Hands-on with the special edition Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop

Last week, Apple unveiled a new limited-edition Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch in honor of Black History Month. This band is now available via Apple Stores and the first orders are arriving to buyers. Head below for a closer look at Apple’s latest Braided Solo Loop…

9to5Mac’s Take: Black Unity Braided Solo Loop

Here’s how Apple describes the new Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for Apple Watch:

Designed by Black creatives and allies at Apple to celebrate Black history and culture, the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop is inspired by Afrofuturism, a philosophy that explores the experience of the African Diaspora through a narrative of science, technology, and self-empowerment. It honors generations of Black people who have been seen and unseen, and symbolizes the necessity for a more equitable world.

Featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag, the band is created by weaving 16,000 recycled polyester yarn filaments around ultrathin silicone threads using advanced precision-braiding machinery, then laser-cutting the band to an exact length for a custom fit. It offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat and water resistant. The band is complemented by the Unity Lights watch face, with clock hands emitting light that changes dynamically throughout the day. The lugs are laser-etched with “Black Unity”.

My Black Unity Braided Solo Loop arrived yesterday, and it’s an impressive design both in terms of color and attention to detail. The band is predominantly black but features speckles of red, yellow, and green colors. The laser-etched “Black Unity” wording on the lug is also a great added detail that I didn’t notice at first.

The attention to detail also extends to the packaging of the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop. An insert in the packaging explains:

This watch band is inspired by Afrofuturism. It honors generations of people who have been seen and unseen, and symbolizes a communal belief in the necessarily for a more equitable world.

Afrofuturism is a philosophy that explores the experience of the African diaspora through a narrative of science, technology, and self-empowerment. It aims to dismantle systemic inequalities by creating better conditions fro the present generation of Black people.

To go along with the new Black Unity watch band, Apple has also launched a new Unity Lights watch face for the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer. While you can easily download this new face via the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, the packaging of the band also includes a special QR code to quickly set up the new face.

This is the second Black Unity band that Apple has released for the Apple Watch, and this year’s offering is far more impressive than last years. While the design is more subtle, I’m a big fan of the Braided Solo Loop fit and material. It’s breathable and comfortable, while also being resistant to sweat and water.

Check out some more pictures of the new Black Unity Braided Solo Loop below. You can order yours today from Apple’s website for $99, and the company says it is committed to financially supporting organizations dedicated to advancing racial equity and justice.