Timothytrespas wrote:
i wipe it lightly with a chamois cloth and warm water every few days.
today i look and there are areas where it looks like my sweat ate the paint away off of the aluminum watch back.
One would want to know: what else, in addition to sweat, is coming into contact with the watch?
Sunblock chemicals?
Do you shower with it on? Soap, shampoo? Conditioner?
I wipe my Apple watch with a microfiber cloth (the same type of cloth used to clean glasses) every time I put it on the charger, which is ONCE PER DAY. And (especially) after every workout. I never shower with it, nor expose it to salt water nor chlorine in pools. My Series 11 is 10 months old and it looks like it did when new. I think waiting several days means the watch is exposed to chemicals for extended periods of time.
I don't think you have done anything wrong here but the environment that the watch is used in does matter. Apple does say these watches can be used for swimming but I feel it will cause them to wear faster so I don't do it; for swimming I use a traditional cheap Ironman digital watch, it measures lap times and everything I need for swimming (but not heart rate). As for sweat, sunblock, soap and other chemicals, the watch needs to be cared for. Even sweat by itself is very salty.
i have apple care.
does it matter to apple or do they just dismiss it as ‘cosmetic’?
i have a protective cover.
i guess i should have gotten a full back and front snap together protective cover but it made the watch too large.
A protective cover? I think that is not recommended. How is it attached. It might be stressing different surfaces of the watch. You can't put anything over the sensors or they will stop working.
If you have AppleCare, certainly take it in, see what Apple offers to do. The watch is also still under warranty, also. At some point, severe surface degradation could impair watch functionality, I would think.
