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Gold Apple Watch: Send In Your Own or Buy New? Every Series 12 and Ultra 4 Design Priced Both Ways
Every gold Apple Watch listing at Leronza now carries two prices. Pick Include a new device and you buy a brand-new Apple Watch, plated and fitted with the strap you chose. Pick Use my own device and, in the listing’s words, you “send us your watch and pay only for the customisation”. This guide puts both prices side by side for every Gold Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 design, read live from the catalogue, then works through when sending in your own watch makes sense and when it does not.
What each option actually includes
Include a new device
- A brand-new Apple Watch Series 12 (aluminium case) or Ultra 4 (Grade 5 titanium case), plated by hand in Dubai.
- The strap or bracelet of the design you chose.
- Delivered in a black leather presentation box with a Certificate of Authenticity.
- Series 12: the price depends on case size, 42mm or 46mm.
Use my own device
- You send in your watch; the price covers the customisation only.
- Same plating, same three metals, same design choices.
- Series 12: one price whether your case is 42mm or 46mm.
- Your watch comes back to you, so its size is the size you sent.
On both routes the plating goes on the case, the Digital Crown and the side button, and on the Ultra 4 the Action button too. The display, chip, sensors and battery are not touched. The sensor back is left unplated, so Apple’s magnetic fast charger still attaches and charges as normal. On the Ocean Band designs the band itself is Apple’s own and is not plated; only its buckle and keeper loop are finished to match the case.
Gold Apple Watch Series 12: both prices, design by design
| Design | Case sizes | New watch, 42mm | New watch, 46mm | Your own watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermès Bleu Nuit En Mer | 46mm | — | $ 3,450 | $ 2,890 |
| Elite Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,950 | $ 3,120 | $ 2,390 |
| Heritage Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,860 | $ 2,990 | $ 2,290 |
| Milanese Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,860 | $ 2,990 | $ 2,290 |
| Monarch Link Bracelet | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,860 | $ 2,990 | $ 2,290 |
| Twin Twist Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,650 | $ 2,800 | $ 2,090 |
| Glamour Bracelet | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,650 | $ 2,800 | $ 2,090 |
| WildGrace Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,480 | $ 2,600 | $ 1,890 |
| Sovereign Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,480 | $ 2,600 | $ 1,890 |
| Classique Bracelet | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,480 | $ 2,600 | $ 1,890 |
| Grandeur Strap | 42 / 46mm | $ 2,480 | $ 2,600 | $ 1,890 |
| Dark Taupe Modern Buckle | 42mm | $ 2,750 | — | $ 2,190 |
| Deep Blue Modern Buckle | 42mm | $ 2,750 | — | $ 2,190 |
| Navy Ocean Band | 46mm | — | $ 1,950 | $ 1,390 |
| Black Ocean Band | 46mm | — | $ 1,950 | $ 1,390 |
Prices are the 24K Gold option; Rose Gold and Platinum are the same price within each option. A dash means that case size is not offered for the design. Figures update automatically from the product pages. The full range is on the Gold Apple Watch Series 12 page.
Gold Apple Watch Ultra 4: both prices, design by design
| Design | New watch (49mm) | Your own watch |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Strap | $ 3,950 | $ 2,890 |
| Link Band | $ 3,950 | $ 2,890 |
| Milanese Band | $ 3,950 | $ 2,890 |
| Monarch Link Bracelet | $ 3,850 | $ 2,790 |
| Navy Ocean Band | $ 3,400 | $ 2,390 |
| White Ice Blue Ocean Band | $ 3,400 | $ 2,390 |
| Black Ocean Band | $ 3,400 | $ 2,390 |
Apple makes the Ultra 4 in one size, 49mm, so there is no size column. 24K Gold prices shown; the other two metals cost the same. See every design on the Gold Apple Watch Ultra 4 page.
Three things the tables show
1. Case size changes the new-watch price, not the send-in price
On every Series 12 design offered in both sizes, the new 46mm watch costs more than the new 42mm one, while the send-in price is the same for both sizes. So if you already wear a 46mm Series 12, sending it in saves you more than it would save a 42mm owner choosing the same design. For example, on Heritage the send-in price of $ 2,290 compares with $ 2,860 for a new 42mm watch and $ 2,990 for a new 46mm one.
2. The same design costs more on the Ultra, on both routes
Five designs exist on both watches. On each one, the Ultra 4 is the dearer choice whether you buy new or send in your own:
| Design | Series 12, your own | Ultra 4, your own | Series 12, new (46mm) | Ultra 4, new |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage | $ 2,290 | $ 2,890 | $ 2,990 | $ 3,950 |
| Milanese | $ 2,290 | $ 2,890 | $ 2,990 | $ 3,950 |
| Monarch Link | $ 2,290 | $ 2,790 | $ 2,990 | $ 3,850 |
| Navy Ocean | $ 1,390 | $ 2,390 | $ 1,950 | $ 3,400 |
| Black Ocean | $ 1,390 | $ 2,390 | $ 1,950 | $ 3,400 |
3. The Ocean Band designs are the lowest-priced way in on both watches
On both the Series 12 and the Ultra 4, the Ocean Band designs have the lowest new and send-in prices in the range. If you want the gold case first and the bracelet matters less, start there. If you own an Apple Watch that is not a Series 12 or Ultra 4, the separate Customise Your Watch service lists options for any Apple Watch Series ($ 1,390) and any Apple Watch Ultra ($ 2,390).
Worked example: a 46mm Series 12 owner who wants Heritage
Say you wear a 46mm Apple Watch Series 12 and like the Heritage honeycomb bracelet in Rose Gold.
- Send in your watch: $ 2,290 for the customisation. You keep the watch you already paid for and get it back plated.
- Buy new: $ 2,990 for a new 46mm Series 12 with Heritage. You keep your current watch as well, or give one of the two away.
The difference between those two figures is, in effect, what Leronza charges to supply the new watch. If you had no further use for your current watch, sending it in is the cheaper route. If you want a second watch, or cannot be without one while the work is done, buying new can be the better deal even though it costs more. Our customise-or-ready-made guide sets out that rule across every device family.
Series 12 or Ultra 4: what decides it once it is gold
Choose the Series 12 if
- You want a choice of case size: 42mm or 46mm on most designs.
- You want the widest choice of straps, including the Hermès Bleu Nuit En Mer and the two Modern Buckle designs, which are not offered on the Ultra 4.
- You want the lowest price for a given design, on either route.
Choose the Ultra 4 if
- You want the larger 49mm Grade 5 titanium case with the Action button plated to match.
- You already own an Ultra 4: the send-in route then avoids paying for a second Ultra.
- You prefer one of the Ultra-only bands, the Link Band or the White Ice Blue Ocean Band.
Warranty works the same way on both. The product pages note that Apple may treat a customised watch as modified, which can affect Apple’s own warranty. Leronza’s two-year warranty covers the customisation itself; see how the Leronza warranty works for what it covers and what voids it.
Before you send in your own watch
- Match the watch to the listing. The design listings are built around the Series 12 and Ultra 4. If yours is another model, use the general Customise Your Watch service, or ask a specialist whether the design you like can be made for it.
- Ask what comes back with it. Confirm with the specialist whether the strap or bracelet shown is included in the send-in price for your design, and what happens to the band you send.
- Unpair it before it travels. Apple’s guide to unpairing and erasing an Apple Watch explains the steps; ask the specialist whether you should unpair before shipping.
- Plan for the time without it. Customisation takes about one to two weeks, and the listings give an estimated dispatch of 7–14 working days. A specialist calls within two business days of your order to confirm details.
- Choose how to pay. Every listing offers a 50% deposit or payment in full. Pieces are made to order, so they cannot be returned.
Shipping is complimentary, insured and tracked, and a signature is required on delivery. For more on the send-in process for other devices, see customising your Apple Watch, iPad, Mac or AirPods. To compare straps in more depth, read our Series 12 strap and price guide and the Ultra 4 band guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to send in my own Apple Watch than to buy a gold one?
Yes, on every Series 12 and Ultra 4 design the “Use my own device” price is lower than the “Include a new device” price, because you are not paying for a new watch. Whether it is cheaper overall depends on whether you would otherwise keep or sell your current watch.
Does the case size change the send-in price on the Series 12?
No. On the current listings the send-in price is the same for a 42mm and a 46mm Series 12. Only the new-watch price rises with the larger case.
Do 24K Gold, Rose Gold and Platinum cost different amounts?
No. Within each option, new watch or your own, the three metals are the same price.
Can I swim or shower with a gold Apple Watch?
No. The product pages state that a customised Series 12 or Ultra 4 is not water resistant, so take it off before swimming, diving, showering or any water sport.
Will my Apple charger still work after plating?
Yes. The sensor back is left unplated, so the Apple Watch magnetic fast charger attaches and charges as it did before.
Send in yours, or start with a new one
Browse the Series 12 and Ultra 4 designs and pick your option on the product page, or call +971 600 56 00 34 or email sales@leronza.com to talk it through with a specialist.
