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Unless you've been living under a rock, you have likely heard the buzz about Apple's latest product introductions, including two new iPhones and the brand new Apple Watch. As usual, the devices are sleek and beautiful, but for materials scientists, it gets even better: The new products are a celebration of advanced materials, custom alloys, and metallurgists in particular. In fact, Apple's senior VP of design Jony Ive specifically calls out the company's metallurgists in one of the new product videos, giving them credit for developing the special alloys.

The new watch comes in three models, offering different looks and price points. The basic Apple Watch comes in either a highly polished or "space black" stainless steel case, with the display face protected by sapphire crystal. Regarding watch bands, several are available—three leather options, a Milanese loop, and one made of a high-performance fluoroelastomer. The Milanese loop incorporates Apple's custom alloy and employs "a new thermal treatment that makes it more durable," according to company sources. The Apple Watch Sport model is made of lightweight anodized aluminum and comes in either silver or "space gray." The customized 7000 Series aluminum is reportedly 60% stronger than standard alloys, while the fluoroelastomer band material (in five color choices) is said to be "more flexible than the rubber commonly used in watch bands." Rather than sapphire, the Sport display is protected by strengthened Ion-X glass. The fanciest model, dubbed Apple Watch Edition, is available in six "uniquely elegant expressions," with each case made of an 18-karat gold alloy developed to be twice as hard as standard gold. Edition models also feature sapphire crystal to protect the displays.

Apple originally intended to use sapphire screens on its new iPhones (the 6 and 6 Plus), but pulled the plug weeks before the September 9 product launch due to poor performance during drop tests. Because the watch screens are much smaller than those on the iPhones, using sapphire is less risky here, according to industry analyst Danielle Levitas of IDC, who has been following the sapphire developments. Phones will use the "ion-strengthened glass" instead. For its watches, Apple workers use a very thin diamond-cutting wire to harvest the sapphire crystal. It is then precision machined, polished for several hours to achieve the desired finish, and then treated with an antireflective coating. For more information, visit the following links:

http://www.apple.com/watch/apple-watch/

http://www.apple.com/watch/apple-watch-sport/

http://www.apple.com/watch/apple-watch-edition/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktujsc4ZUTo&feature=youtu.be&t=9m34s

http://www.macstories.net/stories/apple-watch-our-complete-overview/