Scratch in coating on AWU display

[xDKP]

I might already know the answer for this (too bad) but here goes anyway:

I have had my AWU for a couple of years and while there might be small hairlines on the case, the display has been flawless. That is until recently where I got this scratch in what seems to be the coating of the display and not the display itself. Nothing to feel with my nail or anything but very visible (and annoying me like hell! While I know 90% of people wouldn’t care)

Is there anything to do about it or?

 

[russell_314]

annoying me like hell!

Get an Apple Watch Ultra 2 with AppleCare.

You mentioned other people but what matters is how you feel about it. If it’s causing you discomfort then fix it. Just because I don’t care that my watch looks like it survived a war doesn’t mean you feel the same way. It sounds like the level of discomfort it’s causing you is more than the cost of an upgrade.

 

[okkibs]

Get an Apple Watch Ultra 2 with AppleCare.

It does not cover cosmetic defects, unless it impacts functionality you gotta live with it. And even if it did... the initial cost as well as the replacement fee would be a hefty sum to pay just to get rid of a scratch that could reoccur any day since you don't know how it happened.

 

[russell_314]

It does not cover cosmetic defects, unless it impacts functionality you gotta live with it. And even if it did... the initial cost as well as the replacement fee would be a hefty sum to pay just to get rid of a scratch that could reoccur any day since you don't know how it happened.

Well he could also add a screen protector on the new watch.

Someone posted a workaround to the cosmetic defect issue but maybe that’s not allowed because I don’t see the post anymore 😂

 

[xDKP]

Thanks - yeah if it had this scratch when the black Ultra 2 came out it might have been enough to push me, but I think I can hold off to get the Ultra 3 in the fall or a battery swap unit when this one dips under 80% battery health (currently 86%)

 

[goldmac2006]

Time for me to rule this out for you:
I’m curious, has the Apple Watch Ultra ever been dropped or hit something rough like rocks, trails, or cliffs? Also, can you see it clearly in different lighting conditions, including natural light?

By the way, about that scratch mark on the sapphire crystal display, it might have happened when it was dropped on a really rough surface.

 

[MarkX]

Time for me to rule this out for you:
I’m curious, has the Apple Watch Ultra ever been dropped or hit something rough like rocks, trails, or cliffs? Also, can you see it clearly in different lighting conditions, including natural light?

By the way, about that scratch mark on the sapphire crystal display, it might have happened when it was dropped on a really rough surface.

"Tine for me to rule this out for you!"

Are you the resident scratch expert or something?

 

[goldmac2006]

"Tine for me to rule this out for you!"

Are you the resident scratch expert or something?

Dude I love troubleshooting products and looking into what the causes of the scratch was, which we can also find potential options for repair/replacement of the unit.

If you saw any of my posts in the iPhone troubleshooting section I had been known to resolve numerous software/hardware issues, and even provide advice...

 

[xDKP]

Time for me to rule this out for you:
I’m curious, has the Apple Watch Ultra ever been dropped or hit something rough like rocks, trails, or cliffs? Also, can you see it clearly in different lighting conditions, including natural light?

By the way, about that scratch mark on the sapphire crystal display, it might have happened when it was dropped on a really rough surface.

No it has really come without me knowing what it was.

But don’t think there is anything to do - still seems like it’s just a scratch in the coating but sucks as it’s pretty visible in sun and lots of lighting situations

 

[throAU]

I might already know the answer for this (too bad) but here goes anyway:

I have had my AWU for a couple of years and while there might be small hairlines on the case, the display has been flawless. That is until recently where I got this scratch in what seems to be the coating of the display and not the display itself. Nothing to feel with my nail or anything but very visible (and annoying me like hell! While I know 90% of people wouldn’t care)

Is there anything to do about it or?View attachment 2512482

That looks more like a crack? Not sure you'd be able to scratch the AW2 ultra display, isn't it sapphire? You'd need a diamond or something to scratch it, sapphire is harder than most things it would come into contact with, so it won't scratch...

A CRACK however.... that's something an impact could have done. It may potentially impact the water resistance?

Also, potential manufacturing defect? I had an AW2 display crack across the corner, turns out that after I replaced it there was a recall or something on them for swollen battery causing pressure on the screen and cracking it.

 

[xDKP]

That looks more like a crack? Not sure you'd be able to scratch the AW2 ultra display, isn't it sapphire? You'd need a diamond or something to scratch it, sapphire is harder than most things it would come into contact with, so it won't scratch...

A CRACK however.... that's something an impact could have done. It may potentially impact the water resistance?

Also, potential manufacturing defect? I had an AW2 display crack across the corner, turns out that after I replaced it there was a recall or something on them for swollen battery causing pressure on the screen and cracking it.

Not a crack and as mentioned nothing can be felt with the fingers/nails - and can see the scratch continue out in the titanium bezel - so just something hard scratched it

 

[throAU]

Not a crack and as mentioned nothing can be felt with the fingers/nails - and can see the scratch continue out in the titanium bezel - so just something hard scratched it

I couldn't feel the crack in my AW2 display either.

I'm not sure what you've managed to do to it, but scratching sapphire is pretty hard.

Not much scratches it; diamonds, maybe silicon carbide cutting tools? You aren't going to scratch it with granite, quartz, etc. rocks, your car keys, or basically anything metal. Or really anything you may encounter hiking, etc.

Mohs scale - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Titanium is significantly softer than sapphire (sapphire is about 2.5x harder), if the titanium edge is damaged its possible something cut into that and the sharp edge then hit the sapphire and cracked it.

Just because you can't feel the crack.... that may just be because the gap is thinner than you can feel.

Sapphire is extremely hard to scratch, but it is not extremely hard to crack or shatter with something that is not as hard as it is with enough of a sudden impact. This is why I'm pretty sure what you have is actually a crack even if you can't feel it. Something can be cracked and still lined up exactly next to the other piece.

Pretty sure there is NO COATING on the AWU2 screen. It's just sapphire.

 

[goldmac2006]

No it has really come without me knowing what it was.

But don’t think there is anything to do - still seems like it’s just a scratch in the coating but sucks as it’s pretty visible in sun and lots of lighting situations

Interesting given that your watch was never dropped before.

That looks more like a crack? Not sure you'd be able to scratch the AW2 ultra display, isn't it sapphire? You'd need a diamond or something to scratch it, sapphire is harder than most things it would come into contact with, so it won't scratch...

A CRACK however.... that's something an impact could have done. It may potentially impact the water resistance?

Also, potential manufacturing defect? I had an AW2 display crack across the corner, turns out that after I replaced it there was a recall or something on them for swollen battery causing pressure on the screen and cracking it.

I couldn't feel the crack in my AW2 display either.

I'm not sure what you've managed to do to it, but scratching sapphire is pretty hard.

Not much scratches it; diamonds, maybe silicon carbide cutting tools?

Not a crack and as mentioned nothing can be felt with the fingers/nails - and can see the scratch continue out in the titanium bezel - so just something hard scratched it

Yes, it was likely just a very sharp piece of metal or a carbide tool that scratched your Apple Watch Ultra. Carbide tools, as far as I know, are renowned for their ability to cut through various types of glass and metals, including steel and aluminum. This is why carbide is extremely expensive yet widely used in tooling for drilling and milling machines within the manufacturing industry.

Interestingly, carbide tools are even more powerful than sapphire crystal. That’s why I always wear a case on my Apple Watch when I attend machining class every Tuesday.

 

[throAU]

I still think there was an impact of something hard through the titanium (knocked it on something) and then it progressed to hit the edge of the sapphire to crack it.

Wouldn't have had to be something harder than sapphire, just harder than titanium, and things like granite rocks fit the bill there I believe.

 

[jz0309]

I might already know the answer for this (too bad) but here goes anyway:

I have had my AWU for a couple of years and while there might be small hairlines on the case, the display has been flawless. That is until recently where I got this scratch in what seems to be the coating of the display and not the display itself. Nothing to feel with my nail or anything but very visible (and annoying me like hell! While I know 90% of people wouldn’t care)

Is there anything to do about it or?View attachment 2512482

I had something similar on my SBSS S4 but I was mountain biking at the time incl a couple crashed, but don't recall a specific "event", I think I posted about it here on MR but that would have been 5-6 years ago.
Never any scratch on my S7Ti or U/U2 but scratches on Sapphire can happen.
If it really bugs you that much, I seem to recall some folks here putting a screen protector on to hide it, might give that a try, if it really bugs you. repeating myself as I never had nor ever will put a screen protector on AW nor iPhone

 

[goldmac2006]

I still think there was an impact of something hard through the titanium (knocked it on something) and then it progressed to hit the edge of the sapphire to crack it.

Wouldn't have had to be something harder than sapphire, just harder than titanium, and things like granite rocks fit the bill there I believe.

Agreeable it is likely, that the Apple Watch Ultra might have been scratched and scraped against something.

It usually would be anything beyond the hardness of the sapphire crystal.

The same display material is used in the Apple Watch’s that ain’t aluminium. Like the stainless steel, all types of titanium models and ceramic. One year with my Apple Watch Series 6 and no scratch line like that on mines.