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Stainless vs Aluminum - Why buy SS?
- Thread starter dseg42
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once you go stainless its hard to go back..... i tried it.... i want to save up... i sold my SB SS S3 for S3 nike ... ok i saved up $400 (Sing$) but im not happy to wear the aluminum ..so i took it back... and planning to get SS S3... its like SS or nothing....
There is a small scratch at one corner of the glass on my original aluminium watch but I don’t notice it in day to day use. I’m sure I’d find other micro scratches if I look closely under a bright light but as they’re invisible in normal circumstances I’m not sure why that would worry me.
My stainless steel S3 watch is six months old and scratch free but the screen often looks a bit smudgy and the back of the watch seems to get dirtier so that I have to be much more careful to avoid allergic reactions.
I like both watches and have no idea what I’ll go for next (I think I’ve probably got a couple of years to decide though as the watch is not something I’ll upgrade annually).
My stainless steel S3 watch is six months old and scratch free but the screen often looks a bit smudgy and the back of the watch seems to get dirtier so that I have to be much more careful to avoid allergic reactions.
I like both watches and have no idea what I’ll go for next (I think I’ve probably got a couple of years to decide though as the watch is not something I’ll upgrade annually).
My aluminium series 2 has been bashed loads of times and I’m yet to have a scratch on the display too. This myth it scratches easily is amusing to be honest. No doubt the display is more prone to scratching than the sapphire display, but it still takes a hell of a knock to damage it. Not to mention these devices are pretty much junk after 3 or 4 years and will need replacing anyway.
How did that happen???My Series 0 SS AW.
Gonna be watch-less till Series 4 is out.
Pick up the Series 3.
I am thinking to switch from the SS to the Aluminum next time my SS was $845 too much for using it for one year,
and it heavy compare to the aluminum
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
IMO SS only makes sense if your either A) rich B) care a lot about fashion or C) planning to keep it for many years. This is why I got aluminum for my series 0, but for my series 4 purchase I'm considering *maybe* going SS, because I'm hoping/expecting that it will be able to last me for a good 4 years.
I somewhat agree with your points, the SS is definitely more pricey. However, I went with SB SS for the S3 when I upgraded from the S1. I'm really glad I did, it's WAY more durable. Not a single mark/scratch/anything on this one, and with my S1 aluminum I had quite a few marks on the screen.
If you aren't the type to obsess about scratches on the screen it may not matter to you especially if you only keep it for a year. It drove me nuts though and SS was worth it. Will be going SS again on my S4 most likely.
I like the heft of SS, it feels more substantial to me. But I don't like the reflective glossiness. I don't think it looks at all girly, I just prefer a matte look.
It's not possible to settle the question. SS will be the better option for some, aluminum for others.
I enjoy reading different people's reasons why they prefer one or the other. I've learned a few things that will help me make a more informed purchase decision when it's time to replace my AW with a newer model.
I enjoy reading different people's reasons why they prefer one or the other. I've learned a few things that will help me make a more informed purchase decision when it's time to replace my AW with a newer model.
Or if you’re the type of person who doesn’t scratch a watch to begin with of course. My 20 month old AW Series 2 gold is still as clean and scratch free as the day I bought it. It’s had a few bangs along the way but has been pretty durable. I don’t make a habit of dragging it down walls or knocking it against diamond rings etc lol.
The SS looks nice but for me personally I still prefer the more lightweight aluminium option and its price tag. I couldn’t justify double the price for a throwaway gadget with a dreadful resale value, but everyone is different. There’s no right answer to this thread because whatever AW we buy we do so because we feel it’s superior to the other options.
Besides the possible "cheap look" factor, which is a matter of personal taste, I can't help wondering how scratch-resistant the aluminum models are. I'd like to see one such watch after somebody's been wearing it a couple of years, so I'd have some idea how well it has stood the test of time. I would imagine that ss is something I could trust more. (I'm not willing to buy Watches with the kind of short replacement cycle that we have been taught to accept for smartphones -- although with what Apple charges for the iPhone X I'm beginning to have second thoughts about that too).
Weight doesn't bother me. I've never heard about anybody bitching that Rolexes are too heavy.
Btw, if you do opt for the ss., for God's sake don't lay out nearly five hundred bucks for the ss. bracelet Apple wants sell you, a totally absurd price. You can pick up one just as nice or even nicer from Amazon for well under a tenth as much. Buy the Watch with the cheapest band Apple has to offer and swap it out.
[doublepost=1533577548][/doublepost]Ah, I just checked the Apple Store and it seems that the five hundred dollar ss expansion bracelet is no longer an option. Good thing, that really tarnished Apple's image. But even a hundred bucks for a Milanese loop is more than a little bit over the top (Amazon will sell you one starting at just under eight dollars), so the same purchasing advice applies.
Weight doesn't bother me. I've never heard about anybody bitching that Rolexes are too heavy.
Btw, if you do opt for the ss., for God's sake don't lay out nearly five hundred bucks for the ss. bracelet Apple wants sell you, a totally absurd price. You can pick up one just as nice or even nicer from Amazon for well under a tenth as much. Buy the Watch with the cheapest band Apple has to offer and swap it out.
[doublepost=1533577548][/doublepost]Ah, I just checked the Apple Store and it seems that the five hundred dollar ss expansion bracelet is no longer an option. Good thing, that really tarnished Apple's image. But even a hundred bucks for a Milanese loop is more than a little bit over the top (Amazon will sell you one starting at just under eight dollars), so the same purchasing advice applies.
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By no means, does the stainless steel Apple Watch clarify somebody as ‘rich’, it’s a fashion tech device and fitness tracker at best. If someone puts the stainless steel Apple Watch on a credit card, does that make them rich? No, it doesn’t. A $10,000 Rolex diver watch might classify somebody as being somewhat rich as a more literal and appropriate example. And I think anyone that purchases the Apple Watch cares somewhat about fashion, as you can customize it endlessly with bands.
The stainless watch is significantly more expensive, but that’s not why I purchased to ‘keep it for many years’, I Purchased it because I wanted the Sapphire coating to protect the display more specifically.
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Until last year I would have signed that opinion. Neither my S0 nor the S2 had any visible scratches during the time I wore them. But then I went S3 and it made up for all the missing scratches before
Nothing special - just multiple (comparatively slight) contacts to the wrong materials at the wrong time in an unfortunate angle ...I really hope Apple will offer the aluminum S4 with a sapphire screen!
I am going to ask a really dumb question - but are you sure that is a series 3? None of the series 3 stainless steel I am aware of come in the reflective stainless steel. I thought they were all the matte finish. That looks like a series 2 stainless steel.I just sold my alum s3 for ss s3
Found a good deal package with milanese and applecare+...
Seller throw a few original nike and sport loop unused bands....
It really feels different to have SS...
Edit. Never mind, I see the red dot. I just thought all the series 3 stainless steel were matte type finishes.
Until last year I would have signed that opinion. Neither my S0 nor the S2 had any visible scratches during the time I wore them. But then I went S3 and it made up for all the missing scratches before
I really hope Apple will offer the aluminum S4 with a sapphire screen!
If I scratch mine I’m not too bothered to be honest. It’s got a shorter shelf life than a Casio and will be living in a drawer from next year when I buy the next generation. If I scratched one of my Swiss watches it would be a bit more of a big deal but my smart watch was bought to be worn. I understand other people may worry about this more as we had one guy on a thread here shining a light across his AW screen to see hairline scratches just to get upset about it lol.
I wasn’t even aware that a matte SS option existed in the first place (which I would definitely prefer!). Thought SS is always shiny, except the space black variant. Could it be you mixed it up with aluminum or the grey ceramic version?
I will certainly have to refresh my mind on them. The last I saw inside the Apple Store was that they were matte. But I honestly have not been around enough to know for certain. And like I typically put in Apple Watch threads, full disclosure that I do not own an Apple Watch yet.