[POLL] Space Black Stainless Steel Owners: Is your Watch or Link Bracelet scratching?

[anthonylambert]

+1000. Especially on both of the points I marked in bold. (I own a black car and got tired of washing and waxing it monthly )

Complaints like these are why I posted a poll asking how many AW owners are also regular wristwatch wearers. Last I checked, around a third of the respondents are not.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-many-apple-watch-owners-already-wear-watches.1945688/

Coatings are just a thin layer, after all. I've not yet seen a coating which was totally wear-proof. If someone wants a watch case and bracelet which doesn't show scratches, the best bets right now are hardened tool steel, tungsten, and ceramic, along with a few other specially-treated metals. But coated stainless steel? DLC or PVD or whatever, you can bet it'll wear off somehow.

Now, whether you like the "patina" or not is up to you.

I agree long term.... but not within a few months. Usually for example if you buy a cheap gold plated watch the gold may wear off quicker than an expensive one. If your expensive gold plate (watch) wore off in less than a year you would want to return it no? this was a £1000+ purchase....

 

[Newtons Apple]

Anything worn daily will take wear. No avoiding it hitting something sooner or later. My DLC coating on the band started to wear off on the edges wishing the first month.

 

[Phima256]

Yikes, within the first month?

I was considering a purchase of the black link. Tried third party bands and, while they look almost identical, they are really stiff and uncomfortable (when taking most of the links out). But is it worth $549 over, say, $90.

Contacted Apple and they said they don't cover bands with Apple Care, which makes sense, but not for a product that's $549.

For such a pricey product, I guess seeing wear within a month makes it harder to justify.

 

[BarracksSi]

How's the durability of the finish on the other black-coated watches you've owned?

 

[Phima256]

Some are absolutely horrible. Many third party watch bands I've tried already come scratched. However, I have had two that have really held up and are fairly scratch resistant.

This one is inexpensive, but it's really durable and scratch resistant. It's an alternative look to the AW Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019LPARI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This one by OULUOQI I like most of all because it's almost identical to the Apple link bracelet. It's actually been quite scratch resistant as well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CHYHD2E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[slvrscoobie]

Wow those knock off bands have come a lonnnnnng way in the year since it was released!!