Apple Watch popup store in Paris shuts down

From the onset, Apple was pushing Apple Watch as a fashion device and set up popup stores in high-profile department stores like Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Selfridges in London and Isetan in Tokyo. With the second-generation Apple Watch, fashion was de-emphasized in favor of the fitness and health aspects of the device.

As a result, Apple began shuttering these stores-within-stores which mostly promoted Apple Watch Edition models anyway. After closing the popup shop in London, the Parisian one has now closed due to poor sales. The Galeries Lafayette outlet is no longer listed on Apple’s Retail website in France.

AppleInsider learned that the area where the Apple Watch popup boutique resided is mostly cleared out, with only the Apple Watch standing sign remaining as of January 20. With boutique watch shops in London and Paris now shuttered, the Isetan Shinjuku location in Tokyo is the only remaining Apple Watch popup shop.

Apple no longer sells gold-plated Edition models of the watch as the new $1,249 Apple Watch Edition Series 2 replaced the old $10,000+ Edition models last fall.

The new Edition models are made from white ceramic giving the device four times the hardness of stainless steel and a pearly, lustrous finish that won’t scratch or tarnish. A high-strength zirconia powder is combined with aluminum to achieve its rich, white color.

“Each case is then compression molded, sintered, and polished using a diamond slurry, which results in a remarkably smooth surface and an exquisite shine,” as per Apple.

Source: Apple Retail in France via AppleInsider