Series 2 Screen coating scratch resistance

[adb1973]

Hi, I got my Apple Watch (Aluminum, ION-X glass) in December and within a few days of normal use (every day use, office job, running, swimming, NO maintenance stuff @home, no squash or other rough sports) the first two thin vertical scratches started to appear, the deep dent right below the middle within 5 days. About one and a half month later I think it's pretty heavily scratched considered what I do with it.
The aluminum case itself is spotless:

I checked my coats and jackets on metal buttons and zippers around the left wrist, but nothing...

I went to the Genius Bar and they looked surprised but still considered it 'cosmetical damage'. Other people I know have older ion-x watches and no wear at all. Off course it's user damage, that's without question, it's just that the watch (at least my one) seems in no way scratch resistant.

Since the rate of deterioration is so steep I wondered if there's a problem with my particular watch, the specific batch or maybe the coating.? (Especially visible in the right upper corner) Maybe something like what happend with the coating on some of the MacBookPro Retina's?
It did not fall, I didn't trip over I'm still trying to figure out if there's something specific I did...

- Is there anybody that encountered the same problems (so no special use, but a NOT very scratch resistant watch)?
- Is there a way to report this to Apple Quality Control or get it checked (the Genius only checked superficially)?

I own a lot of Apple stuff and nothing scratched as easy as the this new and 'scratch resistant watch'
So I feel a bit disappointed too... to be truly honest..

Thx for your answers!

 

[cmbauer]

Wow I have never seen a watch that beat up in all the time I have owned these.

 

[44267547]

Hi, I got my Apple Watch (Aluminum, ION-X glass) in December and within a few days of normal use (every day use, office job, running, swimming, NO maintenance stuff @home, no squash or other rough sports) the first two thin vertical scratches started to appear, the deep dent right below the middle within 5 days. About one and a half month later I think it's pretty heavily scratched considered what I do with it.
The aluminum case itself is spotless:

View attachment 685827 I checked my coats and jackets on metal buttons and zippers around the left wrist, but nothing...

I went to the Genius Bar and they looked surprised but still considered it 'cosmetical damage'. Other people I know have older ion-x watches and no wear at all. Off course it's user damage, that's without question, it's just that the watch (at least my one) seems in no way scratch resistant.

Since the rate of deterioration is so steep I wondered if there's a problem with my particular watch, the specific batch or maybe the coating.? (Especially visible in the right upper corner) Maybe something like what happend with the coating on some of the MacBookPro Retina's?
It did not fall, I didn't trip over I'm still trying to figure out if there's something specific I did...

- Is there anybody that encountered the same problems (so no special use, but a NOT very scratch resistant watch)?
- Is there a way to report this to Apple Quality Control or get it checked (the Genius only checked superficially)?

I own a lot of Apple stuff and nothing scratched as easy as the this new and 'scratch resistant watch'
So I feel a bit disappointed too... to be truly honest..

Thx for your answers!

You obviously subjected the Watch to scratching/scuffing the way you did. I'm willing to bet you inadvertently had no idea you were scratching it against certain surfaces. The scratches indicated from your picture, show quite a bit of activity from rubbing or scraping against something. And those are not fine scratches either, those are easily identifiable from a distance and are heavily embedded.

And if you go back and look at your picture, all of your scratches are vertical. So something was rubbing against it in that direction. You mentioned coat buttons and metal buttons, which could potential he scratch the Ion-X Glass.

And it's important to remember, the Apple Watch sport display is scratch resistant, not scratch proof.

 

[spriter]

It's a shame it got scratched up pretty bad if you've not knowingly done anything to cause it.

This is the reason I went with SS for sapphire.

 

[Julien]

Does your iPhone also look the same? They are the same glass. Do you walk or often put your hands in your pocket and carry some type of abrasive objects in them?

 

[576316]

I used to have a very active job and my Apple Watch would get bashed on stuff all the time, I have the Stainless Steel version and there are definite scratches in the Sapphire display, you can feel them with your nail. It seems Apple coat the sapphire with something which scratches a lot easier than sapphire, which seems to defeat the point of having a screen comparable to diamond.

 

[Julien]

...It seems Apple coat the sapphire with something ....

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Oleo...e-what-to-do-if-the-coating-wears-off_id65974

 

[576316]

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Oleo...e-what-to-do-if-the-coating-wears-off_id65974

Well that's all very well and good, but it still seems to scratch easily. Which totally defeats the point of having a very hard screen.

 

[Julien]

Well that's all very well and good, but it still seems to scratch easily. Which totally defeats the point of having a very hard screen.

You can remove it using isopropyl alcohol and a micro fiber towel. Will take a few times to get it all off.

 

[ajm222]

I think if you can feel the scratch with a fingernail, it's not in the coating but in the display. Scratching sapphire is possible but very unusual under normal conditions. I believe that technically things that are softer than other things can in fact damage harder things depending upon absolute hardness and pressure and the size of the point making contact. Thus all the talk about only a diamond can scratch sapphire is actually not entirely the whole picture. If there was something at your job like silicon or tungsten carbide (which I think is sometimes used in faux stone furniture and wall paneling) and the watch was regularly coming into contact with it, then it could get pretty scratched up. Certain materials used in construction and manufacturing could be the cause. At any rate, you can actually remove scratches in sapphire with diamond paste.

 

[44267547]

It's a shame it got scratched up pretty bad if you've not knowingly done anything to cause it.

This is the reason I went with SS for sapphire.

I enlarged the photo of the OP's scratches on his Apple Watch sport. There is no way that watch got that scratched up without knowing how it happened or even noticing those types of scratches. And all the scratches are going vertical. It be really hard not to notice or find out your watch was being scratched up that badly.

 

[AppleB]

Definitely looks like some sort of consistent scratching on the OP's watch.
Here's my Series 0 will be 2 years old in July. No scratches just a little lint.

 

[44267547]

Definitely looks like some sort of consistent scratching on the OP's watch.
Here's my Series 0 will be 2 years old in July. No scratches just a little lint.

I think the OP isn't as cautious as others are. I'm just saying some people are more mindful of how they treat the property then others are. Perhaps the OP didn't realize he scratched his watch and or wasn't monitoring how easily it was scratched. But yours is in mint condition. You also are likely more cautious of how you treat your Watch and Pay closer attention.

 

[honglong1976]

two thin vertical scratches started to appear

Pretty obvious it rubbed against something. Maybe you brushed against something or even had some dirt on it, rubbed it and that scratched the screen. From the photo it does look like the screen rubbed against something (quite hard as well). I had a sport for 1 year working in IT and doing all sorts of crazy thing and when I took it to CEX it looks like new with no screen scratches. If i see any dirt on the screen I blow it away before wiping. If I am in a situation where my watch could be damaged I take it off.

I have worked in IT a long time, owned various devices, repaired various devices and not once have I saw scratches which just appear. As far as I am aware there are no "magical" devices which do this. I could be wrong though

I remember receiving a laptop when I worked in a repair centre which had a note saying "my daughter was watching YouTube when suddenly a cracked started to appear".

I haven't witnessed this miracle myself. Not yet anyway.