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  It’s finally here, the metal Pixel Watch band. [credit:
  Ron Amadeo ]

When the Pixel Watch came out in October, it seemed like a decent-but-first-generation swing at a smartwatch (even though Android Wear came out about nine years ago). Part of what gives off the first-generation vibe is the Pixel Watch’s lack of watch band variety. Eight months after the watch’s release, Google is taking a big step toward fixing that problem by introducing metal watch bands. The “Google Pixel Watch Metal Links Band” was briefly for sale on the Google Store Friday before being sold out.

Google’s metal watch band is $200, which might seem expensive for a $350 watch, but that is on par with what Samsung charges, and Apple’s metal link band is $350. We have one of these bands in person now, and it’s worth every bit of the $200 price tag. Google’s watch band feels just as premium as a band from a luxury watchmaker, with an incredible amount of weight and a solid-feeling clasp section. With the default amount of metal links (you get six extra in the box), the Pixel Watch plus a metal band weighs 145 g, which is mid-weight luxury watch territory.

The band links have an interesting attachment mechanism. I’m used to bands that either have a long screw running through each link or a pin you slide in from the side, but the links on the Pixel each connect with an internal spring bar system. Fold one of the links in half, and you’ll reveal a set of openings to insert a special pair of included tweezers. Squeeze the tweezers, and you’ll compress the spring bar, retracting the two pins and disconnecting the link from the watch band.