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Graphite SS scratched

S

shah1

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 30, 2010
180
27
Hi peeps,

So managed to pick up a 44mm graphite SS series 6 with the sports band, been using it for a couple of days and this morning whilst in the bathroom under some bright light, my beady eye spotted what looked like a scratch.. buffed off the watch and took a closer look. Suspicions confirmed, it is indeed a hairline scratch that is only visible with extreme lighting and you really have go looking for it. Question is, how on earth has this been marked given the supposed toughness of the DLC coating and additionally the watch has been babied by myself the last couple of days of wearing! Can only think it was marked whilst pushing it out of the tight cardboard case they now ship in! Anyone else mange to mark theirs?
 
Returns mine after a day thinking the Milanese loop is and was to blame BUT I’m thinking this coating is a pig for showing any scratch. It’s DLC is certainly not as hard wearing as my replacement is showing a very fine scratch again. Given up hope of it looking pristine and am now hiding it behind a Spigen ultra thin case. Looks ok though so I’m kinda happy with it.
 
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Retroglide08 said:
Returns mine after a day thinking the Milanese loop is and was to blame BUT I’m thinking this coating is a pig for showing any scratch. It’s DLC is certainly not as hard wearing as my replacement is showing a very fine scratch again. Given up hope of it looking pristine and am now hiding it behind a Spigen ultra thin case. Looks ok though so I’m kinda happy with it.
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To be fair the scratch isn't visible to the naked eye and under normal lighting be that outdoors or even indoors, its only under very bright light and you have to angle the watch to see it. But I recall my series 3 SBSS looking as good as new even after months of use so was a little surprised to spot this on the newer model.
 
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shah1 said:
To be fair the scratch isn't visible to the naked eye and under normal lighting be that outdoors or even indoors, its only under very bright light and you have to angle the watch to see it. But I recall my series 3 SBSS looking as good as new even after months of use so was a little surprised to spot this on the newer model.
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It certainly doesn’t help my OCD. Was really looking forward to a more “luxurious “ finish compared to previous aluminium models I’ve had. But I think I’ll switch back next time.
 
Retroglide08 said:
It certainly doesn’t help my OCD. Was really looking forward to a more “luxurious “ finish compared to previous aluminium models I’ve had. But I think I’ll switch back next time.
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Lol I can relate to that, driving my ocd mad at the moment but still love the look and feel of SS compared to aluminium. I'm sure it will hold up better over time in comparison to the aluminium models. Is your scratch visible under normal use / lighting?
 
shah1 said:
Lol I can relate to that, driving my ocd mad at the moment but still love the look and feel of SS compared to aluminium. I'm sure it will hold up better over time in comparison to the aluminium models. Is your scratch visible under normal use / lighting?
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Did you bang the watch against a wall or something? THE DLC coating is very resilient
 
Bazooka-joe said:
Did you bang the watch against a wall or something? THE DLC coating is very resilient
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Nope, the watch has been taken care of very carefully as I do with all my devices. It isn't noticeable, just a faint scratch that can be seen under bright light (i.e. having the phone torch shone on it) and being tilted in certain angles but defo there. Not sure its a mark under the coating from factory or something I've done.
 
shah1 said:
Hi peeps,

So managed to pick up a 44mm graphite SS series 6 with the sports band, been using it for a couple of days and this morning whilst in the bathroom under some bright light, my beady eye spotted what looked like a scratch.. buffed off the watch and took a closer look. Suspicions confirmed, it is indeed a hairline scratch that is only visible with extreme lighting and you really have go looking for it. Question is, how on earth has this been marked given the supposed toughness of the DLC coating and additionally the watch has been babied by myself the last couple of days of wearing! Can only think it was marked whilst pushing it out of the tight cardboard case they now ship in! Anyone else mange to mark theirs?
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about this. As they say, that first scratch is always the most painful! Hopefully with time, it won't bother you as much and you can enjoy the watch fully. Speaking of those cardboard cases, they do seem to be very tight judging from all those unboxing videos. My previous Series 4 SS came in a felt sleeve. Do all models ship in those cardboard sleeves now?
 
shah1 said:
Lol I can relate to that, driving my ocd mad at the moment but still love the look and feel of SS compared to aluminium. I'm sure it will hold up better over time in comparison to the aluminium models. Is your scratch visible under normal use / lighting?
Click to expand...

I showed it to my wife and she couldn’t see a thing. Although I feel sick when I see it. I’ve even gone as far as applying a soft clear skin between the watch and the spigen case.
 
shah1 said:
Can only think it was marked whilst pushing it out of the tight cardboard case they now ship in!
Click to expand...
klky said:
Speaking of those cardboard cases, they do seem to be very tight judging from all those unboxing videos.
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I bought the aluminum S6, and the cardboard case just peeled off. I threw it away so I can't check, but I think it was held together by glue, and if you pulled at the right spot, it came apart.
 
I am amazed at the reactions so far. It’s a watch. It will scratch, sometime and in some way under normal use. If someone purchased a traditional SS watch, it will scratch relatively easily with normal use. Why are we holding Apple watches to a different standard.

the other thing I find particularly offensive, as a health care professional, is people’s common reference to OCD.

OCD referees to a clinical constellation with a specific diagnosis. Most people here who say they are OCD, do not meet the clinical guidelines, I would suspect. Some here genuinely have OCD, as clinically defined. I would suspect most don’t. To bandy about the term in common usage, I find insensitive to those truly diagnosed.

Enjoy the watch for the great tech it offers. Use it to the fullest. Don’t purposely abuse it. Accept scratches as inevitable. Lessen preoccupation with “resale value” or some mythical notion that Apple devices must remain “pristine”, because it is Apple. Enjoy tech. Chill out. Look to what we can be grateful for during this pandemic.
 
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shah1 said:
Nope, the watch has been taken care of very carefully as I do with all my devices. It isn't noticeable, just a faint scratch that can be seen under bright light (i.e. having the phone torch shone on it) and being tilted in certain angles but defo there. Not sure its a mark under the coating from factory or something I've done.
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It may have happened at the factory. My first watch back in 2015 was a 42mm SS and that came with light scratches from the factory. Needless to say, i swopped it out.
 
jaybar said:
I am amazed at the reactions so far. It’s a watch. It will scratch, sometime and in some way under normal use. If someone purchased a traditional SS watch, it will scratch relatively easily with normal use. Why are we holding Apple watches to a different standard.

the other thing I find particularly offensive, as a health care professional, is people’s common reference to OCD.

OCD referees to a clinical constellation with a specific diagnosis. Most people here who say they are OCD, do not meet the clinical guidelines, I would suspect. Some here genuinely have OCD, as clinically defined. I would suspect most don’t. To bandy about the term in common usage, I find insensitive to those truly diagnosed.

Enjoy the watch for the great tech it offers. Use it to the fullest. Don’t purposely abuse it. Accept scratches as inevitable. Lessen preoccupation with “resale value” or some mythical notion that Apple devices must remain “pristine”, because it is Apple. Enjoy tech. Chill out. Look to what we can be grateful for during this pandemic.
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I'm sure I don't fit the clinical diagnosis of OCD, but I do have a personality where I like certain things just so, and it bothers me when they aren't. It's great you are sensitive to the plight of people who have clinical OCD, but it's not like those of us who are uptight about these things can just relax and ignore scratches just because someone on the internet told us to.
 
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Night Spring said:
I'm sure I don't fit the clinical diagnosis of OCD, but I do have a personality where I like certain things just so, and it bothers me when they aren't. It's great you are sensitive to the plight of people who have clinical OCD, but it's not like those of us who are uptight about these things can just relax and ignore scratches just because someone on the internet told us to.
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Exactly that.. I'm the sort of person who likes having things kept in or close to near pristine condition and defo bothers me when they aren't, especially when they're a couple days old! Granted the scratch is hardly noticeable but I know its there which is more than enough to bother for the time being. Sure I'll get over it, but the reason I posted this was to question the real durability of the DLC coating and to see if anyone else had had a similar experience which they clearly have. Am I going to continue to enjoy and use the watch, absolutely, and no, I won't be returning it. Love the look and feel of this new colourway.
 
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Bought a titanium wore it around the house for 3 hours and saw this... I have a S4 aluminum since day one not a mark on it... Returned this the next day... Keeping my S4 and happy about it..
 

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shah1 said:
Exactly that.. I'm the sort of person who likes having things kept in or close to near pristine condition and defo bothers me when they aren't, especially when they're a couple days old! Granted the scratch is hardly noticeable but I know its there which is more than enough to bother for the time being. Sure I'll get over it, but the reason I posted this was to question the real durability of the DLC coating and to see if anyone else had had a similar experience which they clearly have. Am I going to continue to enjoy and use the watch, absolutely, and no, I won't be returning it. Love the look and feel of this new colourway.
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I too have the Graphite watch and love it. Because of allergies, the only band I can use reliably over an extended period is the ML. I try to be careful how I take the watch on and off. I use a charger that allows me to place the watch on its side. Having the AW and interacting with it has been a process of acceptance.
 
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Yea if you wear you watch everyday like most people do (I assume) you bound to get some light scratches on the watch. Before I got my series 6, I had the series 3 for nearly three years and naturally it got scratches. But I have aluminum versions of the watch. You have to be in the right light to see the scratches on my old series 3. I have apple care + for my series 6 ( did for my series 3 as well) but I thought about using one of my accidental incidents for cosmetic damage but thought better of it. Save those for times I might actually need it for real damage like a cracked screen etc.
 
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All of the stainless steel models will scratch. Its stainless steel, which means that its prone to surface scratches. Even the black stainless steel gets micro abrasions on it. They are just harder to see because they blend in with the black. They are definitely there though.
 
edhchoe said:
Ironically, the cheapest AW are the most durable.
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What? Not really. I have had every aluminum watch scratch on the anodization layer and on every ion-x glass i've ever owned.

Stainless steel casings can be polished and titanium brushed finishes can be restored.

In regards to the Graphite, I posted in another thread that my fingernail permanently marked it.. I doubt it is DLC to be honest.
 
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