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Second thoughts about Aluminum...

Renjo2007 said:
Looks new. Have you buff it before?

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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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Thanks for the comment/suggestion. The stainless steel link band isn't actually flexible enough to bend upwards high enough to contact the display, though. And one of the deep scratches is horizontal (whereas a scratch from a band would, I'd imagine, run vertically) ...


I wonder if Apple would actually replace it for having such weak sapphire, though? At the end of the day, it's just cosmetic damage, so I'm thinking they wouldn't help me. I guess I can try it, after getting my S4 (also SS, lol) whenever it arrives. I ordered it about twenty minutes late (after pre-orders started) so I've got a 2-3 week wait, still ... :(
 
mavis said:
Thanks for the comment/suggestion. The stainless steel link band isn't actually flexible enough to bend upwards high enough to contact the display, though. And one of the deep scratches is horizontal (whereas a scratch from a band would, I'd imagine, run vertically) ...


I wonder if Apple would actually replace it for having such weak sapphire, though? At the end of the day, it's just cosmetic damage, so I'm thinking they wouldn't help me. I guess I can try it, after getting my S4 (also SS, lol) whenever it arrives. I ordered it about twenty minutes late (after pre-orders started) so I've got a 2-3 week wait, still ... :(
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You can try and Apple might replace it.
 
cwanja said:
Have AppleCare+? $69 bucks to replace the unit. If you have not already used the two replacements.
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No AppleCare+ (got it on my S4 - didn't realize I hadn't gotten it for the S3) but since AC+ doesn't cover cosmetic damage, it wouldn't really help anyway.
 
Fireproof! said:
Holy cow, @jnick - I can’t imagine beating up on my watch like that, just working in IT.

As I mentioned above - I workout with mine, swim with it, even did soccer practice with it to monitor calorie burn, etc. I basically have warn it non-stop.

Here it is - got it the day Series 2 were released:

76731_BEA-9259-4229-_BF1_B-6912_B07_DC998.jpg
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Is that a third-party band?
 
dtlee1974 said:
I've had a Black SS series 0 for over three years now. Aside from wiping some grime off now and then it looks like the day I bought it. At the time of the pre-order I figured I'd save a few bucks and get the Aluminum. Since then, I've seen a friend's aluminum S0 up close and its a wreck. It actually seems to have corrosion around the speaker ports and lots of scratches.

What would be my best bet for finding a Black Stainless 44mm in stock to exchange my Aluminum that arrives Friday for? I can't queue up on Friday morning. I do work about 3 blocks from an apple store and drive by a second much larger one (Mall of America) so is there a stock reporting website that actually works? I could wait for one to pop up and go swap it out sometime in the first two weeks. Or should I just order one now?
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I'm in the same boat as you. I was super excited just to find one yesterday about 20 miles at one of the Apple stores (quite a few Apple stores near me in Philly, the closest about 4 miles away. At 9:30am showed ALL of stores near me had stock, but that quickly sold out after I got at my nearby Apple at 10:10am, as did the rest of the stores except a location just west of Philly city limits)

I thought it would take weeks, a month to snatch one up..but iStockNow, mentioned already IS A great site. ANYWAY. I did settle for the Space Gray Aluminum, the same SG color as my old Series 1 Sport. I still have my Series 1 Black Stainless Steel in amazing condition, no wear and tear with it.

This new watch is great, but now...I'm sitting here thinking "I wish I got the Silver Stainless Steel" - just something different and from the photos I've been seeing on here, its just extremely nice! My Sport was in great condition, but there was always a slight fear of dinging, scratching it up.

I know the SS comes in Cellular only..I really dont need that to be honest and you dont have to activate it.

So my thinking is - I have 13 days to exchange it for a SS model - I am pretty hopeful at least one of the stores around here will have that Stainless Steel in stock by October 6. I HOPE the one nearest to me has it by then..if so I'll exchange and upgrade. :)
 
My original S0 Watch was SSSG. Never had any issues with either the stainless scratching or the screen getting scratched. I'm an electrician, so my watch see's its fair share of being banged around. Skipped the S1 watches since the original was so expensive and didn't see a need to upgrade. When the S2 came out, I decided to try the aluminum space grey Nike version. Again, saw its fair share of being banged around, gym use 6-7 days a week, coaching baseball, etc. Not a single chip, scratch, etc on the watch. And what I REALLY liked was how much lighter the aluminum was compared to the SS. Friday I upgraded to the aluminum space grey 44mm S4. Couldn't be happier.
 
I’m 2 days now with the 44mm Aluminum after having the S0 SS and S2 SBSS, and I love this new watch. I love the lighter weight. We’ll see how it holds up. My S2 SBSS held up almost perfectly. I had no scratches on the case or glass, but I did get some hard water stains that I could never remove. You only saw them in certain light and when the screen was off, but still bugged me. My S0 SS got scratches on the case, but the glass was flawless.

This new watch will have Apple Care plus, so worst case, I pay $69 to fix up to 2x. I’m still way ahead in cost vs. the SS S4... so I see this as a win.
 
As much as I love the SB SS which I’ve owned two the S0 & S3. Both which held up nicely and still looked new before trading them in. I went with the aluminum model for the S4. I hate screen protectors but being a watch and knowing the unintentional hell they go through. I ordered the Armorsuit screen protector to throw on it, mostly cause of my dog. I figure I’ll keep getting the aluminum version until the Watch reaches that peak where the upgrades aren’t so substantial year over year.
 
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Had a Nike S3 for a long time and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Gold SS would not be denied this time around as it is the most amazing looking AW to date imo and good lord its a different world in so many ways then my Nike.
 
I just couldn’t justify getting the SS model for two simple reasons. $100 more was doable, but not 200. And the apple watch gets updated so fast. It boggles my mind how some people paid for that original gold model apple watch thats now so outdated in such a relatively short time. But i’m just frugal. I would totally get the ss model if I got my money up.
 
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I just helped my wife set up our 42 mm Space Gray aluminum Series 0. If you ignore the many tiny scratches on the composite base, it really does look like a new watch. She's even using the original black sport band, which neither my son nor I ever used. (With the Series 4 aluminum having a ceramic base, you might not even have that sign of wear.)
 
Pez555 said:
I just can’t see how anyone wouldn’t want the sapphire screen.
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It’s not the Sapphire display they wouldn’t want, it’s probably the price point influx that they’re not interested in paying _just_ for the sapphire display and stainless casing, especially if they don’t care or understand the Sapphire characteristics.
 
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jnick said:
I have to chime in here and will try and post some pictures later. I have a Series 0 Aluminum space gray watch. I got it on release day in 2015. A co-worker of mine told me to go with the SS strictly due to the sapphire glass but I simply couldn't justify the cost.

Fast forward to today - I don't know if I would ever buy another aluminum watch again. I can live with the casing getting scratched as 'wear and tear' however, the glass on my watch is pretty much destroyed with scratches. Inside, I notice it...but I can live with it. However, go outside, in the sun...good luck seeing anything on the screen.

For the simple fact that the SS models have sapphire glass alone - I'm going SS. I keep second guessing myself about swallowing the cost of the SS model but then I look down at my Ion-X glass and know I will have zero regrets.

Side note: I work in IT. My day-to-day is not very rugged or demanding (ex: construction). My first scratch happed while at an aquarium. From there, I began losing count.

[EDIT: Pic posted - And there are still others that i couldn't get to show up in one shot via one angle]

gVeZC6w.jpg
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Holy crap! Are using it as a hockey puck? :p
 
I have a series 2 SS and I purchased it with the Milanese band. Seems like it was $700, $100 extra for that band. Thats a lot of money for a watch that you may want to update every 2 or 3 years. I can see spending that kind of money on a good normal watch that you can hand down to generations.

If I upgrade again it will be the cheapest model.
 
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Pez555 said:
I just can’t see how anyone wouldn’t want the sapphire screen.
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I would have loved the sapphire screen and in fact I originally ordered the SS but after thinking about it I couldn't justify it. I didn't want the cellular and I wasn't thrill about the sport band choice. And we all understand that the cellular doesn't have to be turned on but you are still paying for that add on. Also, I seem to be updating every year so it just doesn't make sense to spend the extra dollars. Yeah, the screen might be more susceptible to scratches but a cheap screen protector will keep it pristine.
 
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Pez555 said:
I just can’t see how anyone wouldn’t want the sapphire screen.
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I'm sure we'd all prefer the sapphire screen, but the slight benefit is not worth the cost difference. And I believe it is a slight benefit. I and an active teenage boy have failed to scratch two aluminum Apple Watches in a cumulative 5 years of use (with no screen protectors). (Plus the weight of the stainless is definitely a negative.)
 
Getting the wife the aluminum watch. Any idea on a good s4 screen protector

I am waiting on my SB SS to come in and I normally don’t put one on because of the better glass. So not sure about the Icon glass.
 
jhfenton said:
I'm sure we'd all prefer the sapphire screen, but the slight benefit is not worth the cost difference. And I believe it is a slight benefit. I and an active teenage boy have failed to scratch two aluminum Apple Watches in a cumulative 5 years of use (with no screen protectors). (Plus the weight of the stainless is definitely a negative.)
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It sure is to some of us.

Sapphire glass way more resistant to scratches and doesn’t require any screen protection to protect it.

Stainless Steel design more durable and resistant to dents and or scratches.

Crown & button feels more premium.

Watch looks classy, find the aluminum model looks and feels cheap. Kind of like a toy.

To each their own, to me the SS model is a no brainer and worth every single penny more that it costs.

I don’t have to baby my SS Series 3 at all. If I bang it on the table, counter, on the way out the door or even against a tree or other objects - no problem. With the aluminum that may very well be a problem It is fine if you baby it or get super lucky but the screen is easily scratched and the body is not nearly as durable in terms of real life scenarios. I know 5 people with aluminum models, one looks brand new and the other 4 show clear signs of use. I’ve yet to see a SS model that doesn’t look brand new. Especially the Space Black. Super super durable. The regular SS can be buffed so any superficial or micro scratches are no problem.

Get the SS! It’s worth the extra coin. Especially if you plan to keep it a few years and even if you plan to sell it - the resale values in private sales online are very good. At least in Canada.
 
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To me, it is simply a matter of weight. I consider my Apple Watch, primarily, to be a fitness tool. I have owned the S0 and S1 in SS and then I switched to aluminum for the S3 and now the S4. It is just much lighter and more comfortable when I am active. I have never scratched the cases or the screens of any of my previous watches and I don't expect that trend to change anytime soon.
 
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What’s the cost for Aluminum plus apple care +

You get 2 replacements including deep scratches over 2 years

Not positive but it’s a thought.

I purchased AppleCare plus on my SS 2. Never used it and it just expired.

I just checked my 2 year old watch. $125 apple trade in. As well as apple care +. $79.

Your far better going aluminum plus apple + then SS. Unless dollars does not matter and you get what you want.
 
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