Black Milanese Loop ate my screen :(

[Steven079]

Today one step closer to replacement i believe.

Technicians have acknowledged the issue. Usually this type of damage is considered to be wear n tear and repairing is usually only done when theres a crack or functional defect. However, they made an exception for me and they are now sending it to -God knows where-, where they check if there is other damage that could have negative impact on the damage i am claiming warranty for (weird sentence, but thats literally what they write in their mail).

Another week or maybe longer waiting time again...

Series 5 is almost out...

 

[DennisdeWit]

Today one step closer to replacement i believe.

Technicians have acknowledged the issue. Usually this type of damage is considered to be wear n tear and repairing is usually only done when theres a crack or functional defect. However, they made an exception for me and they are now sending it to -God knows where-, where they check if there is other damage that could have negative impact on the damage i am claiming warranty for (weird sentence, but thats literally what they write in their mail).

Another week or maybe longer waiting time again...

Series 5 is almost out...

Steven, do you also have an account on a different forum? I have the sense I’ve read the story there too.

 

[Steven079]

Tweaker

Update for y'all

I got myself a new watch... Apple did the only right thing that was possible and they replaced it. Justice has been served.

Now, if any of you have a BLACK milanese and you got scratches within a matter of days(of puchase of the black Milanese in combination with the Aluminium version), i'd say you run to the nearest Apple Store and get yourself a new one as well.

Apple made me suffer, waste my time, made me drive around and call multiple times... but they did the right thing. Lets hope they continue to do so!

 

[user1234]

Tweaker

Update for y'all

I got myself a new watch... Apple did the only right thing that was possible and they replaced it. Justice has been served.

Now, if any of you have a BLACK milanese and you got scratches within a matter of days(of puchase of the black Milanese in combination with the Aluminium version), i'd say you run to the nearest Apple Store and get yourself a new one as well.

Apple made me suffer, waste my time, made me drive around and call multiple times... but they did the right thing. Lets hope they continue to do so!

I'm glad that it worked out for you in the end! I decided to go with a woven nylon band instead of dealing with the stress off dealing with the milanese loop. The milanese looks so good though!

 

[JulieF]

Hi, I read your whole story. Sounded strangely like mine. Bought a new aluminium watch with a black Milanese band. Couple of days later I notice that the screen is all scratched. I go to the store to get a replacement, after understanding that the scratches comes from the bracelet. And they nearly laugh at me, even when I talk about the numerous cases I found online.
They never heard of this kind of problem, they don’t want to exchange it for me because I had the watch for 17 days (more than the 14 to do the return).
They finally agree to do a repair, at my own expenses (389$+tx), but twice the watch comes back without anything done to it, still scratched. I talk to numerous people, all saying different stuff to me. The last person I talk to is a manager at the Apple store. He’s telling me that there’s nothing to do and that I should live with the scratches. I refuse, we argue and, inexplicabely — he drops — the watch on the ceramic floor, making dents on the aluminum frame. They finally offered me replacement, free of charge. But without that incident, they would have done nothing.
i don’t understand that a company like Apple doesn’t acknowledge this kind of problem. Is there a way to make this known? I tried calling the customer service and filed a complaints, but I don’t think it will do anything.

 

[jaybar]

Hi, I read your whole story. Sounded strangely like mine. Bought a new aluminium watch with a black Milanese band. Couple of days later I notice that the screen is all scratched. I go to the store to get a replacement, after understanding that the scratches comes from the bracelet. And they nearly laugh at me, even when I talk about the numerous cases I found online.
They never heard of this kind of problem, they don’t want to exchange it for me because I had the watch for 17 days (more than the 14 to do the return).
They finally agree to do a repair, at my own expenses (389$+tx), but twice the watch comes back without anything done to it, still scratched. I talk to numerous people, all saying different stuff to me. The last person I talk to is a manager at the Apple store. He’s telling me that there’s nothing to do and that I should live with the scratches. I refuse, we argue and, inexplicabely — he drops — the watch on the ceramic floor, making dents on the aluminum frame. They finally offered me replacement, free of charge. But without that incident, they would have done nothing.
i don’t understand that a company like Apple doesn’t acknowledge this kind of problem. Is there a way to make this known? I tried calling the customer service and filed a complaints, but I don’t think it will do anything.

Get a better charger. In order to protect the watch. You need a charger that places the watch on its side and allowed you to fully extend the ML in back. Alternatively, get a charger that has a bar where the watch rests and the ML then drops down away from the watch.

I don’t see this as Apple’s responsibility. There is so many variants for how the watch is worn, positioned or charged, that Apple will forever be taking back watches.

Moreover, you state that this is “well known”. This thread and those like it, have relatively few posts.

The key is percentage. How many people has this happened to (numerator) divided by those using a ML.

Also there are threads that suggest alternate chargers, where the damage is less likely to happen. Apple’s responsibility or your lack of research?

 

[Brian Y]

Hi, I read your whole story. Sounded strangely like mine. Bought a new aluminium watch with a black Milanese band. Couple of days later I notice that the screen is all scratched. I go to the store to get a replacement, after understanding that the scratches comes from the bracelet. And they nearly laugh at me, even when I talk about the numerous cases I found online.
They never heard of this kind of problem, they don’t want to exchange it for me because I had the watch for 17 days (more than the 14 to do the return).
They finally agree to do a repair, at my own expenses (389$+tx), but twice the watch comes back without anything done to it, still scratched. I talk to numerous people, all saying different stuff to me. The last person I talk to is a manager at the Apple store. He’s telling me that there’s nothing to do and that I should live with the scratches. I refuse, we argue and, inexplicabely — he drops — the watch on the ceramic floor, making dents on the aluminum frame. They finally offered me replacement, free of charge. But without that incident, they would have done nothing.
i don’t understand that a company like Apple doesn’t acknowledge this kind of problem. Is there a way to make this known? I tried calling the customer service and filed a complaints, but I don’t think it will do anything.

Sorry, but that's pretty much your own fault. It looks like the Milanese loop has been thrown across the top of the screen multiple times.

 

[44267547]

Sorry, but that's pretty much your own fault. It looks like the Milanese loop has been thrown across the top of the screen multiple times.

This is the cold truth for those who don’t understand the capability of the black Milanese loop can _easily_ damage the display, because it contains a sapphire coating just as the display does.

I realize 99% of consumers have no idea that the black Milanese loop can damage the watch, but it’s pretty common knowledge on the Apple Watch forum that you have to use extreme caution.

 

[PugMaster]

Yes, on the forums. But let's be honest - if you don't know this, do you expect the band of your watch scratching it up like this? Should the band be this hard or the display this easy to scratch?
I also have the black milanese and the black stainless steel watch, and I'm careful as hell with it. Still, I have light scruffs from the milanese on one side and on the back, despite being SO careful when wearing it. Is this my fault because I'm dumb? Or is this just not so well designed or thought out as it should?

 

[KarimLeVallois]

Yes, on the forums. But let's be honest - if you don't know this, do you expect the band of your watch scratching it up like this? Should the band be this hard or the display this easy to scratch?
I also have the black milanese and the black stainless steel watch, and I'm careful as hell with it. Still, I have light scruffs from the milanese on one side and on the back, despite being SO careful when wearing it. Is this my fault because I'm dumb? Or is this just not so well designed or thought out as it should?

You're not dumb and this isn't exactly a widely known issue. The black Milanese is just bloody evil and scratches anything it comes into contact with; screen, heart rate sensors, any material housing (even the space black that also has the DLC coating as the Milanese links are sharp). I returned mine, wasn't worth the risk.

 

[Duncan68]

Well, I know which band to never buy!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I gave up the Milanese loop because it loves to grab the tiny hairs on my wrist and drives me nuts (plus the magnets slipped over the day loosening the watch quite a lot, making it a sloppy fit). I wasn't happy about the bulk of the sport bands, but have gotten over it over time. I have acquired quite a collection of the sport bands, and the woven bands to a lesser extent. I would really like the Link Bracelet but it's too pricey. I have a bunch of Tag Heuer watches with Link style bands. Clunky, but solid and stable. *shrug*

Saving the hairs on my wrist, and the face of my AW.

Sorry for your issue. That sucks, but metal will scratch glass. Stronger metals will scratch softer metals. It's physics. Stop wrapping the band over the front.

Related story, perhaps: I bought a Tag with a 'natural crystal', that is 'stronger than glass'. Well, within a month of buying it, the crystal shattered. I went to Heuer with the receipt, and their statements that the crystal was so strong. They flatly denied my request for a warranty replacement. It wasn't even close to being past their warranty. I declared it a manufacturing defect. They disagreed. $400 later, I couldn't be pissed at them for my carelessness. I had to own it. It sucks, but what were the choices. I'm a lot more careful with them now. Sorry...

 

[The Game 161]

Wow as a SS Milanese loop user this worries me lol

 

[jaybar]

Wow as a SS Milanese loop user this worries me lol

You will be OK, as long as you charge the watch on its side and do not allow the band to contact the back of the watch when charging.

there are a variety of chargers that accommodate this.

 

[The Game 161]

You will be OK, as long as you charge the watch on its side and do not allow the band to contact the back of the watch when charging.

there are a variety of chargers that accommodate this.

Yeah I use the nomad pad to charge my watch...only thing I don’t like about the loop is pulling my hairs which are hairy

 

[jaybar]

@The Game 161

Markedly Older guys have an advantage. Less arm/leg hair, due to less efficient heart pumping with age.

On the subject of chargers for those who don’t have an alternate. The Apple dock does well. Also there is a charger Only sold in the Apple Store, by Belkin that wirelessly charges the iPhone and watch. Costly but really good.

 

[AppleHealth]

I have a Gold SS S4 and was going to buy the Gold Loop, maybe I shouldn’t.

 

[bobsamm]

Yeah I use the nomad pad to charge my watch...only thing I don’t like about the loop is pulling my hairs which are hairy

I can't see how that would happen from charging the watch? That band has always been known for pulling hairs lol.

 

[jaybar]

I can't see how that would happen from charging the watch? That band has always been known for pulling hairs lol.

@bobsamm

If you charge the watch on its side and extend the loop, or use a charger where the ML hangs down b/c the watch rests on a bar, the loop part will be less likely to contact the watch face or back.

 

[bobsamm]

@bobsamm

If you charge the watch on its side and extend the loop, or use a charger where the ML hangs down b/c the watch rests on a bar, the loop part will be less likely to contact the watch face or back.

Well i was thinking just with the charger that comes with it, so because of the loop you cant lie the band flat on the charger like this?

 

[jaybar]

Well i was thinking just with the charger that comes with it, so because of the loop you cant lie the band flat on the charger like this?

View attachment 891433

Only if you take the loop completely apart and out of the lug, on current versions and then you got to be very careful. Prior versions before 2018, the loop did not pass through the lug. I suspect that most people just slide their wrist through which leaves a complete loop.

 

[Allyance]

I have a Gold SS S4 and was going to buy the Gold Loop, maybe I shouldn’t.

I bought the Gold SS 5/Gold Milanese combination (even came in the same box). I have had it 4 months and love the look, looks classy, not as techy as my Series 0. No scratches so far. Wear it every day, 6AM to 10PM. I make sure magnet stays attached as close as possible to watch, maintaining a closed loop while taking off and on. I can slide it over my charging stand that way making sure it never touches the screen. For the OP, I am glad you got a new watch, I realize you have a different crystal and your band is black. I would try a different band that looks good to you.

Looks like I should has dusted before taking picture. My biggest gripe about the new series 5 charger is the cord is much shorter that the old one.

 

[aliensporebomb]

Weird. I have a knock-off Milanese loop and never had a problem with my 5.

 

[jaybar]

Weird. I have a knock-off Milanese loop and never had a problem with my 5.

@aliensporebomb The issue regards the DLC version from Appke. DLC = Diamond Like Coating. The knock-off ones may just be black without DLC. I don’t think you researched the difference and the issues.

 

[jaybar]

I bought the Gold SS 5/Gold Milanese combination (even came in the same box). I have had it 4 months and love the look, looks classy, not as techy as my Series 0. No scratches so far. Wear it every day, 6AM to 10PM. I make sure magnet stays attached as close as possible to watch, maintaining a closed loop while taking off and on. I can slide it over my charging stand that way making sure it never touches the screen. For the OP, I am glad you got a new watch, I realize you have a different crystal and your band is black. I would try a different band that looks good to you.
View attachment 891440
Looks like I should has dusted before taking picture. My biggest gripe about the new series 5 charger is the cord is much shorter that the old one.

What charger is this?