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That’s rather bad given the price is so high. It bothered me badly when my aluminium ones got scratched never mind with a device that expensive.

SS sounds expensive on paper but if I did decide to sell my current SS after selling it it would only say £500 to buy the SS SB so really not much difference from buying aluminium which would be £429.

I will likely stay away from Milanese loop though as it doesn’t like my arm hair at all. I tend to just use the sport loop now. Got the leather loop if i wanted a nicer look though

Yeah I highly highly recommend going for the SS, it's well worth the extra cash.
 
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I’d say the aluminium models are very durable for everyday use as long as you’re not dragging them down walls etc. I’ve been very impressed with their durability over the past three and a half years of using them.
My wife managed to get a scratch down the face of hers on a tile countertop, and I have scratches on mine, but that's with about 3 years of use. Reasonably durable, and I get to keep the price difference between aluminum and SS in my pocket.
 
I only gave any thought to a case while I was still working and wanting to wear my AW while at work. I chose to leave it in my locker while working and never did buy one. I have had my regular SS Series 4 since the release date. Not so much as a single micro scratch anywhere on it and I wear it everywhere including the gym. Just nearing completion of a 6 month, full renovation on my home and banged it into anything and everything along the way. I always forget I even have it on so every hit is a surprise event when it occurs. (the fact that I forget it’s even on is more worrisome to me than worrying about damaging it) The only real care I take, is to take it on and off over top a soft landing zone, like a bed. Just not that interested in taking a chance in dropping it on the floor. S
 
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Whenever I see an  watch with a horrendous case on it I chuckle.

It looks so bad and I understand why people do it but ugh it just makes the watch look so terrible.

I have the space black stainless steel so definitely no need for a case but even when I rocked my OG  watch sport at launch there was no way I would put a case on it. I sold it in December of that year in pristine condition.
 
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Yeah I highly highly recommend going for the SS, it's well worth the extra cash.

...and it’s been mentioned about 1000 times, but the DLC on the space black stainless is the key component here. If somebody didn’t want to opt for a bumper case, that coating alone almost acts like a case given how durable it is.

(I’ve owned three black stainless watches, sold all three in pristine condition in both the Sapphire display and casing due to the DLC.)
 
...and it’s been mentioned about 1000 times, but the DLC on the space black stainless is the key component here. If somebody didn’t want to opt for a bumper case, that coating alone almost acts like a case given how durable it is.

(I’ve owned three black stainless watches, sold all three in pristine condition in both the Sapphire display and casing due to the DLC.)
For OCD’ers like myself SB seems the best option..
 
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Amazon UK had an amazing deal on the 40mm Series 5 SS Space Black last weekend I noticed. They had it advertised for £469 and at that price I would have considered it myself if I hadn’t already got the latest AW, sod paying £749 normally. The deal didn’t last long and they appeared to sell out within hours which isn’t a surprise.
 
I remember using a case when I first got the Apple Watch on launch day back in 2015 but I think it lasted for about 3 weeks. I currently own 2 watches (Series 3 and an Edition) and do not use a case on either. I have a few marks on my S3 Aluminium watch around the edges where I have knocked it, but my Edition is still in as new condition luckily.
 
Amazon UK had an amazing deal on the 40mm Series 5 SS Space Black last weekend I noticed. They had it advertised for £469 and at that price I would have considered it myself if I hadn’t already got the latest AW, sod paying £749 normally. The deal didn’t last long and they appeared to sell out within hours which isn’t a surprise.
Damn that’s a great deal, don’t see like that normally on apple products here.
 
would never even think of covering my watch... ever.
the SS and hard black finish have left my series 4 scratch free and I wear it to work unloading trucks every night.
 
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I had a bumper on my series 4. It rubbed on the screen along the rounded edge and took off the oleophobic coating. Couldn’t unsee it!
 
People who are anti-case for Watch confuse when that say cuz the watch is too pretty to cover up. These same people almost always have a case on their iPhones as if their iPhones aren’t just as sexy. It makes no sense to me.
I have a case on my iPhone because I have some arthritis in my hands and I felt I couldn't reliably hold it without droping it. I tried a leather case and found that to be to slippery. My case has rubber sides so I can grasp it easier. I paid big bucks for my Gold SS S5 watch because I really liked the classy look. It is a piece of jewelry as well as a great watch. No scratches yet.
 
The only time I put a case on mine is when I'm mountain biking. I don't want to accidentally swipe it across a tree.

I got the original one on release day, then later upgraded to a Series 3. Both aluminum Space Black (or is it Space Gray?). Never had any scratches on the body of the watch, and only have one small scratch on the screen of my current watch. I use the Modular watch face, so there's a black background so only when the light is "just right" can I actually see the scratch. Not worth worrying about. And since the battery is still in spectacular condition (still at 93% battery after having it on for five hours today) I can't justify replacing it. Maybe the Series 6 if it has some good new features, otherwise more likely the Series 7.
 
It's a watch, I think the vast majority of people wear it without a case. I have since 2015. My 2016 S2 is still in perfect condition and is being worn regularly by my girlfriend who treats her technology awfully (she leaves it on the bathroom floor while showering etc. ) - it's fine.
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This!!!

People who are anti-case for Watch confuse when that say cuz the watch is too pretty to cover up. These same people almost always have a case on their iPhones as if their iPhones aren’t just as sexy. It makes no sense to me.

The key difference is iPhones are exceedingly slippery. Second, we are all picking it up and putting it down all day long. With a watch, you pick it up once or twice a day, so the opportunity to drop it is vastly lower. The risk factor instead is knocking into things, which is less likely to cause damage than dropping (let's face it - most people don't walk around with broken or bruised wrists all the time!). Finally, the watch is also supposed to be a clothings accessory - part of one's style. Cases mostly lack style. I can't put my finger on why, but I can't help feeling my G-Shock 5610 (a classic) looks better than an Apple Watch with a crude case on it. Yes if you're doing a tough mudder and want to track your heart rate, wear a case, but for most people, most of the time, a case is not needed.

Also noticed that a lot of the photos of watches in cases on here also show a watch face with a battery complication, which makes me think each to their own, but it's probably a bit of an OCD thing (I used to be OCD about my battery too until I got the series 4 so I know the feeling!)
 
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It's a watch, I think the vast majority of people wear it without a case. I have since 2015. My 2016 S2 is still in perfect condition and is being worn regularly by my girlfriend who treats her technology awfully (she leaves it on the bathroom floor while showering etc. ) - it's fine.
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The key difference is iPhones are exceedingly slippery. Second, we are all picking it up and putting it down all day long. With a watch, you pick it up once or twice a day, so the opportunity to drop it is vastly lower. The risk factor instead is knocking into things, which is less likely to cause damage than dropping (let's face it - most people don't walk around with broken or bruised wrists all the time!). Finally, the watch is also supposed to be a clothings accessory - part of one's style. Cases mostly lack style. I can't put my finger on why, but I can't help feeling my G-Shock 5610 (a classic) looks better than an Apple Watch with a crude case on it. Yes if you're doing a tough mudder and want to track your heart rate, wear a case, but for most people, most of the time, a case is not needed.

Also noticed that a lot of the photos of watches in cases on here also show a watch face with a battery complication, which makes me think each to their own, but it's probably a bit of an OCD thing (I used to be OCD about my battery too until I got the series 4 so I know the feeling!)

Bumping the watch into things is the Watch’s equivalent of dropping the phone. It’s very easy to bump it into things. I’m not saying you’re gonna shatter it. But you can beat the hell out of it. There’s plenty of pics of busted Watches. And I wasn’t talking about dropping it in that post. I agree with you about it not being likely to be dropped. For me it’s 0% because I only take it off in my bed. It charges in my bed. There’s no opportunity for it to fall out of my bed. There is plenty of opportunity for it to get banged on my bedrail though. I’ve hit it on the PVC armrest on my accessible toilet seat. I don’t bump it most days but it does happen. My Mom bangs her watch into stuff all the time. She’s super clumsy.

So basically people take the opportunity to protect their iPhones but they don’t take the same opportunity to protect their Watches. I say do you, Boo. Just don’t tell the rest of us to do the same with your* busted ass watch.

*I don’t mean you specifically. I’m not saying your Watch is busted.
 
Series 2 with no case or protector. I don't think it's needed and since my S2 still looks good, I guess I'm right! :)
 
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...and it’s been mentioned about 1000 times, but the DLC on the space black stainless is the key component here. If somebody didn’t want to opt for a bumper case, that coating alone almost acts like a case given how durable it is.

(I’ve owned three black stainless watches, sold all three in pristine condition in both the Sapphire display and casing due to the DLC.)

That DLC coating is incredible, I cannot believe what I've put my SB SS through and nothing to show.
 
That DLC coating is incredible, I cannot believe what I've put my SB SS through and nothing to show.

Totally agree. I lift weights with mine on and I couldn’t bother worrying about every scratch on a aluminum model. That alone is worth the cost of the SBSS. Enough so that I’m thinking of ceramic down the line...

I have a hard time as is justifying using a caee on my phone. Caseless just FEELS so much better IMO.
 
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Damn that’s a great deal, don’t see like that normally on apple products here.

Damn that’s a great deal, don’t see like that normally on apple products here.

I couldn’t quite believe it myself and clicked on and off it a few times. There were 16 left in stock and within a couple of hours the offer seemed to disappear. The only drawback for me would be the lack of Nike faces.
 
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Totally agree. I lift weights with mine on and I couldn’t bother worrying about every scratch on a aluminum model. That alone is worth the cost of the SBSS. Enough so that I’m thinking of ceramic down the line...

I have a hard time as is justifying using a caee on my phone. Caseless just FEELS so much better IMO.

Man I'm tempted by the ceramic. I wish they had it in different colors though. The stormtrooper white really does look amazing, but I'm not sure I could pull it off.
 
Man I'm tempted by the ceramic. I wish they had it in different colors though. The stormtrooper white really does look amazing, but I'm not sure I could pull it off.

Yeah I’m not a fan of white watches personally or the hideously high price tag simply for a ceramic material! I had a hands-on go with it in the Apple store a few months back and not convinced it’s nicer than the others in the range, but that’s just me.
 
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