Apple Watch Series 9 Colors and Finishes: Which Should You Choose?

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a range of color options and finishes, with an entirely new hue available alongside some popular classics.

Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in a total of nine colors, one of which is a brand new shade, and two distinct finishes. With an aluminum casing, the Apple Watch Series 9's five available color options are:

  • Pink
  • Starlight
  • Silver
  • Midnight
  • (PRODUCT)RED

Starlight, Silver, Midnight, and (PRODUCT)RED were all available on last year's Series 8 models. The only difference with this year's aluminum models is a new soft pink color.

apple watch series 9 aluminum color options

Apple's Silver anodized aluminum finish has been available on the company's devices for well over a decade, while Starlight is a warmer shade of silver that subtly angles toward gold or champagne. Midnight is effectively black with a hint of dark blue or navy. Each of the color options has a matching Apple Watch band, except for silver, since it is easily matched with so many other Apple Watch bands.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is also available with a polished stainless steel casing in four different color options:

  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Graphite
  • Space Black (Apple Watch Hermès only)

This selection of stainless steel finishes is identical to the previous generation's offerings. While stainless steel is heavier than aluminum, it is much harder and more durable. It may be more liable to scratch due to its polished finish, but they can be buffed out like a conventional watch or an item of jewelry.

apple watch series 7 stainless steel colors
The stainless steel Apple Watch offers a more high-end, fashion-forward aesthetic, especially when paired with a premium band like the Modern Buckle. The Apple Watch Hermès takes the stainless steel Apple Watch to the next level with exclusive watch faces and ultra-premium bands.

The aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399, while the stainless steel model costs $699. The only difference between the casings other than their material and weight is the front crystal, which is upgraded from Ion-X strengthened glass to sapphire crystal on the stainless steel model.

How to Decide on an Apple Watch Color

It is important to consider which band you plan to use with your Apple Watch to ensure that they complement each other. You may prefer more neutral tones such as Midnight or Silver, and then use a more colorful band. Alternatively, you could choose a more striking device color like Pink, and then use a more neutral band. This is also a key consideration if you plan to switch bands regularly.

Silver on both the aluminum and stainless steel models may age better over time as new devices are released since they are more neutral, monochrome shades, and have been offered across multiple Apple Watch generations.

Pink could be a good choice, especially when combined with the Pink Sport Band, for a bold look, especially if you also have a Pink iPhone 15 or ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus. If you want an Apple Watch in a brand new shade, Pink is also the only option. It is the color that is most noticeably new and indicates that you have the latest-generation device.

Your choice of color may also be dependent on how often you upgrade your ‌Apple Watch. If you upgrade every year or two, you may be more confident in buying a more striking new color. If you upgrade more often, it can be a good idea to get a different color every time since a new color can certainly add some novelty to purchasing a new ‌Apple Watch and make it feel more different from your previous device. Alternatively, if you plan to keep your ‌Apple Watch for many years and upgrade less often, it may be wiser to consider a neutral color or one that is more similar to one you have enjoyed previously.

Customers with multiple Apple devices may also want to get an Apple Watch color that complements their other devices. For example, if you have a Midnight HomePod and MacBook Air, it will be best complemented by the Midnight Apple Watch Series 9. If you already have a Gold iPhone 14 Pro, it will likely be best accompanied by a Gold stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9. Likewise, if you have a Starlight Apple Watch, it will obviously match the Starlight ‌iPhone 14‌ and iPad mini.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...

Top Rated Comments

vegetassj4 Avatar
16 months ago
There are FOUR colors

edit: They updated the article to show the fifth color.




Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yetanotherdave Avatar
16 months ago
Product Red is available? Maybe just not in the US?



Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ugahairydawgs Avatar
16 months ago

I wonder why (PRODUCT)RED is being phased out everywhere? It was a nice vibrant color.
It wasn't.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bookcase Avatar
16 months ago
The S9 (PRODUCT)RED is available online. I'm in the U.S.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
c84216 Avatar
16 months ago

There are FOUR colors


OMG if that's the TNG reference I think it is I'm absolutely WHEEZING. Well done!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
c84216 Avatar
16 months ago
I came here to say the same. I've been eyeing a Red S9. Its definitely available...even for pickup in store today!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)