This New Apple Watch Case Costs More Than The Watch

If you’ve just grabbed an Apple Watch Series 11 and thought, “This is nice, but it doesn’t exactly scream supercar money,” Golden Concept has an answer.

The Swedish luxury accessory brand has launched the Crown Sport Carbon Edition, a new take on its Crown Sport Apple Watch case that swaps ceramic for a custom GC carbon composite. Think Formula 1 vibes, but on your wrist instead of a grid slot. 

Alongside that carbon case, you get a blacked-out PVD finish, the familiar tachymeter look, and a new black 316L steel bracelet that can also upgrade older Crown Sport models. Production is limited, so this is one of those “buy now, think about your life choices later” situations.

What is the Golden Concept Crown Sport Carbon Edition?

Golden Concept already makes some of the most extra Apple Watch cases on the planet. Crown Sport Carbon is the latest step: a motorsport-inspired case for Apple Watch Series 11 and 10, built from the brand’s new GC carbon composite. 

• Designed for Apple Watch Series 11 and 10
• Uses GC carbon composite instead of ceramic
• Keeps the Crown Sport tachymeter design language
• Finished in deep black PVD for the case
• Ships with, or can be paired to, a new black 316L steel bracelet

Underneath all that, it’s still an Apple Watch. You get sleep scores, health tracking and notifications from Series 11 or 10, wrapped in a case that looks more like a boutique mechanical watch than a bit of mainstream wrist tech. If you’re still deciding which Apple Watch to buy, check our guide to the best Apple Watch to buy in the UAE.

Racing-grade carbon on your wrist

The headline change is material. Golden Concept’s GC carbon composite replaces the ceramic elements used in older Crown Sport models. 

• Built from layers of compressed carbon
• Very light but highly durable
• Uses similar composite tech to high-end racing cars
• Each case has unique flowing patterns in the carbon
• No two Crown Sport Carbon pieces look the same

In simple terms, this is the same kind of high-performance material you’d expect in a Formula 1 chassis or a race-spec body panel, not in a watch accessory. The layered carbon produces organic wave-like patterns, so your case won’t look identical to the one on someone else’s wrist – handy when the whole point is to stand out.

Because carbon composite is lighter than full metal, it should also help offset the weight of the steel hardware and bracelet, making the watch feel less like you’ve strapped a brick to your arm during long days or gym sessions.

Design: black PVD case, classic tachymeter, new bracelet

Golden Concept hasn’t thrown out the Crown Sport playbook. Instead, Crown Sport Carbon leans into a stealthier take on the same design. 

• Deep black PVD plating over the case
• Sporty tachymeter scale carried over from the existing Crown Sport
• Clean, modern, squared-off silhouette around the rectangular Apple Watch
• Uses traditional watchmaking cues but keeps access to the Digital Crown and buttons

PVD (physical vapour deposition) is basically a very hard coating that bonds to metal. It’s more scratch-resistant than simple paint and holds its colour better over time. That matters on a case that will bang into desks, doors and gym equipment on a daily basis.

The tachymeter scale is a pure aesthetic flex on a smartwatch – you’re not really timing laps with it – but it does make the Apple Watch look more like a classic motorsport chronograph. It’s the same trick luxury brands have used for decades; here, it’s just wrapped around a very modern, very bright OLED screen.

The new 316L bracelet and upgrade path for existing owners

To go with the carbon case, Golden Concept is rolling out a new black stainless steel bracelet, made from 316L steel – the same low-carbon alloy used in many Swiss luxury watches. 

• 316L stainless steel, finished in black
• Brushed outer links, polished centre link
• Designed to match the PVD case
• Sold separately so current Crown Sport owners can upgrade

316L is popular in watchmaking because it resists corrosion and takes a high-quality polish. Pairing brushed and polished surfaces gives the bracelet some visual depth, so it doesn’t look like a flat metal strip under bright Dubai sun.

The smart move here is compatibility. If you already own a Crown Sport case, you don’t have to buy the full Carbon Edition to get the new bracelet. You can pick up the bracelet alone and give your older Crown Sport a fresh, blacked-out look that matches the rest of Golden Concept’s current line-up. 

Where Crown Sport Carbon fits in the smartwatch world

Let’s be honest: this is not a “value” buy. Golden Concept’s Crown Sport cases currently sit around USD 899 before shipping and taxes, so expect the Carbon Edition to land in similar “I really love my watch” territory, though official Carbon pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet. 

• Targets buyers who see the Apple Watch as a base for personal style
• Competes more with high-end mechanical watch styling than normal cases
• Lets you keep all the smart features of Series 11 or 10
• Puts Golden Concept in the same luxury conversation as Hermès bands and ultra-premium straps

In the wider smartwatch scene, there’s a clear split. On one side you have practical options like the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, Huawei GT6 Pro or budget-friendly picks such as the CMF Watch 3 Pro. On the other, you have things like Crown Sport Carbon, aimed at people who already know the Apple Watch is the right platform and just want it to look like it came with a VIP parking space. 

If you care more about steps, sleep and deals than statement design, our guide to the best fitness trackers in the UAE for 2025 will make more sense. Crown Sport Carbon is for the crowd that already has those boxes ticked and now wants their wrist to match their car key.

Availability and UAE outlook

Golden Concept says Crown Sport Carbon production is highly limited, in part because of the hand-layered carbon composite. 

• Limited production because of the manual carbon layering process
• Available now on goldenconcept.com
• Also sold via authorised resellers
• Golden Concept has flagship boutiques worldwide, including Dubai, plus global shipping. 

For UAE buyers, that means two realistic paths: order direct from the site or check in with Dubai’s Golden Concept flagship and local luxury watch retailers that carry the brand. Expect pricing in AED to track whatever Golden Concept sets globally, plus import duties and local mark-ups.

If you’re already deep into the Apple ecosystem and eyeing a more serious watch presence, Crown Sport Carbon turns the Apple Watch Series 11 or 10 into something that wouldn’t look out of place next to a titanium diver or a steel chronograph – only this one still pings you when your meeting moves rooms.

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