Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
In light of all the threads about damaged Apple watches ...
- Thread starter Dormammu
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Go with Applecare+ and let the watch be free. If you damage it then get it fixed. If you damage it a second time then maybe get a case due to your carelessness 
But I agree with another post. I do find it odd that people are wanting this and that when they damage their Apple watch. It's somehow worse when it comes to the watch. When people scratch their iPhones I never really heard much about it, probably because I wasn't browsing the forum much, but it just seems magnified with the watch.
But I agree with another post. I do find it odd that people are wanting this and that when they damage their Apple watch. It's somehow worse when it comes to the watch. When people scratch their iPhones I never really heard much about it, probably because I wasn't browsing the forum much, but it just seems magnified with the watch.
This^. The only reason I've ever bought a case for my phone. Something that is securely attached to my body should not need any type of extra security.
applecare+ and a screen protector, no case (i did consider one to use when mountain biking but after seeing in real life pics decided against it....)
granted i never considered a screen protector for any of the other watches... but on those the bezel protected the screen... on the apple watch it's raised and right there so i opted for a screen protector...
i bought the sport model since it's a first gen product....
granted i never considered a screen protector for any of the other watches... but on those the bezel protected the screen... on the apple watch it's raised and right there so i opted for a screen protector...
i bought the sport model since it's a first gen product....
i never understood that... but then.... i mainly wore a reactor brand that was thicker (and heavier) than my apple watch
Last edited:
^This.
I bought a clear bumper case for my 42mm SS off Amazon before I received my watch. Didn't put it on the watch for the first few days and then decided to give it a try. After having it on for one day i noticed some dust on the inside of the bumper case. Took off the case and found the dust had caused some light scratches to the SS. Luckily I was able to remove the scratches using some Mother's metal polish and it looks as good as new. Obviously not using the bumper case anymore. If it going to scratch it will happen the old fashioned way.
Absolutely agree with you. I'm astounded by the self-appointed fashion police on here. Who the heck cares what someone else does with their watch? I don't care if people case it, don't case it, paint it purple or knit it a cardigan. It's their watch and in the great scheme of things, the opinion of some random forum members is just preposterous posing. (To be clear, there have also been some sensible postings in this thread - as to the others - you know who you are)
To the OP who I think had a serious question - my decision is to wear my SS watch naked 99% of the time but I have purchased a Spigen rugged case so that I have it on hand if it ever feels sensible to wear it for some task or activity.
I have a theory... I suspect that most people buying an apple watch may not recently, or ever, have worn a wristwatch. Consumers have been abandoning wristwatches for the past couple decades. So, this product may be new to a lot of wearers. I bet that most of the recent damage posts were from people who were not previously wearing a watch.
All watch wearers, it does not matter how expensive the watch, are aware and subconsciously adjust their movements to protect it. New Apple Watch wearers may not be doing this.
All watch wearers, it does not matter how expensive the watch, are aware and subconsciously adjust their movements to protect it. New Apple Watch wearers may not be doing this.
All in the eye of the beholder. Having worn many different watches my whole life, the AW is among the thinner ones, and certainly the most sleek. It is thick and bulbous compared to some of the fitness bands, I suppose, but that is kind of a given.
----------
Excellent point. People also subconsciously adjust their habits to protect their iPhone, such as not sitting on it in a back pocket, or being mindful of leaving it somewhere.
Last edited:
I agree with you 100% - however...
Most of us are just expressing distain around the core concept of a "case" for your watch. The fact that it looks bad is just opinion. But would you expect cheers and support if you posted a pic or question about your new "case" for your Rolex in the Rolex forums?!?! It would stir confusion and strong opinions for sure.
I think some of you are overlooking the fact that the Apple watch is not the same as a traditional watch:
Traditional Watch:
- you buy a traditional watch with the understanding that you will most likely have it for decades (depending on the watch of course).
- Every nick, scratch and ding has sentimental value. Especially to your loved ones when you are gone and the watch becomes a keepsake.
Apple Watch:
- Has a lifetime of 5 years tops if you're lucky?
- Is a sterile product with very little sentimental value compared to Grandma's brooch or Grandpa's pocket watch.
A lot of us (including myself) will most likely turn around and sell our Apple watches in a few years to fund the purchase of a new one. It would be in our best interest if the watch wasn't banged up, nicked, or scratched.
Traditional Watch:
- you buy a traditional watch with the understanding that you will most likely have it for decades (depending on the watch of course).
- Every nick, scratch and ding has sentimental value. Especially to your loved ones when you are gone and the watch becomes a keepsake.
Apple Watch:
- Has a lifetime of 5 years tops if you're lucky?
- Is a sterile product with very little sentimental value compared to Grandma's brooch or Grandpa's pocket watch.
A lot of us (including myself) will most likely turn around and sell our Apple watches in a few years to fund the purchase of a new one. It would be in our best interest if the watch wasn't banged up, nicked, or scratched.
In light of all the threads about damaged Apple watches ...
I have AppleCare but will not buy a case and I wear the watch every where.
I wear it to the gym, golf course, around the house, and to work.
I have banged it on counters, corners, doors, and golf clubs and unlike with my iPhone, I was not the least bit worried.
The screen holds up great and the case shows signs of wear that I really like because it reminds me in getting use out of the device that I wear everyday. Will it resell for top dollar, probably not, but that was not one of my main concerns when I bought the device knowing it can be polished and cleaned.
That doesn't go to say you shouldn't buy a case of you really want. I do think the watch can handle a good beating though.
I have AppleCare but will not buy a case and I wear the watch every where.
I wear it to the gym, golf course, around the house, and to work.
I have banged it on counters, corners, doors, and golf clubs and unlike with my iPhone, I was not the least bit worried.
The screen holds up great and the case shows signs of wear that I really like because it reminds me in getting use out of the device that I wear everyday. Will it resell for top dollar, probably not, but that was not one of my main concerns when I bought the device knowing it can be polished and cleaned.
That doesn't go to say you shouldn't buy a case of you really want. I do think the watch can handle a good beating though.
Last edited:
You realise you don't have to quote the entire post, though? It has a link in it already.
To be fair, the current design does make it look a bit bulbous, much like the original iPhone and 3G/3GS. Apple will most certainly make future iterations less bulbous as they did with later generation iPhones. Until someone calls the Watch anorexic, it's most certainly not "thin enough," especially given Apple's obsession with thinness.
The best part about this entire discussion is that no one can be wrong. If you think you want a case then get one. If you think it's stupid, don't get one. Either way it's your own opinion.
Rubbish. This is just how some people end up dealing with it. The early nicks, scratches and dings are almost always a cause for <swearing, anger, upset, tears, tantrums, self blame, etc> until we learn:
- that they're just the inevitable consequences of wearing a watch, and
- to adapt our behaviour to hopefully reduce their future frequency and severity, whilst still enjoying our watches as they were designed to look.
Otherwise we'd all go around bashing our watches on purpose on every special occasion!
How is my post remotely snobby? I'm pointing out that people with expensive watches don't use cases, so people with inexpensive watches shouldn't need them either. If you're calling snobbery because I listed a couple of higher end (and certainly not the highest end) brands, you're missing the point.
Snobbery would be me saying that the brands I mentioned were somehow superior to an Apple watch. I didn't say that, and I wouldn't. I am an equal opportunity watch enthusiast. I wouldn't trade a solid gold Vacheron for my beloved 1986 Casio DW1000, unless I could sell the Vacheron and repurchase the exact same Casio.
The purpose of my post was not to tell people what to do (ok maybe a little). Moreover, it was to get people to think outside the "All Apple products need cases because Apple products!" mentality. If Apple launched a hammer, people would be complaining about scratching it and asking what case to buy. It's not a well thought out line of reasoning; it's a conditioned reaction.
Obviously people can and will do what they want. If people want to put solid gold rims on their rusty 1997 Toyota, that's their right. If they want to walk around with a rubber box surrounding their wristwatch, that's their prerogative. But people should understand that no one else who wears a watch has ever done this, and in doing so, it projects a false sense of preciousness that is quite laughable, and flies in the face of the concept of simplicity and elegance that made the watch attractive to the person covering it up in the first place.
Last edited:
What a great discussion! It will be interesting to see if a significant "Apple Watch Case" market materializes as with the iPhone, or not. I suspect Apple already thought about this, and that is why they have quite intentionally opened up schematics and recommendations for third party bands instead.
Perhaps someday we'll see a future version of Apple Watch Sport C with a selection of colorful resin over-molded case/bands for those who shy away from metal watch cases, whatever the reason.
I love the look of my 38mm Space Gray Sport with Black Sport Band. It's understated and minimalist. Personally, I would only apply a silicone/fluoroelastomer case if it had some sort of light adhesive to keep grit out.
I've used screen protectors before, but aside from blurring glare and offering a disposable layer in the case of scratching, they compromise everything else: clarity, oil resistance, touch response, and then you have an edge that catches dirt. I'm in no hurry to put one on my watch.
In my experience, trade-in/resale values of Apple devices remain decent enough regardless of normal wear-and-tear vs. pristine preservation. In the end the value seems to only change by about what you would have spent encasing the device, if even that. So, spend $50-100 on cases/protectors over the lifetime of the device, and reap $50-100 more on trade-in/resale for having not a single scratch on it. That's how I look at it.
Now, catastrophic damage that makes the device unusable, that's a different story. Depends if you want to try to prevent that, or just realize you will use AppleCare+ incidents or self-insure and replace as needed.
Perhaps someday we'll see a future version of Apple Watch Sport C with a selection of colorful resin over-molded case/bands for those who shy away from metal watch cases, whatever the reason.
I love the look of my 38mm Space Gray Sport with Black Sport Band. It's understated and minimalist. Personally, I would only apply a silicone/fluoroelastomer case if it had some sort of light adhesive to keep grit out.
I've used screen protectors before, but aside from blurring glare and offering a disposable layer in the case of scratching, they compromise everything else: clarity, oil resistance, touch response, and then you have an edge that catches dirt. I'm in no hurry to put one on my watch.
In my experience, trade-in/resale values of Apple devices remain decent enough regardless of normal wear-and-tear vs. pristine preservation. In the end the value seems to only change by about what you would have spent encasing the device, if even that. So, spend $50-100 on cases/protectors over the lifetime of the device, and reap $50-100 more on trade-in/resale for having not a single scratch on it. That's how I look at it.
Now, catastrophic damage that makes the device unusable, that's a different story. Depends if you want to try to prevent that, or just realize you will use AppleCare+ incidents or self-insure and replace as needed.
Exactly correct. Some people spend as much $$$ on multiple cases as they do on iDevices (particularly subsidized iPhones) and they'll never recoup the cost when they eventually sell them.
how is resin a better material than aluminium? both scuff. the difference is the mentality around here, thinking that because it's metal, not plastic, a scuff is not acceptable.
----------
watch snobbery not detected. he simply communicated what has happened in the past WRT watches - noone has ever cared to put cases on watches until this day