Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Airline Seatbelt Scratched my Space Black Links

cmChimera

cmChimera

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 12, 2010
4,309
3,844
A recent plane trip seems to have scratched my space black links. I have two links I removed for fit that I'll replace a couple of these with, but I was curious if anyone has found actual Apple links for sale so that I can have extra if something like this happens and also wanted to pass on the warning to avoid the plane's seatbelt.

Also, has anyone dealt with Apple about links scratching or anything?
 

Attachments

  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    379.3 KB · Views: 477
  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    863.5 KB · Views: 432
cmChimera said:
A recent plane trip seems to have scratched my space black links. I have two links I removed for fit that I'll replace a couple of these with, but I was curious if anyone has found actual Apple links for sale so that I can have extra if something like this happens and also wanted to pass on the warning to avoid the plane's seatbelt.

Also, has anyone dealt with Apple about links scratching or anything?
Click to expand...
The scratches seem fine and will be a normal thing for a watch over time. With that said, it look like Apple will offer a section of links soon if not already. The idea being to fit larger wrists than the standard band can manage. Seems like the guess on pricing put the links in the $100 range if I recall.
 
cmChimera said:
A recent plane trip seems to have scratched my space black links. I have two links I removed for fit that I'll replace a couple of these with, but I was curious if anyone has found actual Apple links for sale so that I can have extra if something like this happens and also wanted to pass on the warning to avoid the plane's seatbelt.

Also, has anyone dealt with Apple about links scratching or anything?
Click to expand...

The same exact thing happened to me. Didn't see it coming, but now I wear a leather loop while flying :S
 
I wear a sport band except for a few hours once a week. This keeps the link bracelet in better shape. Most of all, since I workout daily, it prevents me from having to swap bands every single day, which I believe would eventually cause some damage to the bracelet and watch case.

Now with even more sport bands available, they are a lot of fun. Plus, the one day a week or two weeks I finally put the link bracelet back on, I appreciate it that much more since I don't use it 7 days a week.
 
All of my watches have dings and scratches. I can't tell you how most of them happened.

Worry less and enjoy your watch.
 
Had the exact same issue with my stainless link, in business class on a Delta flight, but was able to erase the damage in 10 seconds with appropriate Scotchbrite pad. The black can't be fixed the same way, unfortunately.

I've done this several times over the past few months. Watch still looks new.
 
I don't get it. We all put on our seat belts when we drive on a daily basis, yet it's the airline seatbelt that scratched three forum members' link bracelets. What gives?
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I don't get it. We all put on our seat belts when we drive on a daily basis, yet it's the airline seatbelt that scratched three forum members' link bracelets. What gives?
Click to expand...

Good question. However, I suspect in a automobile, you get the metal latch buckled and its then gone. In an airplane, that large metal buckle sits round there, in the middle of your body so each time they lower their arm, it hits?
 
It's not just airplane seatbelts. I used to wear a G-Shock, and that thing always got banged around on my car seatbelt. I used to use my left hand (I'm in the US, so the driver's seat is on the left, and the seatbelt is to my left) to both get the belt, and buckle it in. because of that motion, since you have to pronate/supinate (sorry, i forget the right term) in the middle of the motion, and/or since you are reaching for the belt buckle blindly, I used to always scratch my G-shock.

Now that I have the Apple Watch, I am much more careful, and reach for the buckle with my right hand, decreasing the chance of banging it on the buckle when reaching blindly.

For airplane seats, the buckle usually sits in the middle of the lap, and people usually wear seatbelts much more loosely on airplanes for comfort (as opposed to car belts which are to your right/left and tucked away behind the body). Since they are loose and in the middle, it is much more likely you will hit your watch there.
 
Metal bands are going to get scuffed up, there's really no way around that.
 
It's "problems" like this that make me wonder how many people here have never worn a watch before.
 
gsmornot said:
The scratches seem fine and will be a normal thing for a watch over time. With that said, it look like Apple will offer a section of links soon if not already. The idea being to fit larger wrists than the standard band can manage. Seems like the guess on pricing put the links in the $100 range if I recall.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I see they sell the band separately now, but it doesn't seem like the extra links package is offered in Space Black.

Starfox said:
The same exact thing happened to me. Didn't see it coming, but now I wear a leather loop while flying :S
Click to expand...
Yeah I'll be wearing a sport band.

JayLenochiniMac said:
I don't get it. We all put on our seat belts when we drive on a daily basis, yet it's the airline seatbelt that scratched three forum members' link bracelets. What gives?
Click to expand...
Different seatbelt. Different positioning, and different materials.

powerbook911 said:
Good question. However, I suspect in a automobile, you get the metal latch buckled and its then gone. In an airplane, that large metal buckle sits round there, in the middle of your body so each time they lower their arm, it hits?
Click to expand...
Exactly.

BarracksSi said:
It's "problems" like this that make me wonder how many people here have never worn a watch before.
Click to expand...
I don't really see why that's relevant. I would just rather not mess up an expensive band unnecessarily.
 
cmChimera said:
I don't really see why that's relevant. I would just rather not mess up an expensive band unnecessarily.
Click to expand...
It's relevant because it's unrealistic to expect a metal bracelet on one's wrist to remain unscathed through daily use.

I understand that, yes, link-style watch bracelets are more expensive than leather or (usually) mesh straps, but unless the wearer is super-paranoid and avoids all extra contact, or the watch lives in a box (what good is a watch that isn't being worn?), nicks and scuffs will happen.

Anyway, glad to see that your AW is getting some real-world usage.
 
cmChimera said:
Yeah, I see they sell the band separately now, but it doesn't seem like the extra links package is offered in Space Black.
Click to expand...
I noticed and thought about updating my reply but didn't make it back here. Maybe sometime they will make the offer available.
 
gsmornot said:
I noticed and thought about updating my reply but didn't make it back here. Maybe sometime they will make the offer available.
Click to expand...
Yeah, most likely. I'll pick some up if they release them.

BarracksSi said:
It's relevant because it's unrealistic to expect a metal bracelet on one's wrist to remain unscathed through daily use.

I understand that, yes, link-style watch bracelets are more expensive than leather or (usually) mesh straps, but unless the wearer is super-paranoid and avoids all extra contact, or the watch lives in a box (what good is a watch that isn't being worn?), nicks and scuffs will happen.

Anyway, glad to see that your AW is getting some real-world usage.
Click to expand...
One of the reasons I bought the Space Black watch was because of its scratch resistance. I don't expect my watch to remain flawless for eternity but I'm also not going to carelessly put my watch in situations where it's going to be damaged. The fact that the airline seatbelt caused some pretty deep scratches in my band is something I would be concerned about in the future, and would avoid. I'm sorry this offends you?
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I agree. Why are people so clumsy that they can't avoid hitting the metal buckle in the center (when the arms/wrists normally reside at the sides)?
Click to expand...
Are you kidding? Do you never move your arms? Have you ever tried to read a book while never moving your arms from armrests?
 
cmChimera said:
Are you kidding? Do you never move your arms? Have you ever tried to read a book while never moving your arms from armrests?
Click to expand...

I'm more conscious when it comes to not hitting stuff with my watch. I guess some people are more perceptive of their surroundings than others. I also practice proper typing techniques, which require that you hover your wrists while typing. Many don't do this and as a result, scratch the hell out of their link bracelets from resting their wrists on their MacBooks, etc.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I'm more conscious when it comes to not hitting stuff with my watch. I guess some people are more perceptive of their surroundings than others. I also practice proper typing techniques, which require that you hover your wrists while typing. Many don't do this and as a result, scratch the hell out of their link bracelets from resting their wrists on their MacBooks, etc.
Click to expand...
Oh gotcha. You're super aware of your surroundings so you keep your arms completely still on a plane. Ok.
 
I've never seen a coating, especially on a steel watch, that doesn't eventually get nicked up.

Supposedly they can get pretty tough, and coated titanium does really well, too. But if you want it to stay forever black, you get solid ceramic instead -- which is lighter, but not as shatter-resistant…
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back