Second thoughts about Aluminum...

[Bazooka-joe]

I use the sports band with my SB SS.

Don’t think the sports loop would fare any worse.

That looks sharp. Just setting up my new phone before i start on my Space Black. I might try it with the stone silicone band that i had with my S3 Ceramic

 

[FFR]

That looks sharp. Just setting up my new phone before i start on my Space Black. I might try it with the stone silicone band that i had with my S3 Ceramic

Good eye, the band from the ceramic goes well with the black ss.

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

My issue with going from SS to AL is not the material per se, but the colour.
I went and played with a new S4 this afternoon and the AL is almost white in colour.
Very few of my bands (and none of my band connectors/lugs) would work with AL.
It’s a shame because we can’t get the SS here in NZ due to not having the cellular version available here.

 

[mavis]

Are you talking about the glass? Because you won't see a scratch on the SS glass.

That may have been the case in the past, but not now. My 9 month old S3 SS has multiple scratches (tiny/short but DEEP) whereas my S0 was pristine after 2.5 years. I haven't banged the watch, nor has it been in sandy/dirty environments. The sapphire on the S3 isn't nearly as impressive as it was on the S0, in my personal experience.

 

[vito]

My original Series 0 space gray is still pristine. Wear it everyday and definitely whacked it enough to expect a scratch or two.

I’m still intrigued by the stainless and if the resale/trade in was better than the aluminum at least it might be justifiable for me but it’s just so much money to depreciate after purchase.

Same reason I went with the Aluminium SG, couldn’t justify the cost of the SS knowing trade in value isn’t great.

 

[44267547]

That may have been the case in the past, but not now. My 9 month old S3 SS has multiple scratches (tiny/short but DEEP) whereas my S0 was pristine after 2.5 years. I haven't banged the watch, nor has it been in sandy/dirty environments. The sapphire on the S3 isn't nearly as impressive as it was on the S0, in my personal experience.

Or, the oleophobic coating was actually scratched. I can say I have owned all the stainless watches and none of them have any scratches at all, and they were worn quite frequently. But it really depends what the sapphire display comes in contact with that would cause the scratching to begin with.

 

[dtlee1974]

I know sapphire is very unlikely to get scratches but when you see people talk about scratches on the SS AW, it raises a flag.

I own a couple of higher end watches and I never have to worry about them getting scratches nor I don’t recall people over at rolexforum saying their watch got scratches

I have a Rolex that my rich uncle bought my father back in 1974 (SS Oyster Perpetual Date.) I used to wear it a lot and it indeed will scratch on the body but they are easy to buff out, much like the AW SS. The crystal on the other hand is a mess. It is plastic because of the magnifying bubble and will scratch if you look at it wrong.

 

[mavis]

Or, the oleophobic coating was actually scratched. I can say I have owned all the stainless watches and none of them have any scratches at all, and they were worn quite frequently. But it really depends what the sapphire display comes in contact with that would cause the scratching to begin with.

These scratches are deep enough to feel with a fingernail. Assuming the oleophobic coating is only a few microns thick, there's no way it would scratch THAT deep.

 

[44267547]

These scratches are deep enough to feel with a fingernail. Assuming the oleophobic coating is only a few microns thick, there's no way it would scratch THAT deep.

But I don’t understand your point that the Sapphire on the Series 3 isn’t nearly as ‘impressive’ as the first generation, because I never had that issue with the Series 3, I’m not saying that that it can’t scratch, but I’m not seeing how they changed the sapphire terms of the materials used for the display to be any less susceptible to damage. Point is, we can’t assume and we don’t know that they changed anything with the Sapphire display composition.

 

[mavis]

But I don’t understand your point that the Sapphire on the Series 3 isn’t nearly as ‘impressive’ as the first generation, because I never had that issue with the Series 3, I’m not saying that that it can’t scratch, but I’m not seeing how they changed the sapphire terms of the materials used for the display to be any less susceptible to damage. Point is, we can’t assume and we don’t know that they changed anything with the Sapphire display composition.

I've read that the sapphire Apple uses isn't as scratch resistant as other watch makers' sapphire - whether that's true or not, I don't know. All I' have to go on is my own experience, based on 2.5 years of wearing an S0 every day and 9 months of wearing an S3 every day. The S0 was absolutely PERFECT when I sold it, but the S3 has three very tiny but very deep scratches. My usage patterns have not changed, in fact I've put the S3 through a lot less than the S0 (I took the S0 snorkeling in the Pacific several times, which included time on the beach - with sand, obviously - not the best place to be wearing a watch) ...

I'm not accusing Apple of anything (and I'm waiting on my S4 SS to be delivered!) - I'm just saying that in my experience, the S3's sapphire has been far less durable than the S0's was.

 

[mjr1000]

View attachment 785517
I did...and love it....my go to combo - almost never change it. Series 2 SB SS

I'm annoyed by how nice this looks.

 

[Nell]

I’m skipping the S4 but my S0 silver aluminium is still in pretty good nick as is my S3 SS. Not sure what I’ll get next; I’m quite enjoying the SS and it works with lots of straps but so does the aluminium one (I much prefer the Milanese loop with the aluminium watch but I know many here see things differently); I think for S5 or whenever I upgrade I may go back to aluminium.

My main gripe with the SS watch is that the display constantly seems to need cleaning (it looks greasy and the glass on the aluminium watch makes the display brighter anyway).

 

[iBought]

It’s not that hard to scratch those plastic screens. Swinging your arm in a building with brick walls is DANGEROUS. See this aluminum watch that I had. The obsessive compulsives on MacRumors love to say how their plastic watch screens have no damage after 3 years but one look at eBay at used aluminum watches and you see that most get scratched up.

If you’ve never owned a Sapphire screened Apple Watch you may not be so upset when you get that first scratch. But if you’re a former Sapphire screen owner, you’re gonna flip out and think “What the heck is THAT?!”.

I dont think you understand what obsessive compulsive actually means.

 

[DSTOFEL]

I'm annoyed by how nice this looks.

Ha! I’m annoyed that Apple is no longer offering this color (just came out Fall 2017). I’ve worn it for just about everything (golf, running, everyday casual)....could use a “fresh” one. Should have bought two!!

 

[Woodcrest64]

I love the look of the stainless black but that is my concern is with the scratching. The safest bet in my opinion is to get the regular stainless steel and just polish it if it gets scratched. You can't do that with any other model I believe.

All the scratches on the watches are basically anecdotal evidence. I thought DLC coating on SBSS would pretty good protection from scratches but I found these two scratches on the side. I never drop it or even remember banging into anything. Screen is perfect though.

 

[JT2002TJ]

I have a Rolex that my rich uncle bought my father back in 1974 (SS Oyster Perpetual Date.) I used to wear it a lot and it indeed will scratch on the body but they are easy to buff out, much like the AW SS. The crystal on the other hand is a mess. It is plastic because of the magnifying bubble and will scratch if you look at it wrong.

When you feel like replacing it, you can replace the plastic lens with a Sapphire crystal. Even the cyclops is made from Sapphire, and the AR coating is only below the main crystal where the cyclops looks through. This gives the nice "Black Hole Effect" and the full strength of crystal.
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I have a Rolex that my rich uncle bought my father back in 1974 (SS Oyster Perpetual Date.) I used to wear it a lot and it indeed will scratch on the body but they are easy to buff out, much like the AW SS. The crystal on the other hand is a mess. It is plastic because of the magnifying bubble and will scratch if you look at it wrong.

When you feel like replacing it, you can replace the plastic lens with a Sapphire crystal. Even the cyclops is made from Sapphire, and the AR coating is only below the main crystal where the cyclops looks through. This gives the nice "Black Hole Effect" and the full strength of crystal.

 

[bnekic]

This is my first time with SS on my Apple Watch 4, I will never go back to aluminum. It feels and looks so much more premium and the sapphire display is a must have. No matter how careful I was with my aluminum models the display would always get scratched.

 

[barjam]

I've read that the sapphire Apple uses isn't as scratch resistant as other watch makers' sapphire - whether that's true or not, I don't know. All I' have to go on is my own experience, based on 2.5 years of wearing an S0 every day and 9 months of wearing an S3 every day. The S0 was absolutely PERFECT when I sold it, but the S3 has three very tiny but very deep scratches. My usage patterns have not changed, in fact I've put the S3 through a lot less than the S0 (I took the S0 snorkeling in the Pacific several times, which included time on the beach - with sand, obviously - not the best place to be wearing a watch) ...

I'm not accusing Apple of anything (and I'm waiting on my S4 SS to be delivered!) - I'm just saying that in my experience, the S3's sapphire has been far less durable than the S0's was.

In my experience my S3 was every bit as scratch resistant as my S0. I have absolutely abused both of them and they are still pristine.

 

[mavis]

In my experience my S3 was every bit as scratch resistant as my S0. I have absolutely abused both of them and they are still pristine.

That's awesome. I don't know WTH happened to mine - it's never been banged around, never hit anything hard, never been in sand/etc, yet it has four tiny but deep scratches on the bottom (running vertically) and one scratch (again, tiny but deep) at the top, running horizontally.

 

[1136629]

I am all for the SS models. Bought an Aluminum model when I first got an Apple Watch (Series 2) and within a few days knew I had to return it for a SS. The Aluminum model to me felt light and cheap whereas the SS model has some weight and feels very premium. It's also super durable. Both my Series 2 and Series 3 SS watches have ZERO marks on them. The Series 2 is Regular SS and I've buffed out all micro scratches and the Series 3 is Space Black - the DLC coating they use is incredibly durable. Not one mark anywhere.

The Aluminum could dent and any scratches are scratches for life. Also the screen is not sapphire glass like the SS glass is.

Get SS!

 

[mavis]

Actually I just noticed several other tiny scratches on my sapphire. These are tiny, like the others, but they're not deep, which is nice. They're really small - basically unnoticeable unless you're in the right light and really looking for them.

Still, I work in an office and my watch has never been banged around. And it's less than a year old!!




The one in the top left is deep, but I think I already posted that one. Sorry. The ones on the bottom are new (just noticed them today) ...

 

[Renjo2007]

Yes the SBSS is the Space black stainless steel which has the DLC coating which the regular silver SS doesn’t have. Huge difference between the 2 and 1 of a few reasons I’m going with SBSS.

I think saw a post here that SBSS can still be scratched or chip

 

[1136629]

I think saw a post here that SBSS can still be scratched or chip

I’ve worn mine daily with no casing or screen protector of any sort and there is not one single mark on it. Search the forums, there are many posts about how incredibly durable the SB is. Not saying it’s 100 percent, but it would take quite a bit to mark it up. You could sit mine beside a brand new one and not be able to tell the difference. And, I’ve jogged, swam, hiked and camped with mine on. It’s been through a lot of adventure.

 

[cwanja]

I think saw a post here that SBSS can still be scratched or chip

Yes, it can still be scratched. It is just a lot less prone to scratches. But not impossible.

 

[Renjo2007]

The stainless steel was sold out by the time I got my credit card info entered so I bought an aluminum. I also had regrets and ended up ordering a stainless steel watch the next day. Even if I have to wait for it, the sapphire screen that remains perfect is worth it.

Here’s my 3-year old Gen 1 Apple Watch after a good cleaning last week.

Looks new. Have you buff it before?
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d

Damn, this is good to know thanks, since i never wear watches and i am also in IT, often under tables and in server rooms digging with my arms, i better get the SS version i guess. because i will ding it into people and stuff because i am not used to wearing a watch.

Thanks!

Edit: just looked at the pricing again 200 dollar extra, i cant justify that as i was planning to give this watch to my son next year and get the newest one, so within 3/4 years i have my wife and 2 kids their own apple watch so we all can use walky talky and gps for kids tracking.

That's awesome. I don't know WTH happened to mine - it's never been banged around, never hit anything hard, never been in sand/etc, yet it has four tiny but deep scratches on the bottom (running vertically) and one scratch (again, tiny but deep) at the top, running horizontally.


View attachment 786696


View attachment 786697

hi mavis. Maybe the screen of your ss s3 has manufacturers defect OR maybe it got scratched from your stainless steel band.
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I’ve worn mine daily with no casing or screen protector of any sort and there is not one single mark on it. Search the forums, there are many posts about how incredibly durable the SB is. Not saying it’s 100 percent, but it would take quite a bit to mark it up. You could sit mine beside a brand new one and not be able to tell the difference. And, I’ve jogged, swam, hiked and camped with mine on. It’s been through a lot of adventure.

No need to search the forums as I have read many posts and videos already.that’s why I said SBSS “can still” be scratched.