In September 2023, Apple unveiled a slew of new products that included the iPhone 15 Pro and a near perfect upgrade to the Apple Watch Ultra. Last year, we reviewed the Apple Watch Ultra 2 last year and found it to be an excellent golf watch and so much more. As far as smartwatches go, it's the biggest (literally), most information-rich, and most durable. It's also a pricey piece of hardware, which means you'll want to wear it all the time. You'll want to wear it to that holiday party or on that important work trip, not just when you're backpacking or diving. And please, don't wear a sport watch band to a nice dinner. You can get a luxury watch band for that.

The truth is if you're rocking the Apple Watch Ultra 2 as your main squeeze, you're going to probably need at least two bands. Call it a work band and a play band—one for business, one for pleasure. You want something inexpensive you can sweat in, because you should spend a bit more on a classy leather or stainless steel band for special occasions.

So if you've just made the leap to the Ultra 2, welcome. For all you others who've been on the bandwagon, we suspect it's time for a change. Treat yourself to a new luxury band from Sandmarc, or shop our top pick from Casteify for keeping your Apple Watch safe in all conditions.