This discussion has been locked.

You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Revisiting the slate vs stainless bezel question....

Hi,

After much internal debate, I've decided to get a 645 Music, and the final question is which colour. I really like the slate version, but have read comments in this forum and elsewhere about that coating scuffing easily and it showing up more obviously than the stainless would, due to the exposure of the silver colour underneath. I understand that and it makes sense, so I just have 2 questions for existing owners of these watches please:

1) I am an office worker aiming to train during lunchbreaks, and hike and snowboard on the weekends according to the season. I wouldn't classify myself as a "heavy-duty" user who would inadvertently abuse the watch due to my job or other activities. If there is anyone here with a similar profile, just how bad has your bezel been scuffed in the course of normal wear and tear?
2) In a truly worst-case scenario, imagining that I went for the slate and some time later got a big scratch/scuff mark, I've read that the slate is just a coating on top of the standard stainless steel, so would it be feasible then if the scratch is really bad to just rub away/remove the rest of the coating and end up with the stainless version in the end? (prob a dumb question, but just thinking about covering all the bases :-))

Thanks in advance and looking foward to owning one of these, in whichever colour!

Cheers,
J

0 R_Tellis over 6 years ago

I have a pretty similar use case as you. I'm an office dweller who works out 5-6 times a week. I run, cycle, bike commute, weight train, and hike.

I have the stainless 645 and the stainless VA3. I've been wearing the 645 pretty much 24/7 since it's release and can't see where it's taken any scratches at all. I wore my VA3 for everything except training (where I used my 735) from when it was released in Oct 2017 until I got the 645 in March of 2018 and it has a couple of noticeable scratches. I don't know where they came from or when they happened, I just noticed one that's at the 6 o'clock portion of the bezel while sitting at my desk one day when the light was hitting it just right and then gave it a close look and found another lighter one around 9 o'clock. Both scratches are hard to see unless you know where they are and looking for them with the stainless bezel but would be pretty obvious on a slate model.

I have no direct experience with the slate models but based on what I've seen with my watches they're not easy to scratch, but it doesn't take something that you'd notice to leave a mark. I don't think it'd be as easy to sand the whole bezel as you might think. I'm sure it's doable, but it is a pretty durable coating and would be hard to remove evenly and without dulling the edge of the transition from the front to the sides.

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

If you can't stand scratches and scuffs on your personal belongings, just get the silver model- you can easily buff away blemishes with a polishing cloth.

If you don't care about how your gadgets look (within reasonable limits, of course), then go with whatever colour you prefer- you'll even welcome those "battle scars" which will make your watch stand out from the rest.

You'll definitely get dings sooner or later, so it depends on how OCD you are about those type of things.

0 Yarg over 6 years ago

Thanks for your feedback guys. I love the slate look, but have also since seen a number of pics of the scuffing on other models and I think it's gonna have to be a stainless for me. Appreciate your help!

Cheers,
J