria’s Defense Edge

If you ever worried about your Apple Watch getting scratched, broken or damaged in any way, you might want to take a lot at possible ways to protect it. A cover that will be entirely snapped onto the device might be a solution, as it will guarantee easy access to all of the watch’s functions while making sure that nothing harms it.

X-Doria came up with such a cover, and it’s called the Defense Edge. Now being available on their website for $30, this one is made of black rubber and comes with an exterior made of aluminum. Apart from that, it comes in four different colors: blue, red, gold and silver, being able to match the classy look of the watch with an elegant design.

The Armorsuit Screen Protection

Another cool way to protect the watch is to get an armorsuit for it. All jokes aside, this one started being sold on Amazon and various other websites at the beginning of this month. It has been specifically design to suit all models measuring 42mm and keeps dust, oil and water away while protecting the device against all sorts of impacts.

It’s been designed in the USA and weighs 3.04 ounces. The coolest of its features, though, is the fact that it’s made of the same faux carbon fiber that’s used to protect helicopters, space shuttles and military aircraft. This screen protection costs about $10 now and can be purchased right here.

Casetify Bands

If what you’re looking for is a strap to personalize the watch, Casetify comes with a wide variety of models to choose from. While this brand normally focused on designing cases for phones, they decided to give it a go and switch to watch bands for a bit.

You can customize them as much as you want and add your own images, but also choose from the many colors and designs currently available. Candy Feathers is a good choice for those who like their straps a little colorful, but you can also go for Black Marble, Milanese Loop or Leather Loop if you want to look a bit more serious.

All of these straps are available to buy on Casetify’s website. Their prices range between $50 and $450, but most of them are not expensive at all. You can also get a $10 discount if you’re interested in buying one of these bands – all you need to do is to enter the special code: KQQ6I5.

The Luxury Pocket Stand

The same Pad & Quill that designed the beautiful leather case for iPhones, is now offering a pocket stand for your Apple Watch. They look very fancy indeed, are made of African Mahogany Wood and can be pre-ordered from the company’s website.

The Luxury Stand will be officially available to be shipped starting in May, and it costs $70. You can choose between light and dark brown depending on the kind of wood color you’re into. Apart from looking good, this one is also very useful, as it keeps the watch safe while you’re working and prevents it from slipping through your fingers, falling down and breaking.

Griffin’s Charging Station

Those of you who also have an iPhone will be pleased to learn that they can now use this charging dock for both devices. Placing your phone at the bottom and the watch on the top, you can charge them both at the same time, and all this can be done for only $30.

The cradle can easily capture the charging cable and keep it in place while the base was designed in such a way that is prevents slipping. The Watch Stand, as it is called by the team at Griffin, can be placed on a table or desk, as it comes with a leg that keeps it stable. It’s compatible with all Apple Watched and can be found here.

The Nomad Portable Charger

For those who like traveling a lot, a portable charger becomes a must. The Nomad one comes with an integrated 1800 mAh battery that allows you to keep the watch charged for much longer. It is entirely made of aluminum and will be available in May 2015.

The device costs $60 and can be purchased in gray or silver. The Nomad staff says it can charge the Apple Watch up to 4 times in a row, which means that you can easily go on a 4-days/more trip with it. The same pod can be used to charge any device using an USB cable, so you could even use it on your smartphone. Nomad also has a stand to offer for the same price, and you can find it on their web page.

Reserve Strap for a Long-lasting Battery

If you’re sick and tired of having to place your watch onto something or plug it into a dock in order to charge it, now you can get the Reserve Strap. This one comes with a built-in battery that you can simply attach to the Apple Watch to keep it charged.

Given that the team working on this device is funding it entirely out of their pockets, it makes a bit of sense for the strap to be so expensive. It currently costs $250 and can be pre-ordered from their website, but shipping will become available in May 2015.

NuDock – the Power Station

If you’re looking for a station to do pretty much everything, you can get the NuDock to simultaneously charge your iPhone and Apple Watch. The same power dock can also be used on any other USB-powered device that you own, allows for rapid charge thanks to the 2.4 amp USB and is made of aluminum.

NuDock is also equipped with a smart LED lamp that’s controlled via touch sensors, and you can get it in silver, gold or gray. The project is still undergoing on IndieGoGo, but it already reached 266,000 USD, which is far more than their initial goal – 30,000 USD.

As you can see from their website, this dock is a place to plug in as many devices as 9. You can also charge during the day if necessary, by using the NUKI backup battery at home, at the office or wherever you go. Keep yourself informed and see when they’re ready to be ordered for $150.

The AWDock – About to Land

Last but not least, we’d like to take a moment to talk about a brand new dock that is being designed right now. The people at Oockzy are now working on a charging dock that is made of aluminum, stainless steel and heavy gold plated to match all of the existing editions of Apple Watch.

Given this aspect, they’re pretty unique in terms of material used, as most existing docks are made of aluminum. At the same time, it can be used on any version of the watch, protects the device from scratches and comes with a simple, yet elegant design.

Currently being posted on Kickstarter, the project managed to raise over $6000 in only 2 days, and they’re planning to reach a goal of $39,000. Using a micro-suction pad to keep the watch in place and a channel that directs the cable into the dock, this is intended to become the safest way of charging your Apple Watch without damaging it. The dock will be shipped for free in all countries across the globe, and you can find out more about it here.

This was a guest post by Alex Serban. Alex is a senior author at Technology Personalized. He has been writing about gadgets since 2009. When he’s away from the keyboard, simpler things like hiking, mountain climbing and having a cold drink make his day.