Is this ebay seller too good to be true? Stainless link bands, OEM apple bands

[lilackat]

Me again! Just wearing my sb link bracelet for the first time today & have noticed a tiny silver dot I presume it’s a scratch on the edge of one of the links & the clasp doesn’t always seem to click shut straight away I have to fiddle with it. I bought an “new unopened “ one am I just being picky, is this to be expected? Also see pic attached, should you see a gap between the links when you wear it? I’m thinking maybe it’s inevitable if it’s bending round your wrist?

 

[applemaniac78]

hi. anyone a idea, how the process in china has affect to transport times (esp. Speedpak)? I ordered one in Mid January, but it did not leaved China yet. Expected Delivery date should be next week. But it´s already in DONGGUAN, regional distribution center. Hoped it was sent before Chinese New Year and will pass the crisis there, but it seemd it was not ... is there any ground and air transport in that region, or is stoped there everything?

 

[28Gauge]

hi. anyone a idea, how the process in china has affect to transport times (esp. Speedpak)? I ordered one in Mid January, but it did not leaved China yet. Expected Delivery date should be next week. But it´s already in DONGGUAN, regional distribution center. Hoped it was sent before Chinese New Year and will pass the crisis there, but it seemd it was not ... is there any ground and air transport in that region, or is stoped there everything?

I ordered a band last Friday from Chargerstore via Ebay. The tracking info says that it shipped today, but the estimated delivery date is March 27th. That is almost 7 weeks!!!

 

[CarlJ]

I ordered a band last Friday from Chargerstore via Ebay. The tracking info says that it shipped today, but the estimated delivery date is March 27th. That is almost 7 weeks!!!

My past orders from Chargerstore to California, each took right around 2 weeks. Likely all the quarantines associated with the Coronavirus are playing havoc with the schedule (possible quarantines of workers in all phases of the shipping process, possible quarantines of the cargo itself, etc.).

 

[techno-Zen]

I ordered a band last Friday from Chargerstore via Ebay. The tracking info says that it shipped today, but the estimated delivery date is March 27th. That is almost 7 weeks!!!

Hello Caronavirus

 

[T5BRICK]

Me again! Just wearing my sb link bracelet for the first time today & have noticed a tiny silver dot I presume it’s a scratch on the edge of one of the links & the clasp doesn’t always seem to click shut straight away I have to fiddle with it. I bought an “new unopened “ one am I just being picky, is this to be expected? Also see pic attached, should you see a gap between the links when you wear it? I’m thinking maybe it’s inevitable if it’s bending round your wrist?

I picked one of these up last year. It was marked pre-owned and had some wear in a few spots. It was a good price and it’ll end up with scratches with use anyway, so I was happy with it.

The gaps between the links looks pretty similar on mine and sometimes I have to put a finger on the top of the clasp and “pinch” so it’ll click shut.

Have you owned and regularly wore a watch before?

 

[lilackat]

I picked one of these up last year. It was marked pre-owned and had some wear in a few spots. It was a good price and it’ll end up with scratches with use anyway, so I was happy with it.

The gaps between the links looks pretty similar on mine and sometimes I have to put a finger on the top of the clasp and “pinch” so it’ll click shut.

Have you owned and regularly wore a watch before?

Hi, This is my second Apple Watch but for the first one I had the Milanese loop but I had to reject that because I have long hair and it used to catch in the strap so just used to wear it with the sport loop. I thought for this watch I would try the link bracelet.

 

[seeforyourself]

I would go for it. Its so hard to differentiate an authentic and a knock off unless you're wearing it. I bought my boyfriend a knockoff nike one which the only way to tell its fake by taking it off and not seeing the nike logo on the back of the band.

Also though you DO notice it because it feels lesser quality and more rubbery than the authentic one, although who cares because it looks good!

 

[T5BRICK]

Hi, This is my second Apple Watch but for the first one I had the Milanese loop but I had to reject that because I have long hair and it used to catch in the strap so just used to wear it with the sport loop. I thought for this watch I would try the link bracelet.

I asked about previous watches because I’ve noticed some folks who have never worn a watch before have unrealistic expectations about wear and tear and physical appearances of a piece of metal and glass strapped to their wrist. My previous (non-Apple) watches and watch bands all had dings and scuffs, and I would consider this normal.

Based on that, my SBSS S4 and SB link bracelet have held up very well. And finally, when I bought the link bracelet from the eBay guy for $128 and it had a couple of marks and blemishes, I just didn’t care: it’ll get marks on it eventually anyway, and I saved over $300.

 

[Pitch]

I bought a SS link from ChargerStore in December and a white leather loop from him in January. The SS link is great with only a few minor scratches. The leather link has a couple small blemishes, but on the side you usually can't see, so I'm not too bothered by it. Now I am looking to pick up a Papaya and/or Canary Yellow sport loop and he doesn't have any available. I'd buy knock offs but two of the three highly rated third party bands I bought off of Amazon had lugs that weren't flush with the Apple Watch, which has made me wary of buying knock offs, even for sport loops which I only use when I'm exercising or doing outdoorsy stuff.

 

[28Gauge]

I ordered a band last Friday from Chargerstore via Ebay. The tracking info says that it shipped today, but the estimated delivery date is March 27th. That is almost 7 weeks!!!

As a followup to my post from 2/10, shipping times for ChargerStore seem to be quite good considering the virus scare going on right now. I received my band in 2 weeks rather than the original 7 weeks as predicted. The band made it from China to Texas in the same amount of time as previous bands that I had ordered from ChargerStore.

 

[FenC]

I’ve had a few sport bands from Chargerstore. All genuine and as-described (basically new without packaging). I get shipping updates via NZ Post using the international standard tracking number eBay shows, and all deliveries have been almost exactly 2 weeks to New Zealand.

I did have a issue with one band of a multi-band order in that it wasn’t shipped, and that’s still to be resolved, but so long as it IS resolved then I have no problem as mistakes get made, and so long as they are rectified then all is good.

 

[rosegoldoli]

so i decided to give this seller another chance and order a rare nike band they had that i cant find for a better price anywhere else.

only bought once before knowing the band was a fake and when i decided to return they gave me hell about it and swore to their life it was a genuine band (it wasn't. i know have that band chart thats on this forum)

hoping everything works out

 

[FenC]

I’ve had a few sport bands from Chargerstore. All genuine and as-described (basically new without packaging). I get shipping updates via NZ Post using the international standard tracking number eBay shows, and all deliveries have been almost exactly 2 weeks to New Zealand.

I did have a issue with one band of a multi-band order in that it wasn’t shipped, and that’s still to be resolved, but so long as it IS resolved then I have no problem as mistakes get made, and so long as they are rectified then all is good.

So, the issue was resolved today - basically I ordered a Mint sport band as part of a four band order and it was missed. That was rectified however and a Mint band arrived today - as new in a plastic bag looking like it has never been worn.

I have no problem recommending this seller, and everything I have purchased has been genuine and as-new.

 

[Itada]

Has anyone used this seller recently? Have you received your order? I ordered a sport band but the tracking number provided through eBay says "customer already cancelled the shipment", whatever that means.

 

[Fhotofaerie]

Has anyone used this seller recently? Have you received your order? I ordered a sport band but the tracking number provided through eBay says "customer already cancelled the shipment", whatever that means.

I ordered a Green band one week ago. It seems to be going through the shipping from China process. It’s cleared customs and is somewhere on its way. Not sure how Corona may or may not affect shipping times. But I trust it’s coming, you may want to contact them on the cancellation thing.

 

[Itada]

I ordered a Green band one week ago. It seems to be going through the shipping from China process. It’s cleared customs and is somewhere on its way. Not sure how Corona may or may not affect shipping times. But I trust it’s coming, you may want to contact them on the cancellation thing.

Thanks, I'll wait a few days to see if the status changes before sending them a message. It might be an initial tracking glitch with it getting out of China. I don't mind if it takes a while, as long as it gets here eventually

 

[Pitch]

Thanks, I'll wait a few days to see if the status changes before sending them a message. It might be an initial tracking glitch with it getting out of China. I don't mind if it takes a while, as long as it gets here eventually

I ordered a band from him or her March 26th and got it April 7th, meanwhile I ordered another band from him/her March 12th and still don't have it. I think global shipping is messed up because of drastically reduced flights due to COVID. I'm not worried because the order shows as tracking and because chargerstore has been super responsive whenever I've sent a message.

 

[Itada]

Update The tracking number was eventually replaced with a new one and it delivered today (I'm in a neighbouring country so I expected it to be quite fast). The band was exactly as described

 

[xMagnusx]

Received my SS link bracelet from chargerstore. Compared to a friend‘s original from apple store he got a couple years back, I would say they r 98% identical. Only the engraving words look slightly different. For just 1/3 of the price, it is a very good buy.

 

[MacDevil7334]

Question for those of you who ordered a space black link bracelet from this seller: how is the finish holding up on yours? I have noticed the edges of one of the links by the clasp has become "shiny". It's hard to describe so have a look at the pictures. The shiny areas are only visible in some lights. At some angles, the link looks perfectly normal black. In other light, the shiny areas almost look silver. At first I thought the band came that way and I just didn't notice it. But, the link is also the one that rests on the desk when I am using a mouse, which makes me worry the space black finish is wearing away from rubbing against my desk. I got the band at the beginning of February and wore it 4-5x per week for about 5 weeks before noticing these spots. I know the black finish will not hold up forever, but that seems like very fast wear, especially since the space black coating on my watch seems very resilient.

How have your bands been holding up? Any signs of wear showing up after a short time? I am trying to figure out if this is normal for this band and the genuine Apple one would have aged the same way or if maybe the DLC layer wasn't properly done and that's why this band was rejected. I wouldn't care all that much given the price, but the wear is on the link next to the clasp, which isn't removable. I had planned to wear this one almost daily to work. But, with it wearing this quickly, I may have to save it for special occasions, which is a shame since it looks absolutely fantastic.

 

[karless]

Hello I interested in buying stainless steel link bracelet from this popular seller in eBay.Some people claim that Stainless steel link bracelet it’s not actual the same color as the stainless steel watch , and the combination between Sblack bracelet and Sb watch matches better.


Can someone post stainless steel bracelet with SS watch?

 

[CWallace]

Can someone post stainless steel bracelet with SS watch?

Just scroll through the thread - folks have been posting the stainless steel band with the watch. A number of nice close-ups on the first page, alone.

 

[iVegas]

Hello I interested in buying stainless steel link bracelet from this popular seller in eBay.Some people claim that Stainless steel link bracelet it’s not actual the same color as the stainless steel watch , and the combination between Sblack bracelet and Sb watch matches better.


Can someone post stainless steel bracelet with SS watch?

True, it's not exactly the same. The watch is polished steel and the band is brushed steel ... and they look great together

 

[MacDevil7334]

Question for those of you who ordered a space black link bracelet from this seller: how is the finish holding up on yours? I have noticed the edges of one of the links by the clasp has become "shiny". It's hard to describe so have a look at the pictures. The shiny areas are only visible in some lights. At some angles, the link looks perfectly normal black. In other light, the shiny areas almost look silver. At first I thought the band came that way and I just didn't notice it. But, the link is also the one that rests on the desk when I am using a mouse, which makes me worry the space black finish is wearing away from rubbing against my desk. I got the band at the beginning of February and wore it 4-5x per week for about 5 weeks before noticing these spots. I know the black finish will not hold up forever, but that seems like very fast wear, especially since the space black coating on my watch seems very resilient.

View attachment 907222 View attachment 907223
How have your bands been holding up? Any signs of wear showing up after a short time? I am trying to figure out if this is normal for this band and the genuine Apple one would have aged the same way or if maybe the DLC layer wasn't properly done and that's why this band was rejected. I wouldn't care all that much given the price, but the wear is on the link next to the clasp, which isn't removable. I had planned to wear this one almost daily to work. But, with it wearing this quickly, I may have to save it for special occasions, which is a shame since it looks absolutely fantastic.

So I decided to try the genuine Apple link since the finish on my band from Chargerstore has been wearing off so quickly from nothing more than occasional contact with a desk or table. My Apple band arrived a few days ago and I figured I would share my observations for anyone interested since I have been able to compare the two bands side by side.

• Hardware appears to be basically identical. Both have the same markings on the clasp and the same link removal mechanism. The band from Chargerstore feels slightly heavier when I hold them side-by-side. But, it might just be my imagination and I don't have a scale sensitive enough to really compare.
• The finish on the two bands is different. The official Apple band is a lighter shade than the one I got from Chargerstore. The pictures make the difference look more dramatic than it actually is, but it's definitely there. The Apple band is a really dark gunmetal shade while the Chargerstore band is closer to true black. The Chargerstore band has a bit of a yellow undertone, while the grey on the Apple band is more blue in tone . At first I was really skeptical I would like the lighter Apple band. But, when attached to the watch, the polished side of the lugs match my SBSS S5 perfectly. The polished side on the Chargerstore band is a little darker than the watch itself. One of the nice things about the lighter shade on the Apple band is it brings out the brushed texture on the links a bit more and it looks especially good in bright light.
• The Apple band came much cleaner than the Chargerstore band did. The inside of the clasp and the links on the Apple band were pristine while the Chargerstore had remnants of something (oil maybe?) on the inside of both. Doesn't affect the working of the band, but clearly the Chargerstore band never made it to the final cleaning stage in the factory.
• I haven't had the Apple band long enough to know if the finish will hold up better. Can't be any worse though. My Chargerstore band started showing wear after 5-6 weeks of use in an office.

I don't quite know what to make of all this. The bands are really similar, but the Apple one is a closer match to the watch and is more finished (not surprising since it is the retail product). Seems to me there are three possible explanations for these differences.

1. The Chargerstore band is a really good fake. I think this is unlikely given the success others have had with this seller. Also, who would go to all the trouble of making such an exact fake?
2. The Chargerstore band is a prototype or factory reject. That might explain the difference in coloring and why the finish didn't hold up very well. Could have been a different formulation of the DLC coating or a band where the coating wasn't applied correctly.
3. The Chargerstore band is genuine but older (maybe from the S0 days) and Apple has since tweaked the color of the band. This is possible but I haven't seen anything about Apple changing the color of the Space Black finish across any of the Apple Watch generations. I hope this isn't the reason for the differences since it would mean the finish on the genuine Apple band probably won't hold up any better.

Just posting this here for anyone who is interested. I'm planning to stick with the Apple band as long as the DLC finish holds up through my return period. The slightly lighter finish really adds to the band, and it already looked fantastic to begin with.