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Sport Band **QUALITY** Wear issue

So....my wife bought me a nice leather belt for my birthday last month. I wore it the day I got it. At the end of the night when I took off the belt there was already "wear" from where the metal belt clasp looped over and contacted the leather.

As I've worn belts before, this was expected to me...

Is the sport band any different?
 
Completely agree about wear and what is expected.......but here is the issue I have......

I use a grey silicon case from apple day in and day out...and trust me it gets some abuse....but yet there are no signs of the finish coming off...I completely get rubber straps.....I have one on my Breitling I used to wear every day until I received the AW....but never got any of the top surface rubbing off on contact points....shine creation and general wear mark yes....but never surface degradation....

I will be going to Apple Covent Garden today to see what they say....I will update on their answer when I have been...
 
foxkoneko said:
you've bought into the apple marketing, honestly this sports band is hardly premium.
Want prem? buy an actual prem band not the cheap $50 one :rolleyes:
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I never said that Apple is marketing the sports band as a premium product, but Apple itself claims to be a premium brand. I certainly don't expect a sports band to look as good or be as durable as one of their pricier bands, but it seriously shouldn't look like this after a few hours of usage. Even if this was a 10$ - it is not normal for a product to wear off like this after one day. Especially if you have quality requirements like Apple does.
 
fullfast said:
Completely agree about wear and what is expected.......but here is the issue I have......

I use a grey silicon case from apple day in and day out...and trust me it gets some abuse....but yet there are no signs of the finish coming off...I completely get rubber straps.....I have one on my Breitling I used to wear every day until I received the AW....but never got any of the top surface rubbing off on contact points....shine creation and general wear mark yes....but never surface degradation....

I will be going to Apple Covent Garden today to see what they say....I will update on their answer when I have been...
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**UPDATE** Well went to Apple CG at lunch and with no hesitation they have ordered me a new one......cant complain at that.....will keep the new one so when this goes BAD I will then change it over...
 
I said this in another post, if they are replacing the bands , it's not normal wear marks. Why people don't understand that? You can't excuse Apple for this if they think that this is not normal .Lol
of course, not all cases are equal, but in this forum a few people are getting a new band from Apple
 
People act like we are defending puppy stomping. No, finishes peeling off are NOT what I and others are saying is "normal". My watch and watches experiencing shine marks at contact points are experiencing normal wear which, yes, will show after a day's wear. This type of wear should not progress into further degradation of the finish.

Finishes peeling off, i.e. normal shine marks "evolving their degradation" into a disintegration by becoming layers of polymer dust or flakes is NOT normal.

The problem is that when someone reports a problem, in the absence of a photograph, it's not easy to determine which type of wear someone is reporting. Going on a verbal description only, it can be hard to determine exactly what is meant by the watch losing its matte finish.

Losing it to a slight shine look is normal. It should stop right there and not progress. Seven days later, seven weeks later and seven months later it should still be a mere shine mark.

I repeat, the shine mark degrading to peeling spots, or spots where layers are turning to a fine residue this early in our band ownership is definitely NOT normal and nobody is defending that.

It would be helpful to the community if people experiencing the peeling and erosion of their bands report whether or not they have the Space Gray Aluminum Sport. So far as I know, earlier reports of true premature band degredation were confined to that model.
 
Relax, you're simply ignorant to normal wear issues and clearly do not own many watches. Even with my real rubber bands on dive watches (multiple times the price of the sport band), friction wear shows up very quickly... in spots you never see.

Where a leather band enters a buckle also wears quite readily.

Please, relax.

zmunkz said:
I can believe all the people defending this. Even a ****** product should not wear in 1 day! This seems crazy to me under normal use.
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starbot said:
Relax, you're simply ignorant to normal wear issues and clearly do not own many watches. Even with my real rubber bands on dive watches (multiple times the price of the sport band), friction wear shows up very quickly... in spots you never see.

Where a leather band enters a buckle also wears quite readily.

Please, relax.
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You are right, all of my watches are various metal bands, no leather or rubber-based. It blows my mind though... So you are saying after a few hours use it wears down? Does that wear continue, or does it plateau?
 
Nope it doesn't really remove material, just leaves that initial mark, and often if I adjust the band you'll get the marks in other places where they begin to contact.

As it's really only where the bands meet eachother, the wear is almost always hidden from sight.

Best!

zmunkz said:
You are right, all of my watches are various metal bands, no leather or rubber-based. It blows my mind though... So you are saying after a few hours use it wears down? Does that wear continue, or does it plateau?
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Defender2010 said:
Please let us know how the new one stands up please.
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Well, good news/bad news.

My replacement black band started the darker marks again recently, and shortly afterwards around the pin it started peeling. I made an appointment at the Apple Store for another issue, and showed them what was happening. The genius looked at it, tried wiping it with a microfiber cloth and saw how the finish was peeling. She agreed it wasn't normal (same as the first time) and ordered a replacement to the store for me.

I suppose it's fine as long as they eventually figure out why this happens/fixes the manufacturing of them, and agree to replace the band if it continues happening. I'm just nervous eventually they will stop saying they'll replace it when it takes ~ 1 month for them to start peeling, and then I'll be stuck with it…
 
The black band seems to show the wear the worst but after weeks of it, it doesn't look all that bad compared to my pink.
 
I've had my space gray sport with black sports band since May 14th (well over a month). I've worn it all day, every day, and sleep with it charge permitting. No signs of wear whatsoever.
 
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Haxley said:
I've had my space gray sport with black sports band since May 14th (well over a month). I've worn it all day, every day, and sleep with it charge permitting. No signs of wear whatsoever.
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Then it's clear that not every black sport band they made had problems. In fact, only one of the pieces of my band was affected by the peeling issue. After about six hours of wearing it the very first time, the matte finish on the surface was rubbing off. Apple replaced mine after they examined it. As always, I was very happy, if not delighted, with how Apple handled my issue.
 
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You're not alone... I had posted a thread about my stone leather loop discoloring after only 6 days. Now, my blue one is doing the same. It took about 1½ weeks before it started to become noticeable and it only happens in 2 places. Where the band connects to the watch and on the tip of the band, where you grab it to wrap around your wrist. It starts to turn a yellowish color, which is more distinguishable in person. I've tried cleaning it with saddle soap a few times, which didn't do hardly anything. The only thing I can attribute to the discoloration is sweat/oil (no, I don't wear my watch while exercising) from my hands.

I really didn't expect it to develop this amount of "patina" in under a month. I thought that Apple would've treated the leather with even a very light coat of protectant. I mean, you are wearing the band on your wrist, in the middle of summer.

image.jpg
 
Jack426 said:
You're not alone... I had posted a thread about my stone leather loop discoloring after only 6 days. Now, my blue one is doing the same. It took about 1½ weeks before it started to become noticeable and it only happens in 2 places. Where the band connects to the watch and on the tip of the band, where you grab it to wrap around your wrist. It starts to turn a yellowish color, which is more distinguishable in person. I've tried cleaning it with saddle soap a few times, which didn't do hardly anything. The only thing I can attribute to the discoloration is sweat/oil (no, I don't wear my watch while exercising) from my hands.

I really didn't expect it to develop this amount of "patina" in under a month. I thought that Apple would've treated the leather with even a very light coat of protectant. I mean, you are wearing the band on your wrist, in the middle of summer.

View attachment 564223
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Dang. Makes me reconsider getting a leather loop now...
 
nathanalf said:
Dang. Makes me reconsider getting a leather loop now...
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I love the loop, don't get me wrong. But, if your hands sweat or are oily, just be cautious.

I still don't understand though, my hands don't sweat (or, at least I don't feel like) anymore than my wrist gets sweaty under the watch. Yet, where the band is in constant contact with my wrist, still looks nice and blue.

I haven't worn my replacement stone loop yet, trying to figure out what I want to do. Do I try to protect it with something, or do I just wear it and let it be? Maybe I'll just leave it in the box and appreciate it from there. o_O :D
 
It is normal for it to show some wear (i.e. matte finish rubbing off) with that band the rubber is rubbing against itself all day so yeah.... that will happen. BUT peeling is not normal, I wasn't a huge fan of my BSB/the way its started to look so I picked up a Blue Leather Loop and LOVE it!
 
I read in the marketing materials that the Apple is infusing unobtainium into the bands. This is supposed to make them impervious to all forms of wear. That is why a normally $5 rubber band is $50. I sympathize with everyone's disappointment.
 
Well heres my sports band

I called apple care and they said they will send me a replacement put a hold on my card to send this one back to them or walk into a apple store...

I haven't got time for any of those so ill leave it
 

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syphern said:
Well heres my sports band

I called apple care and they said they will send me a replacement put a hold on my card to send this one back to them or walk into a apple store...

I haven't got time for any of those so ill leave it
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That is 100% normal, and should be expected
 
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syphern said:
Not really some of these guys are getting band sent out without sending their old ones in...
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I think maclemat was talking about the marks. Those marks are to be expected and as far as I know will not be replaced solely for this. It's when those marks progress even further and the top clear coat starts to 'peel' away that they usually agree to replace it. I'll take a picture of what I saw on mine when I get home.

P.S. You're correct about the shipping. The two times I've had it replaced they do not ask for the 'defective' band back, and just send a new one.
 
1finite said:
If the OP is talking about the little spot of wear that happens where the band rubs against itself, it's normal. Rubber does that under friction, even on expensive dive watches. It also happens on the side that tucks under.

If the band is peeling, that's an actual defect and Apple will give you a replacement.

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Quoted for truth.
 
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