SS Space Black - how does it hold up?

[BlueMoon63]

I accidentally mentioned this in another thread earlier, but check out the Hirsch Performance series straps (with a 3rd party strap adapter.) I wear the Hirsch "James" all of the time, and it performs like rubber, but looks like leather. It's a great strap.

Better yet, avoid that high cost Hirsch bands and go to ClockWorkSynergy and check out there bands for $15 that combine leather and nylon or simply nylon. They have the quick change lugs as well. I like these bands for working out when you sweat heavily because the Apple Sport band starts to slide down the wrist and that is when the heart rate monitor has the most trouble.

When I can hold the watch about one inch above the wrist, I never lose a single heart beat or it is so rare that I don't even remember. When my watch is right next to the wrist while working out, I can lose the heart rate about 5 times per hour or more. The ClockWorkSynergy nylon or nylon with leather bands work the best and they are so inexpensive that it is perfect for workouts and you wouldn't care about the leather outer liner.

Here is a link to an example... http://www.clockworksynergy.com/sho...ngeable-leather-nylon-watch-band-for-apple-2/

They even let you change the buckle to a smaller version which was nice.

 

[Marco123]

Received my 38 SSSB after exchanging my 38SS in the Apple Store.
Love the look of it and now waiting for the midnight blue sport band.

 

[douglasf13]

Better yet, avoid that high cost Hirsch bands and go to ClockWorkSynergy and check out there bands for $15 that combine leather and nylon or simply nylon. They have the quick change lugs as well. I like these bands for working out when you sweat heavily because the Apple Sport band starts to slide down the wrist and that is when the heart rate monitor has the most trouble.

When I can hold the watch about one inch above the wrist, I never lose a single heart beat or it is so rare that I don't even remember. When my watch is right next to the wrist while working out, I can lose the heart rate about 5 times per hour or more. The ClockWorkSynergy nylon or nylon with leather bands work the best and they are so inexpensive that it is perfect for workouts and you wouldn't care about the leather outer liner.

Here is a link to an example... http://www.clockworksynergy.com/sho...ngeable-leather-nylon-watch-band-for-apple-2/

They even let you change the buckle to a smaller version which was nice.

When getting wet, high quality rubber is better than either nylon or leather against the skin. It dries much faster. I already have tons of both nylon and waterproof leather straps, which is what led me to the Hirsch straps. No comparison, really.

 

[Lion007s]

Hey guys, I updated from a Space Grey Sport 42mm to the Space Black Apple watch with sports band since I was within my 14 days period and absolutely love it!

I have a question, on the Space Grey Sport fingerprint smudges were rare, especially after giving the screen a wipe. It would take a while before smudges would start to appear again. On the Space black apple watch, the screen smudges easily. It looks like a fingerprint mess in no time. I know one is ion-X glass and this is sapphire, but should it really be attracting fingerprint smudges this easily? Looks great after I wipe it down, but as soon as I swipe to see notifications or tap the screen...smudges galore

 

[danmart]

After 12 weeks of being constantly worn I have just a single hair-line mark on my strap which was caused by doing weights whilst wearing the watch. I now wear a sweat band over the top of the watch when doing that, to reduce the chance of any re-occurance.

You need to look really hard to see it, however.

I'm confident that the watch will look well for years to come with normal usage.

Dammit! Just scratched the clasp again on an airline seat buckle. This could only have been a light touch, since I wasn't carrying anything or flailing my arms around.

I am less confident that the watch will remain looking as new for a long time. If it didn't look so good I would go with base stainless instead...

 

[Lion007s]

Hey everyone,

I've also noticed my Space Black watch has very small particles of dust getting stuck where the glass meets the body. If you look closely, you can see them. Is this normal? I think I may have a defective watch...

 

[Thepixelsedge]

Same here. I'm now pining over it trying to figure out a way to swap into it without having to lay out extra cash. Doubt that will happen, but I'm open to suggestions from anyone.


How do you find the quality of the leather? I tried on both leather loops last weekend, and I thought they felt a little too.... "pleathery." That is to say the leather seemed like the fake plasticy kind. I was pretty let down. I also felt the brighter blue didn't work as well as I expected with the standard SS watch, that it needed to be darker. In that sense I'm eager to check out the midnight blue. But I do agree that the brighter blue looks great with your Space Black, they balance each other well in that combo.

The leather quality is amazing. At first I too debated returning it because of its plastic-y non leather feel but after it got broken in it now feels much more like premium leather. I also applied some Obenauf's leather oil to it and it's by far my favourite band now. Definitely recommend it, it actually looks better now after 2 months of daily wear. I do however have the black one not the blue as shown here.

 

[jbachandouris]

So, the Space Black SS originally came with a metal band, correct? Now there is a Space Black with Sport Band?

I was set to buy the SS with Project Red band, but now I'm leaning toward this model.

Continued opinions desired.

 

[CedarPoint182]

^ Yes.

I loved the look of the Space Black Watch, but I couldn't afford it when it was paired exclusively with the Link Bracelet.

I might have considered it with the black Sport Band, but unless you're willing to shell out $450 for a Link Bracelet down the line, there aren't any other bands you can currently buy that match the black finish; they all have silver SS accents. (That would look off to me...)

I'm also not convinced of the durability of the Black Watch. I worry it will start chipping like the iPhone 5.

 

[BarracksSi]

I saw an Apple Store staffer with the SB watch on the green Sport band. Looked pretty rad.

I'm also not convinced of the durability of the Black Watch. I worry it will start chipping like the iPhone 5.

A pristine watch is an unused watch. It's like buying a fast car only to leave it in the garage. Get it, use it, and enjoy it.

 

[maflynn]

A pristine watch is an unused watch. It's like buying a fast car only to leave it in the garage. Get it, use it, and enjoy it.

True, but having the watch (or car) scratched up makes it look like crap. The thing with the black watch is that it can easily show the scuffs and they stand out much more then the SS. I love the black SS watch but I could only afford the space gray sports watch

 

[Enygmatic]

Fingerprint magnet though it may be, mine is flawless after 3-4 months. Wore it during a 2-wk field exercise, daily workouts and PT, and lots of traveling. Zero scratches, dings, coating issues, etc. on the watch or bracelet.

Keep a small mf cloth (like the one that comes with it) in your pocket; good to go.

 

[douglasf13]

True, but having the watch (or car) scratched up makes it look like crap. The thing with the black watch is that it can easily show the scuffs and they stand out much more then the SS. I love the black SS watch but I could only afford the space gray sports watch

Generally speaking, scratches on something like a Rolex adds character. All my watches have tons of dings and scratches when you look close. That being said, PVD watches do have a history of not looking all that great, once the coating is scratched off.

 

[maflynn]

Generally speaking, scratches on something like a Rolex adds character.

Perhaps, but I suppose that's the difference between myself and many others here. It would bother me quite a bit to see the scratches.

 

[rpetunderclass]

Here are some more pics of my watch. Like you, I also wanted the black watch from the beginning, but the price of admission was too high for me. I was very happy that Apple released a version with the sport band and that I was still in my return window.

I really like the combination of the black watch body and the (now discontinued) bright blue leather loop. The midnight blue is a darker, more subdued shade of blue. I still prefer the bright blue which is what I have here. What I like about the blue is that it changes quite a bit depending on the light conditions. Outside in the sun, it's a rich blue color, and in a darker environment like a restaurant, it looks black.

This is the large size leather loop btw. Make sure you try both sizes on if you have wrists in the ~180mm range. My wrist is 185mm which theoretically the medium should work, but I tried the medium and there wasn't enough overlap for my liking. So I went with the large loop which I feel fits me better.

Link for the band?

 

[douglasf13]

Perhaps, but I suppose that's the difference between myself and many others here. It would bother me quite a bit to see the scratches.

It's just something you have to get over if you're going to wear a watch consistently, whether it's $100 or $10,000, or it will drive you mad. Door frames, concrete walls, etc., are always a threat to things worn on the end of a swinging arm.

 

[danmart]

Although I have acquired some scratches on my SB link bracelet they are actually extremely hard to see. You need good lighting and to get close before you can make them out. There isn't any glint of bare metal, either.

I'm satisfied, though initially the scratches gave me a bit of a shock.

 

[alexandrusarbu]

Stillas good as back then? I mean the watch itself, not the bracelet. Any scratches / dings?

Thank you!

 

[Defender2010]

So difficult to photograph, but my 1 year old gen 1 watch is pristine. Apart from one very tiny scratch on the top where I slammed it into a metal post outside a bar...its held up extremely well.

 

[danmart]

Here's a pic taken very recently of mine:

I've worn this every single day since they became available in the UK, so about 18 months now. The only marks on it seem to have been caused by the DLC Milanese strap, and are almost impossible to see.

I'll be buying another SSSB when the Series 3 comes out, for sure.

 

[Fynd]

The SBSS is downright invincible compared to the regular SS. I say that after owning each for a decent amount of time. Within a week the regular SS is covered in scuffs and hairline scratches and the like. Just is what it is. It can be polished and buffed out, but it'll happen again just as quickly. It's very soft. The SB doesn't get any of that. It constantly looked brand new.

That's the one thing I miss about it. I love the versatility of the SS, but the durability leaves alot to be desired.

 

[44267547]

The SBSS is downright invincible compared to the regular SS. I say that after owning each for a decent amount of time. Within a week the regular SS is covered in scuffs and hairline scratches and the like. Just is what it is. It can be polished and buffed out, but it'll happen again just as quickly. It's very soft. The SB doesn't get any of that. It constantly looked brand new.

That's the one thing I miss about it. I love the versatility of the SS, but the durability leaves alot to be desired.

Excellent points on both the black stainless and regular stainless. The black stainless certainly has its advantages as you stated, the toughest one being pairing certain bands to match. Otherwise I completely agree with your points made.

 

[Bako-MacAddict]

I was within my 15 day return window of my shiny SS watch so I simply exchanged it. I originally wanted the black watch, but not for the price with the bracelet. After the keynote yesterday announcing the sport band version, I checked if my local Apple Store had them and they did. So I walked away with this beauty.

So I'm late to the party. Just bought this watch today, I'm trying to figure out which bands would look nice with this particular model. Any suggestions?

 

[Defender2010]

Hey everyone,

I've also noticed my Space Black watch has very small particles of dust getting stuck where the glass meets the body. If you look closely, you can see them. Is this normal? I think I may have a defective watch...

I think you should use a very soft sponge and wash the Watch. This removes the dust particles - and it's not defective, dust gathering on a crevice of anything is normal. Look at your iPhone speaker grills - defective too?

 

[44267547]

So I'm late to the party. Just bought this watch today, I'm trying to figure out which bands would look nice with this particular model. Any suggestions?

Brown leather bands have a nice contrast with the black stainless. Otherwise, black or grey leather loop bands work. (Plenty of third party options available.) And there are some nice third party link bracelets in stainless and black stainless that will pair nicely as well.