Sapphire quality issue of material?

Just last week, I purchased the Fenix 8 (47mm), having previously owned both the Fenix 5 and Fenix 7, each equipped with sapphire glass. Over the years, I never encountered a single scratch or issue with those models, which is why I was so confident in this latest purchase. However, to my disappointment, within just one week of use, my new Fenix 8 has already developed a noticeable scratch. This has left me questioning whether there might be a quality issue at play.

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0 Fearomoon 8 months ago

maybe it is only the coating and you can polish it out? I have never managed to get a scratch of any kind into a sapphire glass...neither in a Rolex, nor an Apple Watch, nor a Fenix....

0 nollykol 8 months ago

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0 Farron 8 months ago in reply to nollykol

Sapphire watch crystals are always produced synthetically today.
I have no idea whether this used to be different.

0 KrapfenKringel 8 months ago

Coating quality seems to vary, the Saphire is fine.

0 speedtriple99 8 months ago

Maybe best to contact Garmin. Could be quality issues...

Have had Sapphire Fenix 6 and Epix 2 for last 5 years total, not a single scratch in the Sapphire glass on those!

0 Kwanderer 8 months ago in reply to nollykol

"So I don't know if this is a really nice natural sapphire or a typical synthetic,"

Watch crystals have always been synthetic, even rolex. I can only imagine a golf ball size sapphire rock be more expensive than a 4 karat diamond

0 NemoSandman 8 months ago in reply to nollykol

Natural sapphire ?? Are you serious ?!

To make sapphire crystal, pure aluminium oxide is heated and then crystallised.
The first step is to manufacture the high-purity alumina (aluminium oxide, called HPA). The second step is to crystallise this HPA at very high temperatures, of around 2,050°C, to form a raw crystal of synthetic sapphire. In the third step, this crystal mass is shaped and sliced into pieces with diamond-coated saws.

Now about natural sapphire: The Star of Adam is the biggest.
Only discovered as of 2016, this giant blue star sapphire has blown the previous largest sapphires out of the water. Gemologists in Sri Lanka have certified that the gem weighs 1404.49 carats and is valued up to $300 million.
It is 280 grammes !!! How many scratchproof glass do you make from it ? :D

https://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/education/famous-sapphires/worlds-largest-sapphires/?srsltid=AfmBOopHM4pvF7EKcT_B-LbThFBXrOwft-oz96HQXUx2Dy1r_PKcFjVy

0 pxl 8 months ago

maybe it is not the glass itself, but it is the remnants of the thing you've just hit with the watch

try to scrape it off - I've literally destroyed my household with my garmin sapphire watches by hitting it to everywhere, and there is not even a fine scratch there - I do think that it could be scattered completely before have a scratch on that, given that you are not surrounded by diamond furniture...

0 Bish59 5 months ago

I have a brand new Fenix 8 47mm with Saphire glass and it has got a scratch on it, I can’t believe it!!!!!

0 Bish59 5 months ago

I have the same issue brand new $1780 watch with Saphire Glass scratched, so disappointed