For the Watch Edition models, Apple made a new type of gold alloy that it says is twice as hard as standard alloys.
Source: Apple
The Apple Watch's Modern Buckle is made of the same material NASA used to make the landing airbags for the Mars Rover spacecraft.
Source: Apple
Apple made stainless steel even harder through a cold forging process. The result is a new material that's 80% more durable than regular stainless steel.
Source: Apple
It took Apple's industrial design chief Jony Ive a whole year to decide that the watch's straps should click into slots.
Source: The New Yorker
To make the Sport edition, Apple heats a type of ceramic called Zarconia at 2,640 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hotter than lava, which can reach temperatures of 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit according to LiveScience.
Source: Apple, LiveScience
The glass covering the Sport Edition's screen is the same type of glass used for the windows of high speed trains and space shuttles.
Source: Apple
Apple made a new type of display for the watch that uses blacks that are deeper than those in the iPhone's screen to make images more vivid.
Source: The New Yorker