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Ceramic back versus composite back?

DynaFXD

DynaFXD

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 15, 2010
799
368
East Coast
Pardon if I missed this but setting aside bands, it seems that the only differences touted between the Sport and Watch are the watch face material and case material. On the back of the watches they also identify Composite vs Ceramic back, respectively. So what's the deal on that? The case looks solid, I guess they are referring to the backing in which the sensors are set. Hard to tell from the photos, but it looks as though that material is bare and will be in direct contact with your skin, no?
Just seems weird, that strikes me a sizable difference to not hear much of anything about it.
 
DynaFXD said:
Pardon if I missed this but setting aside bands, it seems that the only differences touted between the Sport and Watch are the watch face material and case material. On the back of the watches they also identify Composite vs Ceramic back, respectively. So what's the deal on that? The case looks solid, I guess they are referring to the backing in which the sensors are set. Hard to tell from the photos, but it looks as though that material is bare and will be in direct contact with your skin, no?
Just seems weird, that strikes me a sizable difference to not hear much of anything about it.
Click to expand...

They had to figure out a way to get watches on to more wrists. Not everyone can afford $550-$600.
 
Ceramic back versus composite back?

Ceramic is a material that has been used for watch faces for years. It is a highly scratch resistant material. Whereas composite is about as scratch resistant as the aluminium that the sport is made of
 
IllusionEntity said:
Ceramic is a material that has been used for watch faces for years. It is a highly scratch resistant material. Whereas composite is about as scratch resistant as the aluminium that the sport is made of
Click to expand...
Cool. I just Bing-ed up this link which gives a good summary for those of use who are not materials engineers.

"http://www.ablogtowatch.com/watch-case-materials-explained-ceramic/"

The one quote I pulled out is "Like titanium, ceramics are very inert, and will not corrode or cause allergic reactions" Sounds like a good consideration when something will be tightened against your skin for hours on end.
 
DynaFXD said:
The one quote I pulled out is "Like titanium, ceramics are very inert, and will not corrode or cause allergic reactions" Sounds like a good consideration when something will be tightened against your skin for hours on end.
Click to expand...

Perhaps less inert, but the "composite" material should also be inert enough that there shouldn't be significant reactions going on with your skin and/or sweat.
 
A lot of times they will mix in different materials (like fiberglass) with plastics to change the properties of the plastic. That is probably what they did and why they are calling it a composite.
 
Ok.. so i hear a lot of complaints about the composite scratching easily... I was originally going to go for the Series 2 for that reason but the discounts so far aren't really worth it over the increased processor speed and wireless Qi charging.

so my question: The only reason i wouldn't want the back scratched is IF it results in poorer heart rate measurement... does anyone have any actual evidence that these microscratches affect this? or do people just not like scratches anywhere on their watch?
 
My series 0 back got scratched up bad, so I would never buy a composite back again, my series 2 is perfect as the day I purchased it. The added cost on the series 3 for LTE is well worth it, even if you never activate it.

Series 3 LTE version even forgetting the LTE you get
16gb vs 8gb storage
Ceramic back vs plastic
and you can select the new sports loop.
Seems well worth the added 70 or what not.

Series 2 will probably be selling used around 200-250
 
betabeta said:
My series 0 back got scratched up bad, so I would never buy a composite back again, my series 2 is perfect as the day I purchased it. The added cost on the series 3 for LTE is well worth it, even if you never activate it.

Series 3 LTE version even forgetting the LTE you get
16gb vs 8gb storage
Ceramic back vs plastic
and you can select the new sports loop.
Seems well worth the added 70 or what not.

Series 2 will probably be selling used around 200-250
Click to expand...

Still unclear what a scratched plastic backing actually takes away from the watch. Did you have heart rate monitoring problems with your S0?
 
squirrrl said:
Still unclear what a scratched plastic backing actually takes away from the watch. Did you have heart rate monitoring problems with your S0?
Click to expand...

+1. I'd also like to know if it affects the sensors in any way...
 
Lol.. thanks.. it was a stray i was feeding and taking to the vet to make sure she had her shots. I used to leave the window open so she could come and go as she wanted and on cold nights she would curl up with me on my bed. she was too wild to take with me with I moved though. She once brought in an enormous rat into my house and had eaten the head off of it before I woke up at 3am, heard some crunching sounds, and noticed what she was doing.
 
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Technically, a composite is simply a material that is made up of two or more materials. In fact, the original gold Apple Watch was technically a composite (gold alloy with embedded ceramic particles, more accurately referred to as a metal matrix composite).

Thus the term “composite” used by itself is very misleading because it can be a mix of plastic, ceramic, metal etc.

Hence sometimes Apple’s marketing really annoys me.
 
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