REVIEW – If the headline gave you a little deja-vu, you’re not alone. I reviewed the Titanium Band from LuluLook in April of this year. This is not that band. It is a new one called the Titanium Link Strap. It’s still titanium and it’s still a band designed for the Apple Watch Ultra. LuluLook also sent their new Sapphire Tempered Glass protector with a Titanium Frame to check out.
What is it?
The LuluLook Titanium Link Strap is a lightweight titanium band for Apple Watch Ultra that matches the aesthetic perfectly and is made up of individual links that can be removed for sizing. The separately available screen protector is made from Sapphire Tempered Glass and has an adhesive titanium frame to cap it off.
What’s in the boxes?
Here’s what’s included with the LuluLook strap.
- Titanium link strap
- Adjustable link tool
- Additional pins for tool
- Instructions
And here’s what comes with the screen protector.
- Sapphire Tempered Glass screen protector
- Titanium frame
- Installation pack with alcohol wipe, cloth and dust stickers
Hardware specs for band
- Material: Titanium Grade 2 with DLC (Diamong-like carbon) coating
- Connector: 316L Stainless Steel
- Strap Width: 24MM
- Closure: Fold-over style, pinch to release
- Wrist size: 6.5-8.27″ | 16.5-21cm
Hardware specs for screen protector
- Man-made 99.99% sapphire purity
- Scratch-resistant grade 9 Mohs hardness
- Ultra HD Clarity
- Ultrathin high density material
- Heat-Dissipation
Design and features
The Apple Watch Ultra has a titanium body, so it makes perfect sense to make a compatible metal band out of the same material. LuluLook’s second titanium band has super clean lines that look right at home.
Similarly, the Titanium Frame around the Sapphire Tempered Glass screen protector matches the watch perfectly.
The fold-over clasp on the bottom is easy to use and closes with a positive click.
Setup
Adjusting the LuluLook Titanium Link Strap to fit your wrist is almost exactly like it is on their previous Titanium band. Use the included tool to push out the pin for any link you need to remove as you dial in sizing. There are no micro adjustments on the closure so you may need to add a link back if it’s a little too snug. Make sure to push out in the direction of the debossed arrows and reinsert in the opposite direction.
When you go to install the band on your watch, make sure that you open the wrist clasp and then insert both strap ends partially before sliding to avoid binding.
Installing the screen protector is much the same as installing one on your phone. First clean the surface of your watch face using the included wipe and then dry with the cloth.
Peel off the backer and then place the plastic carrier over the watch and into place until the keyed shape fits well. Press firmly to remove any bubbles, then while applying downward pressure to help separate the protector by starting to lift up on one edge of the carrier until you can remove it entirely. Double check for any remaining bubbles you may need to remove.
Finished installation looks like this. You can. see that the glass sits just higher than the titanium body of the watch.
To install the Lululook Titanium Frame, peel off the backer to expose the thin strip of adhesive underneath.
Place the frame over your watch and press into place all the way around. It looks like this installed. You can see that it rests on the watch’s body and then flush with the glass protector.
Performance
If you happened you read the review of LuluLook’s previous titanium band then you’ll know that I really liked it and found myself wearing it a lot. The new Titanium Link Strap is very similar but has a more modern look to it and less width taper at the middle which I like much better. I feel that it’s cleaner and has a smooth uniform look to it that’s still striking.
The sizing is slightly different, however. I’m ever so slightly between sizes. It fits nicely most of the time, but if it’s super warm out or if I’m doing something active with my arms like carrying boxes working with tools it starts to feel a little tight. In this image, you can see that it looks a bit snug. Adding a link back made it looser than I wanted to wear it. The old clasp had a spring pin and a couple of holes that provided some sizing less than a full link which was nice.
Regarding the Sapphire Tempered Glass protector; I’m happy to report that it’s been holding up beautifully. It doesn’t affect taps on the watch and there’s no degradation of image either. I’ve run a few different protectors since getting my watch on launch day. They’ve all chipped relatively quickly and this one hasn’t. I’d like to be able to chalk that up to the Titanium Frame protecting the edges, but unfortunately, that frame went missing sometime within a week after taking the below installation photo.
While you may have been looking at how flush the glass is with the frame before, I want you to look at the gap below the frame to the watch body. I have no proof of this, but my theory is that a jacket or backpack strap caught on that edge and pulled the frame clean off. I only noticed it was missing when I went to show a friend how cool the frame was. I think if the frame was deeper and that gap minimized it would have survived longer.
What I like
- Band: Great color match with Apple Watch Ultra
- Band: Clean visual, comfortable band and low-profile clasp
- Screen Protector: Works great with great installation
What I’d change
- Band: Add a 2-position micro-adjustment on one side of the clasp
- Titanium Frame: Better adhesive – lost within a week
Final thoughts
The new Titanium Link Strap is a winner in my book. I liked the previous version (which is still available) a lot, but this one is a better visual and the fit is still good. Would love to see some micro-adjustment at the clasp for fine tuning the fit, but it’s a minor request for the value. The screen protector is the best one I’ve used yet and at its current $19.99 price it’s almost like you get a free Titanium Frame for whatever duration it stays attached. Here’s hoping they fix that.
Price: $69.99 – Titanium Link Strap for Apple Ultra Watch
Price: $39.99 $19.99 – Sapphire Tempered Glass w/ Titanium Frame for Apple Ultra Watch
Where to buy: Amazon – Titanium Link Strap | Amazon – Sapphire Tempered Glass w/ Titanium Frame
Source: The sample of this product was provided by LuluLook.
