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Ultra 3 Durability
- Thread starter qpid360
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Apple_Robert
Contributor
No. The Ultra 1, 2, and 3 are all capable of getting nicked or scratched.
Howard2k
macrumors 604
Did you switch to black? I've found the natural titanium is the same on both watches, in my experience. I don't baby either, didn't notice any defects on either.
But it's still titanium. It will scratch.
But it's still titanium. It will scratch.
Lobwedgephil
macrumors 603
Don't think there is any difference, you just hit it the wrong way, it happens.
th0masp
macrumors 6502a
Ceramic (sink) beating titanium makes sense. Titanium is really kinda easy to scratch unless Apple uses some hardened grade 5 or the like (sounds like they don't).
In my experience if the finish is sand blasted you're out of luck - you'd need to have it re-blasted (sp?) to restore the look. If it's brushed however and the scratch can't be felt with the fingernail - a hard rubber eraser should do the job pretty well and make it vanish (mostly).
In my experience if the finish is sand blasted you're out of luck - you'd need to have it re-blasted (sp?) to restore the look. If it's brushed however and the scratch can't be felt with the fingernail - a hard rubber eraser should do the job pretty well and make it vanish (mostly).
I had Gen 1 and have Gen 3.
I wear it for everything, even doing yard work, minor mechanic stuff, weightlifting. Never got a major ding scratch on anything. Yes it shows wear but any watch will it didn’t make the watch look bad. The finish and grade of Ti is the same.
The sharp edge of the bezel is about the only thing that shows wear…where you’re looking from 2” away.
I wear it for everything, even doing yard work, minor mechanic stuff, weightlifting. Never got a major ding scratch on anything. Yes it shows wear but any watch will it didn’t make the watch look bad. The finish and grade of Ti is the same.
The sharp edge of the bezel is about the only thing that shows wear…where you’re looking from 2” away.
The difference is quite significant in that with AWU3 the case is 3d printed, which is known to produce slightly less durable finish.
Fantasigraphic
macrumors 65816
Apple Watch Ultra 3: How 3D Printing is Finally Reshaping Consumer Electronics
At Apple's "Awe Dropping" event (Sept 9, 2025), a single understated line from Apple's VP of Hardware Engineering Eugene Kim may go down as one of the
facfox.com
Lobwedgephil
macrumors 603
I bought my first Ultra (the newly released 3) in black. I lightly brushed it against a table at work (I had my hands under the table and when I pulled them out it slightly touched), and the upper edge with the sharp corner now has a slight scuff and looks rough (not smooth) with a few white (light) dots instead of black… I was quite disappointed. If this is the durability of the black one, maybe I should’ve gone for the natural finish. It’s just that I really didn’t like it—it looked too contrasting and too “bulky” in the lighter color.
xDKP
macrumors 68030
My Ultra 1 got only a few small scratches through all those years - Luckily nothing major. And nothing so far on my Ultra 3 black - kind of expecting the black finish to be maybe a tad more resistant than the natural one, but when it does get scratches it will show up more clearly
I don't trust beliefs, I'd rather go with science - metallurgy in this case. 3d printed titanium has properties which make it less durable. Apple doesn't have magical powers which could to overcome that making it the same as forged titanium.
rukind2
macrumors 6502
I agree. Less durable is plausible — though whether that’s true in practice depends heavily on manufacturing quality, post-processing, design, and intended use.
I had a black U2 and now have a black U3. After a year the U2 had some marks on the sharp edge of the bezel. With the U3 I have hit it hard on a number of things, including a huge scratch from an aluminum ladder. In every case, I rubbed the scratches out. So it can be that the material you hit it in transfers to the watch, and actually hasn’t damaged it.
I had a natural U1 and it still had scratches, but definitely hid them better.
As you can see, since I have had both finishes, I prefer the black and it may be tougher than you think.
Lobwedgephil
macrumors 603
Share the studies comparing the two watches finishes, would love to read up on it.
I have a black ultra 2 bi mistake the Natural is the way to go. I am not even hard on my watch and it is scratched to all get out.
Jackbequickly
Suspended
Just bad luck. They are durable but can still be damaged. The area surrounding the screen is most susceptible to scuffs and dents.
jseymour
macrumors 6502
FWIW: I asked one of the AIs, ChatGPT, about this. It claimed the DLC (Diamond-Like Coating) on the black watches was harder (tougher) than the un-coated surface, but allowed as how if (when?) it is damaged it'd probably show up more than minor nicks and abrasions on the un-coated version.
I saw the black U3 at Costco a couple days ago. Sure did look sharp, I'll say that.
I saw the black U3 at Costco a couple days ago. Sure did look sharp, I'll say that.