AW6 aluminium durability

[mypyh4ooo]

Hi all,
I’m sure that this has been asked a thousand times already but I have recently switched over to the Aluminium S6 Product Red from a SBSS S5 and previous to that I had the SS S4. They’ve both been pretty durable due to the materials used but I wanted to switch over to something different hence why the downgrade if you want to call it that.
My question is how tough is the anodised aluminium? Is it easily chipped? I’ve got AppleCare+ already but contemplating whether to get a case also or just install a screen protector and hope for the best.
Any recommendations are much appreciated.

 

[deeddawg]

As you might guess, the answer is "it depends".

Anodized aluminum is definitely more susceptible to scrapes and dings than is the DLC coating of SBSS.

Whether that will be an issue for you is an individual thing. I'm a bit of a klutz and thus managed to put marks in the aluminum casing of my S2 and S3 watches that were visible every time I'd look at them. Even remembering to use a TPU case before embarking on weekend DIY projects.

Other folks go a couple years with their aluminum watches remaining pristine.

 

[Techmaestro]

Hi all,
I’m sure that this has been asked a thousand times already but I have recently switched over to the Aluminium S6 Product Red from a SBSS S5 and previous to that I had the SS S4. They’ve both been pretty durable due to the materials used but I wanted to switch over to something different hence why the downgrade if you want to call it that.
My question is how tough is the anodised aluminium? Is it easily chipped? I’ve got AppleCare+ already but contemplating whether to get a case also or just install a screen protector and hope for the best.
Any recommendations are much appreciated.

Aluminum is aluminum, and I say that to say it's "fairly" resistant to damage but is a significant downgrade from the SBSS S5 which I currently own.

 

[mypyh4ooo]

Do the third party cases add much bulk? I’ve tried to see if there’s any examples out there with the clear ones on just to see if they dull the colour when it’s on.

 

[gymratjudy]

Do the third party cases add much bulk? I’ve tried to see if there’s any examples out there with the clear ones on just to see if they dull the colour when it’s on.

I wouldn't bother with a case they for the most part trapped dirt that may cause scratches. When I got my first watch, I bought cases and after a bit I just noticed how dirty they got. Have had version 1, 3, 4, and 5 with version 1, 3, and 4 passed down to my daughter-all aluminum. I have only had 1 tiny scratch on the aluminum body on the 3. On the 3, I also ended up with 2 tiny and I mean tiny scratches on the top corner of the screen. You had to look for them in order to find them. I would just recommend a screen protector if you are planning on holding or reselling the watch. (My daughter doesn't bother with the screen protectors and still no scratches on the watches outside of version 3.)

 

[44267547]

Do the third party cases add much bulk? I’ve tried to see if there’s any examples out there with the clear ones on just to see if they dull the colour when it’s on.

They do. But I wouldn’t worry about the ‘bulk’, however you’re worried about protecting the Apple Watch, am I right? they definitely serve their purpose protecting the casing, but I personally do not like them, because it takes away the aesthetics of the watch. But they do serve the purpose depending on your work environment.