Is Stainless Steel Worth It?

[Jefe's MacAir]

I bought a series 0 in aluminum and then a SS model for my wife. I returned the aluminum and purchased the SS. I will continue to purchase SS, purchased a black SS Series 3 on Saturday, due to the sapphire screen. All high end watches will come with a sapphire screen, or should, due to it's extreme scratch resistance. Which is that much more important with a screen vs. a protective glass 'dome'.

 

[Traverse]

I had a S0 aluminum watch as I wasn’t willing to spend the premium on a generation 1 product. Once the Watch had distinguished itself as a product and I had found that I actually had a use for it I decided to spring for a S3 and went for Stainless steel.

For me personally, it was very with it. It’s a bit heavier, but looks more premium. I work in an office setting the SS is dressier. When I look at my old aluminum watch it looks more like a fitness watch than a regular watch. Also, I love the sapphire display as I scratched the Sport cover glass.

But the biggest pro is that it opens up a much better watch band selection. I love leather bands and don’t care for any of the 3rd party ones I bought. Now I can buy Apple’s as the stainless steel lugs won’t look “off.” I also have the Milanese loop. These are super nice bands and just didn’t match with the Sport watch.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

In two years from purchase when the battery is no longer worth keeping it, I will throw it in the trash.

Don't throw electronics in the trash, ever. Electronics doesn't belong in household trash. Turn it in for recycling, always.

Don't ask why, just do it. 🙂

Also, don't get rid of stuff that works. Donate it to someone who needs it more than you do.

 

[44267547]

Don't throw electronics in the trash, ever. Electronics doesn't belong in household trash. Turn it in for recycling, always..

Fairly confident That Member was being facetious and didn’t mean literally throw the Apple Watch ‘in the trash’, I think they meant it’s worthless to them when the battery is no longer good, which translates the watch is trash with a depleted battery. Two different things.

 

[0388631]

Do you have any skin conditions or known allergies? I don't know what quality of SS Apple use, but those with allergies towards nickel may find it uncomfortable over time. In which case, the ceramic would be a wise choice, since ceramic is inert for the most part.

 

[Brenster]

S0 42mm stainless steel user here. Started with an alu watch on launch day but soon upgraded to the SS with Milanese loop. I’ve loved the feel and ‘class’ of the SS over the alu, also looks better with my business suit for work. Will be upgrading with the next gen SS due to S0 not supporting watchOS 5.

Mainly use it for triaging notifications, fitness tracking for lunchtime walks with my audiobooks, volume/track changes with Phone music & audiobooks and exchanging sweet nothings with my wife.

My wife has been happy with her S0 38mm alu for the past three years and I’ve been happy with my SS. It’s kept it looks with minimal fine scoring etc.

 

[BarredOwl]

All my Apple watches have been (Series 0, Series 2), are (Series 3 Cellular) and will be stainless steel. The aluminum just won’t cut it for me.

 

[swarlos]

I never commented on the _black_ stainless, Only the regular. The reason you can’t polish the black stainless is due to the DLC coating.

And you don’t need to because the black casing doesn’t scratch it’s practically bullet proof.

To the OP: If you’re thinking about SS I’d go space black for sure. It’s so sleek and sexy!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I had the Series 0 aluminium AW from the summer after it came out. I upgraded to a series 3 last Christmas.

I was not careful with my aluminium watch at all. I wore it every day. I went running, travelled, did physical jobs and never took a moment's care with it. It has no noticeable blemishes after all that time.

I wore my aluminium watch at work with the milanese loop and used a sport's strap when working out.

When people saw me wear it with the milanese loop, almost everyone thought it was the SS version, including other Apple Watch owners and Apple fans.

To directly address the OP's question, the bottom line is this: The SS watch is shinier and heavier, but a lot more expensive. It does have slightly more durable materials, but for real life usage they are negligible unless you want to examine your Apple Watch under a microscope each day looking for potential flaws.

Whether it's worth it to you to get the SS version is really only something you can decide.

For my part, I always thought the SS looked better. I bought the aluminium version because it was cheaper, and at that stage this was a new product category and things were clearly going to change and improve in the coming years. I was right about that.

I upgraded to the S3 to get the GPS and to be able to use it in the water eg when swimming. And I absolutely love it. For my second Apple Watch, I went with the black Nike sport version, I didn't even consider getting the SS. I know that in a few years time there'll be a new and improved version that I'm likely to want. I see no reason to get a more expensive casing for what is essentially the same product.

But you must do what you think is right, of course.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

Whether it's worth it to you to get the SS version is really only something you can decide.

I've never been any kind of snob really, I bought the OG aluminium watch and have always been happy with that. However, recently having felt the ceramic back of the series 3 aluminium LTE watches, I know now that when I upgrade I must have the ceramic back, even though I would prefer aluminium over steel for the watch case itself I think, mainly due to weight. Hopefully, "series 4" watches will again offer alu case and ceramic back like with series 3.

The ceramic back in particular lends the alu watch a significant boost in premium 'feel'; an air of precision and quality that the plastic back just can't reach. It's like, a nice middle ground between the regular, non-LTE, plastic back alu watch, and the higher-end stainless steel version, and - if you want to be a positively thinking down-to-earth fellow as I like to be - as a bonus you get ion-x glass that is less prone to shattering, with better light permeability and lower reflectivity (ie higher contrast) compared to sapphire. Lower weight too, for those who care about that.

And the alu LTE watch's price is "only" ~70% of the stainless version. But of course, in the end it's completely up to each and every one of us how we feel. Not everyone prioritizes the same way as the next person. 🙂

 

[44267547]

I wore my aluminium watch at work with the milanese loop and used a sport's strap when working out. When people saw me wear it with the milanese loop, almost everyone thought it was the SS version, including other Apple Watch owners and Apple fans.

I Can see why some might misconstrue when you wear the Milanese loop with the aluminum watch, but skipping any false modesty, the anodized aluminum and 316 L stainless are _vastly_ different in terms of appearance. It’s not even close to being the same with the high shine with the 316L Stainless.

Sometimes I see others that will pair certain bands with aluminum and they don’t match with the metal, which makes it even stand more because of the different finishes with the anodized aluminum and stainless.

 

[Superjonbot]

As a person that doesn’t have an Apple Watch but loves watches in general, it’s something you’re going to look at every day a bunch of times a day, so get the one that looks best to you and makes you feel good.

The main reason I haven’t got one yet is that I’m still absolutely in love with on the daily with my obscure dumb watch, a Seiko SDGA001.

Hi, I hope you don't mind my asking this Newbie question.

I purchased an Apple Watch S3 in aluminum last week and while I am in the 14 day return window am trying to decide whether to keep it or buy the stainless steel model instead.

The big price bump is a negative. But, am I right that the stainless steel model provides more protection? I am concerned, even with AppleCare+, about scratches and other possible damage to the watch. I plan to wear it all day (including dealing with a young and exuberant puppy and going to the gym), so it is not like I will be operating heavy machinery but I will still be active.

On the other hand I don't have a large wrist and gather the steel one is heavier.

Have any of your owned both models and have you detected a difference in durability etc?

Thanks in advance!

 

[strategicthinke]

Stainless Steel simply looks way too good.