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suijkerwerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2013
28
4
Ok, I understand that some people will say "you OCD'er, you must enjoy your watch, stop obsessing".
That said, I pay a premium price, so I expect a watch in mint condition.

What's the case? I received my new Apple Watch 5 yesterday. There's a 1 px size white "dent" on the upper right bezel corner.
It's not big, but you can clearly see it.

My question: is there a way to repaint this 1px sized micro damage?

I would rather not end up in an Apple bad replacement loop (been there, not again). And my screen is perfect. So I would rather "repair" it myself instead of replacing it.

Any tips?
 

Elektrofone

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2010
1,144
544
Ok, I understand that some people will say "you OCD'er, you must enjoy your watch, stop obsessing".
That said, I pay a premium price, so I expect a watch in mint condition.

What's the case? I received my new Apple Watch 5 yesterday. There's a 1 px size white "dent" on the upper right bezel corner.
It's not big, but you can clearly see it.

My question: is there a way to repaint this 1px sized micro damage?

I would rather not end up in an Apple bad replacement loop (been there, not again). And my screen is perfect. So I would rather "repair" it myself instead of replacing it.

Any tips?

If you just purchased it why not return it?
 
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jtara

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
OP describes it as a cosmetic defect THE SAME SIZE as a pixel.

But... maybe is IS a pixel.

anyone know if there is a mask inside the glass, or simply pixels that are kept black to form the “bezel”?

assume you don’t mean the case?

anyway, there is no paint you are going to apply to glass or metal that is going to look good and not rub off.
 
Last edited:

suijkerwerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2013
28
4
Thanks for all your responses!

I noticed damage on the bottom of the bezel also now. Only after wearing it for not even one day!
And I'm very cautious with my stuff!

Is there an issue known regarding bad coating or so?
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
Do you actually mean the metal case?

you didn’t say what case style. Aluminum? Stainless?

On the aluminum there is no “coating” Per se. It is an anodized surface.


I dunno how they do the stainless colors.

a photo would be helpful to clarify.
 

suijkerwerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2013
28
4
By no means the picture shows how the small dent impacts the overview of the watch. Yeah it seems small, but it's as a dead white pixel on a black screen

8636554C-7D52-45A2-9FF2-7B80DD372784.jpeg
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
Ok, that’s the case. You can’t fix this at home if at all. It’s not paint or a ”coating” it’s done by a chemical process.

return it.

was it always there, or did it develop? Might you be banging into something? Even so, it shouldn’t be that fragile.

my series 4 is the same color. I’m not very careful with it at all. If I go to the beach I have to wash the sand out of the crown.

the case is still perfect.

my guess is there were impact dents prior to anodizing the surface which interferes with the process and wasn’t noticed in inspection.
 
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JTitleist12

macrumors newbie
Dec 9, 2019
28
5
I had this happen on both top and bottom lug connector channels on my Series 3 Space Gray Aluminum. The anodized finish was chipped in multiple spots. I was so annoyed by it that I returned the watch and ended up getting a natural stainless version instead.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,494
If I had this many issues that you’re having with your Apple Watch, I would part ways with it. Some of the concerns that you’re having, are non-repairable as it is anyways.
 
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suijkerwerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2013
28
4
OK, so here's a status update:

Yesterday I received my third watch. And of course also this one has issues.
I've enhanced the image a little bit (it was difficult to make a good picture), but what you basically see is a vertical line with dead? pixels. Can't stand this kind of terrible quality control! Apple do your work!

1022E438-A385-4634-AD43-D35540648BCB.jpeg
 

jbachandouris

macrumors 603
Aug 18, 2009
5,926
3,085
Upstate NY
OK, so here's a status update:

Yesterday I received my third watch. And of course also this one has issues.
I've enhanced the image a little bit (it was difficult to make a good picture), but what you basically see is a vertical line with dead? pixels. Can't stand this kind of terrible quality control! Apple do your work!

View attachment 891538
Which is why you should've returned it and re-bought it. Now you'll have to fight with Apple to get another 'replacement' which most likely will NOT be new.
 

James.K.Polk

macrumors 6502a
Aug 31, 2015
865
333
OK, so here's a status update:

Yesterday I received my third watch. And of course also this one has issues.
I've enhanced the image a little bit (it was difficult to make a good picture), but what you basically see is a vertical line with dead? pixels. Can't stand this kind of terrible quality control! Apple do your work!

View attachment 891538

This issue is shockingly normal. Noticed it on several different Series 4 models, as well as Series 5. OLEDs are imperfect (frustratingly so). I think at this stage you need to pick your poison - almost no Apple Watches are perfect.
 
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