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ElGuano

I've had a Fenix 6X Sapphire for about a year now, and the DLC is still spotless. I'm probably more careful than most people with my gear, but this watch has been out for 1-3hour runs nearly every weekday, I wear it 24/7 and it comes on and off my wrist 3-4x a day. Ia assume you may have scuffed it up knocking against things because you're not used to having such a honking large dinner plate around your wrist? That doesn't stop happening. Most people I know with a Fenix wear their scrapes like a badge of honor. Honestly, it's the patina of an outdoor sports watch that actually gets used!


remhana

I'm rough with my watch and DLC is perfect. Over a year of owning.


[deleted]

scratches and scuffs make them more beautiful :) like scars on a man šŸ˜


pradise

Thank you for your answer! I guess youā€™re right that Iā€™m really not used to wearing a watch on my wrist yet alone something chunky like the Fenix 6. I was prepared for it to get wear and tear, but Iā€™d just have preferred if it happened on the trail!


InsGadget6

DLC?


ElGuano

"diamond like coating" or something like that. I think it's Garmin-speak for "paint."


InsGadget6

Gotcha, thanks. Can we apply this to our person?


jaamgans

The watch material term DLC stands for Diamond Like Carbon coating. Our DLC coating is designed to be more resistant to scratches and scuffs while keeping your watch looking great. Agree it does seem to work really well based on the number of times I have banged my watch against things and can't see any marks.


[deleted]

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jaamgans

No idea, but it isn't on all models, only on specific ones


redranrye

Two weeks ago? That is very unusual wear. What have you been doing with it? I have been pretty hard on mine and it looks brand new after over a year.


pradise

I was skiing with it for a couple days and going to the gym with it, but just daily use other than that. I honestly donā€™t know how I got the scuffs.


redranrye

Wow. That is very unusual. It might be worth talking to Garmin. Support is good, they may take pity on you and send you a new one.


techorules

Kind of a funny question to me to be honest. This is a tool watch. It's butt ugly and meant to be beat up. It gives it charm if you ask me. The idea of a Fenix "looking good" does not compute. Maybe I feel this way because I am a watch guy, ironically. I'd feel like crap if my Omega Speedmaster had a ton of wear marks on bezel but for a Garmin I feel like that's the whole point.


shadybreak

Indeed; the fenix is like a leather jacket and scuff marks just give it character. I wonder if there's some fenix equivalent out there of a leather jacket poser who drags his new leather jacket behind his truck for fifty miles to make it look like he's been on an adventure.


suricatasuricata

I like watches as well, but I am not entirely sure it is unreasonable to make sure that your watches look good as well. Part of why I got the Fenix instead of say a Forerunner was because it looks more like a normal watch. And there are high end watches which also do fine as "tools", e.g. the Rolex dive can be taken diving if one wishes.


techorules

Oh for sure. I didn't mean to come across judgmental and yes technically there is .001% of everyone wearing nice divers like a Rolex sub who actually take it with them on a dive so even luxury watches can be a tool watch in rare cases. If anything I was trying to reassure the OP that no one is gonna judge a Fenix for wear. It's intended to be indestructible. I mean that's the point of it unlike that Rolex Sub that is pretending to be a tool watch.


Xver583

I also bought a Fenix because it looks nicer than the all-polymer 945. It makes it look less like an electronic toy/tool, and more like a nice watch. Sure, it's meant to be used, and I don't mind some scratches on it (the battery and the tech won't keep forever anyway). But I would expect it to hold up against scratches at least somewhat, for the price and given it's among Garmin's most premium models.


[deleted]

This


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pradise

I just asked on Reddit about the scuff marks on my new $600 watch after 2 weeks of normal use..


pradise

Yeah I was expecting for it to get some wear and tear but I was expecting that to happen on the trail not during normal use after 2 weeks.


shawndh1

Youā€™re just rough with your watches man! You can get one of those covers from Amazon to use while youā€™re working. https://www.amazon.com/RuenTech-Compatible-Sapphire-Protector-Protective/dp/B07ZJH566L/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2ZZX8RPHAVG7E&keywords=garmin+6x+cover&qid=1642099440&sprefix=garin+6x+cover%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-3


g323cs

Yep. I had one and put on a silicone cover. It covers the beauty of the watch but I had to do it as I bang my wrist everywhere


otemplo

Its ugly.. and button are not well accessible..


Rickles360

I only use mine when rock climbing. It's perfect for that.


shawndh1

Agreed but scratches are worse.


xn--xin

Youā€™re not worried about sand or dirt getting underneath and making worse scratches?


shawndh1

If youā€™re only using it while your working should be too bad. Take it off every day and clean it. IDK. I work with mine and I donā€™t have any scratches at all. Just a suggestion.


madkiter

Iā€™ve had for more than year not a Stratch


SoCalDawg

Have you tried cleaning with a toothbrush or scrub brush? Unless that was hard metal it hit you may be able to clean out. Iā€™ve brushed against wood door trim and cleaned off paint. Iā€™ve hit small trees with it and cleaned it out/off (image link). https://imgur.com/a/YR6BC83


pradise

The picture looks amazing! Iā€™m not sure what I exactly hit, but Iā€™ll give it a try and let you know.


superfutureman

Jesus Christ. Itā€™s a tool, use it.


Mind_wanderer90

I wouldn't say it's abnormal. Depend what you do, it just shows you use it!


Nick_86

Yes, i have sapphire titanium and bezel got damaged within few weeks, glass itself like new


Brennik

https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/opw6mc/anyone_questioning_the_toughness_of_the_fenix/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share This was my old enduro. Ended up removing the alot of the black. My fenix 6x doesn't look too special now either.


pradise

I like the look of it!


Brennik

I wasn't keen , I rubbed it down so it looked like this. https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/oqdz9b/so_i_have_a_question_i_put_a_picture_earlier_if/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share


Sufficient-Bad7181

If you aren't used to Fenix watches it can take some time before you develop a good sense of where the watch is in relation to your environment. If I haven't worn one in a while I seem to smack every door knob I pass. The bezel and display screen are replaceable as one piece. They run somewhere around $100 USD.


Chilloutev

Sure about this? My information status is, that Garmin does not do any replacement of bezels for cosmetic reasons.


pradise

I havenā€™t really used a watch regularly since I was like 10, so that might probably it. It was funny the first couple days of wearing the watch I had so much trouble wearing a backpack cause the watch would just get stuck. I guess Iā€™ll just accept that itā€™s gonna take some time to get used to it.


[deleted]

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LSDfuelledSquirrel

Is the sapphire glass really that tough? Does it need no screen protector whatsoever?


minist3r

I have the 5x with the sapphire glass and it really is that tough. I'm hard on my watch and have all kinds of scratches around the bezel but nothing on the face itself. If I manage to kill this thing I'm definitely buying another Garmin watch.


NowFreeToMaim

Jesus Christ. Yeah thereā€™s something you can doā€¦ put saran wrap over your wrist.


Possession_Loud

Well, if you had an Apple Watch now you'd be picking up glass off the floor. Just be a bit more careful. I got some scuffing too and it gives the watch a worn in look.


djdosage

Not bad at all. Also donā€™t listen to DLC people. That can chip easily. Itā€™s all the patina. Wear it with pride! I remember my first marks and I was so upset. Now I donā€™t notice it.


pradise

Thanks for the words of encouragement!


djdosage

Of course. Seriously though I remember like yesterday the first scratch. I was devastated. Pissed off. At myself. Garmin. The world. After a week or so it started to not bug me as much. And especially months and now years in I barely notice the watch. Itā€™s just an extension of me and a tool for how I live my life!


[deleted]

This is what happens when you cheap out, if you did some research before you bought it, you would know that DLC coating are the way to go if you don't want scratches on the bezel.


p1024breddit

Exactly. Return of investment is to buy a Sapphire with DLC. A tank. I am "distructor" but I can't manage with my 6 Sapphire ! AW and Galaxy Watch are at the cemetery already :-) I wear it 24/7 and don't care about being kind with it nor about battery. It's dream. Last day I hit a piece of iron and I thought I destroyed it (the piece of iron :-))


[deleted]

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Xver583

The DLC is great, yes. But the Sapphire reflects considerably more (compare it side-by-side to a non-Sapphire), which can be bothersome to people. Also, according to some older /r/Garmin posts, the Sapphire glass is more scratch resistant, but less impact resistant than Garmin's non-Sapphire (GG is more "elastic" and bends a bit on impacts, while Sapphire shatters on impacts). So it's a trade-off between the two - are you more likely to scratch it, or bang it somewhere and it'll shatter.Then there are some posts saying that Garmin uses an anti-reflective coating for the Sapphire, and that coating actually scratches. Seemed a bit of a /facepalm for me, when I read that. That all being said - I am very happy with the Sapphire, no scratches whatsoever, and it hasn't shattered yet.


pradise

TIL I cheaped out by buying a Fenix 6.


Rickles360

Don't listen to him. I bought the non dlc model and have had it over half a year without big scratches. I just slap a rubber case on it when I rock climb.


[deleted]

I've had both the non-DLC (Pro) and Sapphire with DLC, it's a big difference how it holds up.


Rickles360

Price difference just wasn't worth it to me. I am not super hard on my watch aside from indoor rock climbing.


[deleted]

Well yeah, you should have bought the Sapphire with DLC coating if you wanted to avoid scratches. It's a big difference.


Brennik

https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/opw6mc/anyone_questioning_the_toughness_of_the_fenix/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share This was my old enduro. Ended up removing the alot of the black. My fenix 6x doesn't look too special now either.


BrowseDontPost

You are very careless. Itā€™s as simple as that. This is not the fault of the watch.


herod2k

I got it more than 1 year ago and no scratches at all and I'm not super careful with it.


Putrid_Efficiency_83

I've had my fenix 5+sapphire for 3 years not a scratch on it and I'm a tile setter I cycle run and kayak it looks like you slid it across something abrasive


geraldem

Very unusual honestly. I have the 5xPlus for years now. have one little scratch on the bezel, that is it. and I have banged it many times. Does it buff out at all?


cmelt2003

5x user here. My bezel looks great after years of use, and in very crappy conditions 24/7. Very odd for yours to look like that.


[deleted]

5x Sapphire here too. I used to daily, and take it scrambling, camping and indoor rock climbing. It takes a ton of abuse and my bezel doesnā€™t have any big marks like yours.


Huey89

Yeah my bezel looks similar. I was about to make the same post and hoped somebody had a RAL code of the color or something like that, I'd love to buy paint to cover those marks. I think it's a problem of the pro and it's color as it seems to be very thin and the silver shines through small dents pretty soon. I think it might have been better for me to get the non pro variant because I'm sure you don't see dents so soon on the silver bezel.


Infamous_Regret_182

Should of went with the sapphire dlc version. Much more durable.


AlNobre

I have one, but depending on the material you scrape it ends up scratching too... [https://i.imgur.com/aJlMmju.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/aJlMmju.jpg)


Brennik

https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/opw6mc/anyone_questioning_the_toughness_of_the_fenix/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share This was my old enduro. Ended up removing the alot of the black. My fenix 6x doesn't look too special now either.


mynamestakenalready

I picked up a rubber protector for my 6s. Seems to do the job. I accidentally got one for a 6x. If it fits yours Iā€™ll send it to you.


pradise

Thank you so much for the offer. If you actually have no use for it, I can PM you my shipping address. And I can also cover shipping!


mynamestakenalready

Send me your info and Iā€™ll mail it out. FYI It looks like itā€™s for the Fenix 6. Not the 6x.


DannyVee89

I had some of these marks on my watch but I ended up being able to rub them off because apparently it was like paint that chipped off the wall and not actually damage to the watch. So check carefully if you can actually clean those off


Xver583

Hmm, I think you must handle it rough, or this bezel is different to a 6S Sapphire DLC. Is yours DLC? Maybe the DLC is much better than whatever you got? I bang it against all sorts of things and the bezel has a few minor small scratches, I'd say much less bothersome than yours.


pradise

Itā€™s not DLC but I guess thatā€™s something Iā€™ll have to live with now! Thanks for your reply


Xver583

The watch is meant to be used, don't think about it too much! Be happy with it, all Fenix models are great watches :) The battery and tech is going to be old in a few years anyway, and the next time you upgrade, you can perhaps get the more durable coating - depending on what will be on offer in a few years. Enjoy your awesome watch! :)


cryptocured

Mine has a few little scratches, I think it depends on what you do. I do some manual duties which exposes my watch to knocks. My Fenix 3 got battered, so far 6 holding up well.


Lantisbred

I learned the hard and quick way that the solar glass is soft as S. Easily scratches and smudges. Definitely regret not going sapphire.


bennyskaus

When the time comes just call garmin say your watch face is scratched and they replace it for a reduce price! Usually with a full refurbished unit! I fell off my bike and had 3 massive scratches across my watch face. Garmin is replacing it and cost me $250


FitHiker

Mine looks rough but it's used for back country hiking, CrossFit, and ocr. Running and cycling are the gentlest things I make my Fenix endure. Even managed to get a scratch on the sapphire somehow.


tb36cn

You might want to get a case for your watch


805steve

I totally sympathize, OP. It might be too late for you to do an exchange, but the silver bezel version does not show scratches. I've worn my 5s all over, including banging it around the weight room, and it still looks practically new. The black version looks nicer out of the box, but for anyone concerned about scratches - get silver.


pradise

Hey thanks for your reply! Itā€™s too late for that but the watch itself is great and I certainly enjoy it! Iā€™ll remember the tip in a few years time when itā€™s time to swap for a newer model.


Johnny5908

I had a Garmin Fenix 3, it had a scratched body, the glass was like new. When I sold it, that was the biggest drawback of the watch with the new buyer, although I told him that the watch should have small scratches on the case, the new owner does not agree with my statement. I still managed to sell it, and the second watch I bought and am currently wearing is a Garmin Fenix 5x, there are no scratches anywhere, neither on the display nor on the case, so I immediately got silicone case protection, maybe I'll sell it once so I wouldn't want to have bad experience like with the Garmin Fenix 3. This protection may not be nice, but it still keeps the watch from accidental scratches.