Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (2025)

A

Afluffykitten

macrumors member

Original poster

Nov 14, 2013
43
30
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #1

The only deciding factor for me between buying the sport model or the Apple Watch model is my worry that in day-to-day life, sport model may not be able to handle what is being thrown at it for two or three years daily. Does anyone think that the aluminum and Ion exchange glass will be too soft or delicate to use as a daily driver watch, instead of as a workout only timepiece?

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #2

2-3 years you battery will be a much bigger issue than scratches.

But yes, the sports edition will scratch. So will the SS, I have a SS daily driver and scratches at character. The biggest difference will be the screen, sapphire is much more resistant. If you are worried about scratches on the screen, go the watch edition

Smileyboy

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,148
131
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #3

Ion-X & ALU VS Sapphire Glass & Stainless steel

For me the deciding factor will be the scratch resistance of the glass/casing. I hated looking at my iPhone and discovering I had a scratch either on the case or on the screen. Anyone have any experience/thoughts about the materials?

I'll be using mine for workouts and at work...
Thanks

ImperialX

macrumors 65816
Jul 17, 2007
1,339
23
Tokyo, Japan
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #4

Smileyboy said:

For me the deciding factor will be the scratch resistance of the glass/casing. I hated looking at my iPhone and discovering I had a scratch either on the case or on the screen. Anyone have any experience/thoughts about the materials?

I'll be using mine for workouts and at work...
Thanks

I'd say Alu > SS and Sapphire > Ion-X.

Smileyboy

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,148
131
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #5

I was just thinking... They weight factor would be an issue for Stainless steel and workouts...

Z

zhandri

Suspended
Sep 4, 2012
489
352
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #6

Smileyboy said:

I was just thinking... They weight factor would be an issue for Stainless steel and workouts...

that is what i was just gonna say! the SS is a lot heavier than the Sport version! i think it's 30g vs 50g just for the watch without the strap.

G

gcrr

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2012
123
6
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #7

For me the stainless steel band is what would get scratched, I've never had a problem with a watch face.

Smileyboy

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,148
131
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #8

Just canceled my Pebble Time order... Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (6)

Cashmonee

macrumors 65832
May 27, 2006
1,504
1,245
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #9

Don't buy too much into the hype of sapphire. It is a good material, and very hard, making it very scratch resistant. That hardness comes at a cost though, it is also more susceptible to shattering. The Ion-X glass will be more prone to scratches, but less prone to shattering. The mineral glass in my fenix 2 and now fenix 3 have not scratched. Others would tell their mineral glass has many scratches.

It really varies by user, and it is difficult to definitively say one is really better than the other. Using Ion-X in the Sport model may be as much about shatter resistance as price. Sapphire isn't that expensive, contrary to the markup Apple have given it.

L

leenak

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2011
2,416
52
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #10

Smileyboy said:

I was just thinking... They weight factor would be an issue for Stainless steel and workouts...

for the 38mm, the Alum weights 25g and the SS weighs 40g which isn't that large of a difference. I'm going to go for SS.

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,871
5,449
Atlanta
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #11

leenak said:

for the 38mm, the Alum weights 25g and the SS weighs 40g which isn't that large of a difference. I'm going to go for SS.

The Edition's (42mm) case alone weighs 69g. Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (9)

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,204
4,176
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #12

zhandri said:

that is what i was just gonna say! the SS is a lot heavier than the Sport version! i think it's 30g vs 50g just for the watch without the strap.

If you are fit and "working out" and are going to struggle with that extra 20 g weighing your arm down to the ground, I worry you need to work out a bit harder there! Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (11)

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Julien said:

The Edition's (42mm) case alone weighs 69g. Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (12)

OMG, Will barely be able to get your wrist off the ground in the gym with all that weight on it! Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (13)

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #13

Afluffykitten said:

The only deciding factor for me between buying the sport model or the Apple Watch model is my worry that in day-to-day life, sport model may not be able to handle what is being thrown at it for two or three years daily. Does anyone think that the aluminum and Ion exchange glass will be too soft or delicate to use as a daily driver watch, instead of as a workout only timepiece?

From my understanding ION X glass is more shatter resistant and Sapphire is more scratch resistant.

phpmaven

macrumors 68040
Jun 12, 2009
3,466
523
San Clemente, CA USA
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #14

Definitely sapphire for me. I just know I'll bump the watch face against a hard surface and I would be just sick if I had a big scratch across the face. I'm not likely to hit it against anything hard enough to worry about it shattering it.

D

douglasf13

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
1,782
1,083
  • Mar 9, 2015
  • #15

Armen said:

From my understanding ION X glass is more shatter resistant and Sapphire is more scratch resistant.

That's true. The problem is that I've never shattered a watch crystal, but I've scratched several non-sapphire crystals.

H

h00ligan

macrumors 68040
Apr 10, 2003
3,041
138
London
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #16

Will they offer AppleCare plus?

It's a guarantee you'll have choices in screen protectors. I can say coming from the pebble I have seen gold protectors you can barely see and awful ones.

Still a screen protector or AppleCare plus and sport will be far less

I have a stainless watch that's scratched easily. I have a matte black anodized watch that's distressing. Both are smart watches

The back bottom of my iPad goiged from a lightning connector In a dock so I don't have a lot of faith in their aluminum. The Lightning connector should have slid right off

D

durangojim

macrumors regular
Jul 31, 2013
147
58
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #17

I've got a SS Rolex that I've had for 3 years and wear it almost daily. It's a tool watch and it has scratches on the case. It has no scratches on the sapphire dial. Rolex uses a harder steel than Apple so yes both the Apple watch sport and SS will scratch. I don't know about the screen but I'd say the sapphire is unlikely to scratch.

jaymc

macrumors 6502a
Nov 10, 2012
516
280
Port Orchard, WA
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #18

durangojim said:

I've got a SS Rolex that I've had for 3 years and wear it almost daily. It's a tool watch and it has scratches on the case. It has no scratches on the sapphire dial. Rolex uses a harder steel than Apple so yes both the Apple watch sport and SS will scratch. I don't know about the screen but I'd say the sapphire is unlikely to scratch.

I've had a Rolex GMT Master II for over 20 years with a sapphire crystal and have bumped it numerous times with no scratches ... so it's a non-sport Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (17) watch for me. Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (18)

R

Ries

macrumors 68020
Apr 21, 2007
2,330
2,918
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #19

D

douglasf13

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
1,782
1,083
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #20

durangojim said:

I've got a SS Rolex that I've had for 3 years and wear it almost daily. It's a tool watch and it has scratches on the case. It has no scratches on the sapphire dial. Rolex uses a harder steel than Apple so yes both the Apple watch sport and SS will scratch. I don't know about the screen but I'd say the sapphire is unlikely to scratch.

Agreed. Never had a scratch on my Omega or Rolex crystals, and the sapphire is a major reason I'm choosing the steel Apple Watch.

FWIW, technically, the Watch may scratch slightly less than a Rolex. Rolex's 904L steel is actually slightly softer than 316L, but it's also slightly more corrosion resistant. It's a trade off, and the raw materials cost about the same. Neither are something you'd ever notice. It's all marketing.

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #21

douglasf13 said:

Agreed. Never had a scratch on my Omega or Rolex crystals, and the sapphire is a major reason I'm choosing the steel Apple Watch.

Same reason I'm going with the Stainless Steel model. I've banged around my Omega watch and not a single scratch on the glass.

bbeagle

macrumors 68040
Oct 19, 2010
3,553
3,018
Buffalo, NY
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #22

Afluffykitten said:

Does anyone think that the aluminum and Ion exchange glass will be too soft or delicate to use as a daily driver watch, instead of as a workout only timepiece?

You can always get the sports watch and put one of those translucent 'glass' stickers that people put on phones. That will stop the scratching.

FrankySavvy

macrumors 68000
Mar 4, 2010
1,622
812
Long Island, NY
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #23

douglasf13 said:

Agreed. Never had a scratch on my Omega or Rolex crystals, and the sapphire is a major reason I'm choosing the steel Apple Watch.

FWIW, technically, the Watch may scratch slightly less than a Rolex. Rolex's 904L steel is actually slightly softer than 316L, but it's also slightly more corrosion resistant. It's a trade off, and the raw materials cost about the same. Neither are something you'd ever notice. It's all marketing.

Nice find

Ajaredic

macrumors regular
Jun 23, 2008
139
253
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #24

You can get your screen polished if it gets scratched. I have polished my Sector watch with pretty much plastic screen for 5€. Looks as new Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (23)

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,502
3,513
NJ
  • Mar 10, 2015
  • #25

Smileyboy said:

For me the deciding factor will be the scratch resistance of the glass/casing. I hated looking at my iPhone and discovering I had a scratch either on the case or on the screen. Anyone have any experience/thoughts about the materials?

I'll be using mine for workouts and at work...
Thanks

After owning every iPhone model I've only ever gotten a minor scratch on one from it falling onto a wood floor or concrete (don't remember).

Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about the glass scratching. Just use common sense and don't rub it against every surface you come in contact with.

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Sapphire vs. ion-x glass.. Will the sport watch scratch? (2025)

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