Related
Options

Another scratched Sapphire screen...

GaryMort
over 3 years ago

My wife’s 6X Pro Sapphire has this scratch across the screen. She’s adamant she hasn’t banged it and I can agree with that as there’s no serious bezel damage and the scratch is a perfect line across the screen. It’s definitely a scratch as you can just about feel it when running your nail across it.

Has anybody any luck in reducing such a scratch from a sapphire screen?

I know the obvious answer would be to contact Garmin especially as the watch it around 4 months old be she’s reluctant to be without it for 2 to 3 weeks whilst Garmin look at it. Long term, we’ll probably wait until the 7 is released and then send it to Garmin.

From Garmin - ‘Each Sapphire edition adds a scratch-resistant sapphire lens’. That’s what I’m questioning…



  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to Leong Sem

    I have the 6X Pro Solar Titanium and just to be safe, I've always used a screen protector from day 1, plus a silicon plug that inserts into the charge recess to protect the contacts from corroding. I replace the screen protector every month or 2 and it has no affect on solar charging.

    Cheerz :) :D ;)

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KenMar

    But then the solar is not a Saphire glass. I'm wondering if the Gorilla glass is more scratch resistant than the coating of the Saphire version. But still the Saphire offers more impact resistance I guess.

    Also with a non coated Saphire an additional protector is not needed, as my Fenix 5 is still in perfect condition (screen, bezel is another story).

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KenMar

    + this! I use screen protectors since I got my first Garmin watch. I don't need the sapphire edition since the glass screen protectors are so good and cheap. Here is my Fenix 6s after I hit the wall edge really hard. No scratches on the screen.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KrapfenKringel

    The 6 has a coating the 5 hasn't. It's a trade off between scratch resistance and reflections.

    Besides I believe that are several manufacturers evolved that could explain several different experiences. Right now mine is prestine but if I knew about the coating before the buy i could afford 100€.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminFenix/comments/esopd1/f5_sapphire_vs_f6_glass_reflections/?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=comments_view_all

    Here you can find the reflection differences. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KrapfenKringel
    KrapfenKringel said:
    I'm wondering if the Gorilla glass is more scratch resistant than the coating of the Saphire version. But still the Saphire offers more impact resistance I guess.

    Sapphire is not impact resistant but scratch resistant.

    And now from where do you got any proof of coating on sapphire glass which can be scratched on the Fenix 6 ?
    I don't have a single scratch or even not a tiny mark after 25 months on 24/7 use of my Fenix Sapphire.
    I got marks and scratches on the bezel but zero on the sapphire glass and it has been many times in contact with hard surfaces.
    Please can you explain why I was not able to scratch that infamous coating ? ;-)
    Where is it ?

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to jose.cboliveira

    Interesting, I did not know before, I wish I had known. In my opinion a easy to scratch coating on a hard to scratch surface is idiotic. I remember people complaining in the forum about scratched Saphire where widely called idiots in the beginning. 

    Since I did not know its now to late and my watch is scratched, if I had known I probably would have chosen the Gorilla Glass version with even better anti reflecting properties. Or even the Solar version, that I dismissed for not having a Saphire glass.

    I hope with the next Fenix Garmin will communicate this clearer, for me its an important point in choosing the right watch model for me.

    But your link is not comparing F5 Saphire vs F6 Saphire, its comparing F5 Saphire vs F6 Gorilla glass.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NemoSandman

    Just get a soft metal key, push it slightly on your F6 glass and move it, if you dare. It will scratch.

    It should not scratch since metal is way lower in the hardness scale as Saphire. And doing the same on the Fenix5 Saphire doesn't leave a mark.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NemoSandman

    SC7 would be even better (same developer of course), but eats a bit more battery since there is a nonsense everblinking time separator (colon symbol) even in low power mode on the Fenix 6, which from a transflective display point of view is forcing a 1Hz update (most probably a partial screen update, but still...) like having always on seconds.

    Tried to tell the developer in the comments but ( rightfully, since he does not work for me :D ) did not answer... getting rid of that blink, SC7 would be my go to WF, beautiful and functional, almost perfect

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KrapfenKringel
    KrapfenKringel said:
    Just get a soft metal key, push it slightly on your F6 glass and move it, if you dare. It will scratch.

    Done it with a CPM Rex45 Blade's tip at 66,6 HRC.
    No marks.

    Next false information to be debunked please ?

    What would be the point to get a hard sapphire crystal with a soft coating which can be scratched easier than sapphire ? I don't understand that logic. 

    Anyway we buy Sapphire for scratch resistance and some materials can be harder than sapphire, even a grain of sand can be.
    Mine got no scratch. Your xperience may be different but I have been never able to scratch any Fenix Sapphire so far after 4 years of use. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to NemoSandman

    Ok that's really intersing. You seem to have some tools for it, way more comparable than just using my key.

    Still could be different manufactures, same as with some watches have lights more in the blueish tint. Maybe some have a coating some don't but I agreed that its totally stupid to coat Saphire.

    Btw. thats how mine looks, small sample size of one, but same usage time and usage scenarios as my F5 that has not a mark on the display.