Titanium AW5 thread

[maka344]

I can see validity to out of the box scratches. It has little to do with price in my opinion.

What I hear here, is people complaining that they have the watch for some period of days. weeks or months and now they see scratches and are outraged at Apple, as if Apple, the “bad parent” has let them down.

Absolutely. It is crazy to blame Apple for future scratches weeks/months following a purchase. Out of the box is a different story, unless I’m getting a discount, then I won’t accept a defect out of the box for anything purchased new.

What the trend tells me is that there are some QC issues with the Ti finish which could mean in a few months time it will look worse than it should do with just normal use - that’s what I’m not a fan of but then there’s Apple Care. I appreciate that nothing stays pristine, that’s just life.

 

[happyprozak]

Absolutely. It is crazy to blame Apple for future scratches weeks/months following a purchase. Out of the box is a different story, unless I’m getting a discount, then I won’t accept a defect out of the box for anything purchased new.

What the trend tells me is that there are some QC issues with the Ti finish which could mean in a few months time it will look worse than it should do with just normal use - that’s what I’m not a fan of but then there’s Apple Care. I appreciate that nothing stays pristine, that’s just life.

Mine came out of the box with a scratch on it but I'm surprised to hear that it's not an entirely uncommon issue. The loose power button is worse.

There was an article earlier this month that the current Apple Watch assembler is dropping Apple over worries of profitability.

I wonder if quality control is being taken down a few notches in order for them to meet profitability.

I think it's safe to assume that Apple has much higher profit margins on the stainless steel, titanium, and ceramic models so quality issues shouldn't be as common.

Or maybe people have much higher expectations from the higher end models?

 

[joefrank64k]

Same wooble, loose power button on my natural titanium 44mm. Especially when I swipe the button. before I had aluminum and steel without a problem. Would the problem be only the titanium version?

Zero wobble on my natural Ti. Crown nice and tight as well.

 

[spinedoc77]

Just wanted to backstep on my previous experience with scratching. I had previously taken a metal link band and with firm pressure ran the sharp metal end parallel across a Ti watch and couldn't scratch it. More recently I was in the Apple store and looked at the Ti again and it was all scratched up, but I don't think "scratch" is the right term here. You can't feel the blemishes running your fingernail across them and you can't see them at arm's length. They are small and run perpendicular to the watch and are often shiny, for lack of a better word. They seem, as others have theorized, almost like blemishes on a top coat or more of a wearing out pattern. I'm ok with that as I'm really the only one who will be looking at my watch so closely.

On a different topic, WHY are these so difficult to find in store?!?!? I've been trying to find one for the past month locally, I look at the Apple store app and they are NEVER in stock in NJ. I look at all the NJ and NY stores and only a few of the higher end Manhattan ones have them in stock some days, but the rest of NJ never has them in stock, and I check every day. Yeah I know just order one mailed, I just am trapped in this routine of hoping one becomes available locally.

 

[jaybar]

Just wanted to backstep on my previous experience with scratching. I had previously taken a metal link band and with firm pressure ran the sharp metal end parallel across a Ti watch and couldn't scratch it. More recently I was in the Apple store and looked at the Ti again and it was all scratched up, but I don't think "scratch" is the right term here. You can't feel the blemishes running your fingernail across them and you can't see them at arm's length. They are small and run perpendicular to the watch and are often shiny, for lack of a better word. They seem, as others have theorized, almost like blemishes on a top coat or more of a wearing out pattern. I'm ok with that as I'm really the only one who will be looking at my watch so closely.

On a different topic, WHY are these so difficult to find in store?!?!? I've been trying to find one for the past month locally, I look at the Apple store app and they are NEVER in stock in NJ. I look at all the NJ and NY stores and only a few of the higher end Manhattan ones have them in stock some days, but the rest of NJ never has them in stock, and I check every day. Yeah I know just order one mailed, I just am trapped in this routine of hoping one becomes available locally.

Great post. I don’t know what your schedule is like, but I found that going on the Apple Store app at 7 am is more likely to yield success. However I am in NYC.

THERE are days when I have no success on the Apple Store app, but can get a better idea from store.apple.com.

 

[noobinator]

I wasn't even sure what you guys meant by wobble but I checked mine and it does move a tiny, tiny bit but nothing that concerns me in the least.

 

[44267547]

For those being pedantic about the ‘wobble’ with the power button, that is non-issue whatsoever. They all have some type of minuscule movement. I’m pretty sure almost every previous generation Apple Watch I owned, had the exact same tendency.

It’s like the digital crown, they’re all manufactured slightly different, some turn more freely and other crowns have a little bit more friction when turning, there’s no specific movement regulation.

 

[spinedoc77]

Great post. I don’t know what your schedule is like, but I found that going on the Apple Store app at 7 am is more likely to yield success. However I am in NYC.

THERE are days when I have no success on the Apple Store app, but can get a better idea from store.apple.com.

Hmm, I don't think our stores open that early.

 

[jaybar]

Hmm, I don't think our stores open that early.

I not saying go to the store that early. Just use the app or store.apple.com to order that early.

 

[spinedoc77]

I not saying go to the store that early. Just use the app or store.apple.com to order that early.

Ahh gotcha, will give it a try.

 

[jenicekk]

For those being pedantic about the ‘wobble’ with the power button, that is non-issue whatsoever. They all have some type of minuscule movement. I’m pretty sure almost every previous generation Apple Watch I owned, had the exact same tendency.

It’s like the digital crown, they’re all manufactured slightly different, some turn more freely and other crowns have a little bit more friction when turning, there’s no specific movement regulation.

But not all of them make a rattling sound when you swipe your finger over it. From time to time the manufacturing tolerance becomes a manufacturing defect.

Still worse output quality by apple, but who has time to deal with it? scratched iphone 11pro, scratched macbook pro, dead homepod after homepod month, poorly glued airpods....

 

[maka344]

Ahh gotcha, will give it a try.
[/QUOTE
All the flagship stores have stock of both models. Not all smaller stores are carrying the Ti’s.

 

[spinedoc77]

I'm not seeing that at all. All the flagship stores in NJ never have any Ti's in stock, and the Manhattan stores are hit or miss.

 

[maka344]

I'm not seeing that at all. All the flagship stores in NJ never have any Ti's in stock, and the Manhattan stores are hit or miss.

In DC and Canada there have been two stores that have had a steady supply and both models have been available for weeks now for online reservation and pickup.

 

[spinedoc77]

In DC and Canada there have been two stores that have had a steady supply and both models have been available for weeks now for online reservation and pickup.

No such luck here, not a single store in NJ ever has them on the Apple store app, and I get up early and look almost every day. Only a few Manhattan stores have them and not consistently. Shipping is always about 2 weeks out for some reason, I guess that's the standard Apple shipping times. It's tough for me to have them shipped because of having to sign for them, it's much easier to pick them up.

 

[maka344]

No such luck here, not a single store in NJ ever has them on the Apple store app, and I get up early and look almost every day. Only a few Manhattan stores have them and not consistently. Shipping is always about 2 weeks out for some reason, I guess that's the standard Apple shipping times. It's tough for me to have them shipped because of having to sign for them, it's much easier to pick them up.

So, it depends on the band pairing. If you are after leather then none of the stores have leather in stock. If you use the Studio and pair with a loop - you should see stock available closer to home.

 

[happyprozak]

I ended up exchanging my natural titanium Apple Watch because I ordered with a black leather band and ended up loving the brown leather band when I saw it in person. Both the natural titanium watch and brown leather band look much better to me in person and on my wrist than simply in pictures. And as a side note the Pine Green color does not match the color shown on Apples website. Although I do prefer the actual color.

Anyways, unfortunately my replacement watch came with 2 scratches out of the box. One of the scratches is located in the same location as the scratch on the first watch, on the corner above the crown.

Its disappointing to see these scratches on a luxury good like this but I don’t care to return it again since I’ll most likely put my own scratches on it in the near future.

 

[jenicekk]

I ended up exchanging my natural titanium Apple Watch because I ordered with a black leather band and ended up loving the brown leather band when I saw it in person. Both the natural titanium watch and brown leather band look much better to me in person and on my wrist than simply in pictures. And as a side note the Pine Green color does not match the color shown on Apples website. Although I do prefer the actual color.

Anyways, unfortunately my replacement watch came with 2 scratches out of the box. One of the scratches is located in the same location as the scratch on the first watch, on the corner above the crown.

Its disappointing to see these scratches on a luxury good like this but I don’t care to return it again since I’ll most likely put my own scratches on it in the near future.

It possible post a Picture of scratches?

 

[maka344]

I tried 3 times with the Ti before opting for the SBTi and each time there were scratches out of the box. Some were only visible in certain light. I gave up and the scratches didn’t sit well. I don’t mind scratches that I cause but not out of the box when paying a premium.
Picture attached was taken 30 minutes out of the box.

It possible post a Picture of scratches?

 

[happyprozak]

It possible post a Picture of scratches?

Sorry not the best pictures, the scratches are hard to capture because you can only see them when the light strikes at the right angle but these pictures give you can idea of what they look like.

 

[maka344]

Any pics of the SBTi with the link bracelet?

 

[phpmaven]

Wow, I like that black titanium over my current black stainless. Is titanium any tougher than stainless, especially in black?

I actually like the black stainless better. I love the way the crystal kind of blends in with the case and makes it look like the crystal is part of the case. I'm still rockin' my original series 1 black stainless link band with my series 4 black stainless. It's a very stealth/Darth Vader kind of look that I love.

Titanium is cool though. I was an aerospace machinist when I was young and I always loved working with titanium.

 

[jaybar]

I was not impressed by the SBTi

 

[venom600]

On a different topic, WHY are these so difficult to find in store?!?!? I've been trying to find one for the past month locally, I look at the Apple store app and they are NEVER in stock in NJ. I look at all the NJ and NY stores and only a few of the higher end Manhattan ones have them in stock some days, but the rest of NJ never has them in stock, and I check every day. Yeah I know just order one mailed, I just am trapped in this routine of hoping one becomes available locally.

iirc, Apple Watch Edition models aren't carried at every Apple store. They are only available at the flagship stores like the ones in Manhattan, Chicago, and LA.

 

[jaybar]

iirc, Apple Watch Edition models aren't carried at every Apple store. They are only available at the flagship stores like the ones in Manhattan, Chicago, and LA.

It depends on which band one chooses. If you are willing to accept a standard sports loop that is displayed when choosing Ti watches AND you do not need the extra large, then you might be able to secure one for pickup, even in NJ.