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melman101

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
2,751
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Let's say your Apple Watch Stainless Steel model gets scratched on the steel portion. Does Apple provide buffing / steel polishing services at the Genius Bar? Has anyone asked?
 
Any Jeweler including the $10 repair mall kiosks will do this service. No need for the Genius bar to add Jewelers polishing equipment, good grief.
 
I have been collecting good time pieces for a while now and my favorite watch is a Burberry stainless steal. I have had it for 8 years but with the amount that I wear it would be equivalent to no less than 5 years of normal use. It is just now getting a few scuffs that are barely noticeable. A good jeweler (not the middle of the mall guy) can professionally restore your watch back to new every 3-5 years and by professionally polishing it right back up. This is why I decided on the SS option myself and I'm expecting with all of apples media hype on their special metals and metalologists that there would be better than the market standard.
 
You can polish it yourself pretty easily, as long as it isn't banged up (I.e., major dents). Just use a polishing cloth or metal polish and a paper towel.
 
It'll probably be obsolete by the time you need to get it polished. Unless they plan to allow upgrades of internals from year to year. (Doubtful)
 
Just remember that polishing removes a small amount of the metal, so you don't want to do it frequently
 
It'll probably be obsolete by the time you need to get it polished. Unless they plan to allow upgrades of internals from year to year. (Doubtful)

It'll never get to obsolete if Apple plan do rely on the iPhone as a coprocessor. As a faster phone will mean a faster watch.
 
I have been collecting good time pieces for a while now and my favorite watch is a Burberry stainless steal. I have had it for 8 years but with the amount that I wear it would be equivalent to no less than 5 years of normal use. It is just now getting a few scuffs that are barely noticeable. A good jeweler (not the middle of the mall guy) can professionally restore your watch back to new every 3-5 years and by professionally polishing it right back up. This is why I decided on the SS option myself and I'm expecting with all of apples media hype on their special metals and metalologists that there would be better than the market standard.

While I have a robust collection and favor my top tier handmade Swiss Chronographs, the Burberry watch you mention is both a very nice watch, a very durable watch, but it's also an incredible bargain for the quality. Several of my Watch enthusiast friends have them and wear them daily.
 
Don't polish your watch every time you get a scratch.

Wait say 3 years down the line, then refinish it.
 
Any Jeweler including the $10 repair mall kiosks will do this service. No need for the Genius bar to add Jewelers polishing equipment, good grief.

If they're going to sell it like jewelry, then they should provide jeweler like support as well.

If I were Apple, I'd create a little automatic Watch polisher gizmo for the Stores (perhaps even with clear sides so you could watch the little robotic polishing wheels moving around), and charge a pretty penny for the service. Maybe even sell monthly polishing contracts.

I think a lot of Apple buyers would love this extra attention and care.
 
Just remember that polishing removes a small amount of the metal, so you don't want to do it frequently

How much will be noticeable for those who plan on upgrading early? That's if they do annual upgrades which I can't see why they won't.
 
That seems like a lot of maintenance for a watch. I'll stick with the sports tyvm.
 
That seems like a lot of maintenance for a watch. I'll stick with the sports tyvm.

I think it's the same as any piece of jewelry. My wife's ring get's cleaned annually at Tiffany's and it looks the same as the day I bought it. So maintenance on jewelry is just a part of it. The sport really doesn't have any maitenance since you can't polish the body and the glass is more prone to scratches. So once a blemish happens, really nothing you can do other than replace it.
 
And for people who don't wear metal watches regularly... don't throw away those old toothbrushes; they are great for cleaning your watch once a month or so. There is so much bacteria and crud under that watch (especially if you bought the link bracelet) after a lot of sweating, your wrist will stink if you don't clean the watch regularly.
 
It'll never get to obsolete if Apple plan do rely on the iPhone as a coprocessor. As a faster phone will mean a faster watch.

There is a processor and plenty of other tech inside in the watch that will be upgraded in v2 (processor, sensors, communications hardware, etc). Trust me v1 will be obsolete in a few years. Maybe less.
 
There is a processor and plenty of other tech inside in the watch that will be upgraded in v2 (processor, sensors, communications hardware, etc). Trust me v1 will be obsolete in a few years. Maybe less.

Well the processor upgrade doesn't really matter if it's not doing any processing.

Communications won't really change much, minor increments at most (unless there's a new standard around the corner).

Sensors I highly doubt as they are getting pretty close to getting in trouble with the FDA for what they already have (unless the fda change their stance).

So I really can't see it being obsolete anytime soon.
 
Let's say your Apple Watch Stainless Steel model gets scratched on the steel portion. Does Apple provide buffing / steel polishing services at the Genius Bar? Has anyone asked?

Why should they! If you scratched it, the scratch is not covered under warranty. They would have to set up another table with a crew of 6 doing nothing but polishing out scratches! :p
 
If they're going to sell it like jewelry, then they should provide jeweler like support as well.

If I were Apple, I'd create a little automatic Watch polisher gizmo for the Stores (perhaps even with clear sides so you could watch the little robotic polishing wheels moving around), and charge a pretty penny for the service. Maybe even sell monthly polishing contracts.

I think a lot of Apple buyers would love this extra attention and care.

How about if they charged $175 for polishing. That is what the Rolex dealer charges me to polish out this once a year and it looks like new afterwards:

After Polishing.jpeg
 
How about if they charged $175 for polishing. That is what the Rolex dealer charges me to polish out this once a year and it looks like new afterwards:

Sure, if the Apple case and bands had a complicated shape like that, with different textures to boot.

Of course, the Apple Watch case with its band removed, is shaped more like the sides of a simple rounded metal pill box, so polishing its stainless steel case would be be much easier and quicker (and cheaper).
 
Why should they! If you scratched it, the scratch is not covered under warranty. They would have to set up another table with a crew of 6 doing nothing but polishing out scratches! :p

Because they are selling it as a fashion / jewelry item and that's what jewelry stores do with SS watches.

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Thanks for the answers, but no one has asked I assume?
 
I have been collecting good time pieces for a while now and my favorite watch is a Burberry stainless steal. I have had it for 8 years but with the amount that I wear it would be equivalent to no less than 5 years of normal use. It is just now getting a few scuffs that are barely noticeable. A good jeweler (not the middle of the mall guy) can professionally restore your watch back to new every 3-5 years and by professionally polishing it right back up. This is why I decided on the SS option myself and I'm expecting with all of apples media hype on their special metals and metalologists that there would be better than the market standard.

Do you think people will keep Apple Watches 3-5 years? I suspect in 3 years time my apple watch (when it arrives) will be at the back of a drawer along with some old ipods and old Garmin forerunners etc. I hope I'm wrong though.
 
Because they are selling it as a fashion / jewelry item and that's what jewelry stores do with SS watches.

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Thanks for the answers, but no one has asked I assume?

I would like to be there to see the look on the Geeks face when you ask if they provide buffing services.

Sorry but it is not going to happen. Even though Apple is selling wacthes, it is NOT a jewelry store!:rolleyes:
 
Lol some of you need to quit being so anal over the stainless watch. It's gonna get scratches on the body. Be thankful it won't be the crystal.
 
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