Do the Galaxy Watch 5 & Apple Watch Ultra feature pure sapphire?

Samsung‘s Galaxy Watch 5 series smartwatches come with sapphire crystal protection on the front. The company claims 60% more resistance against scratches as compared to regular glass. But how does the new Galaxy Watch hold up against the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Fenix 7? Popular YouTuber Zack Nelson, aka JerryRigEverything, tested the three smartwatches to find out.

Galaxy Watch 5 and Apple Watch Ultra sapphire test

For the uninitiated, sapphire is an extremely tough man-made material with a hardness level near the diamond. On Moh’s scale of hardness, it scratches at level 8 or 9, depending on the purity and polishing of the surface. Regular glass scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7. This is something you’d get to hear from Zack in most of his durability videos.

However, it has been found that many manufacturers use sub-par quality sapphire on their products just for the sake of it being sapphire. Marketing strategies, you know. For example, Apple’s iPhones have come with sapphire screens for years but they still start scratching at level 6 on Moh’s scale of hardness. And it’s no different on the all-new Apple Watch Ultra.

Zack’s test reveals that the level 6 pick doesn’t slide as smoothly as on the watch’s screen. There’s a grip that can be heard clearly at level 7. The picks also leave minor scratch marks on the screen. The grooves get deeper at levels 8 and 9. This confirms that the sapphire on the Apple Watch Ultra isn’t the purest you can get, though Zack notes that it could be impurities or a polishing issue too.

The story is the same on the Galaxy Watch 5 as well. Samsung’s first-ever smartwatch with a sapphire screen scratches at level 6 on Moh’s scale of hardness. The marks aren’t as deep as you’d see on regular glass at this level, but it’s enough to tell you that the Korean firm isn’t using pure sapphire either. Once again, it could be impurities or a polishing issue, or maybe Samsung and Apple are sourcing the material from the same vendor. But, the bottom line is neither company is offering the hardest sapphire.

The Garmin Fenix 7 uses pure sapphire

This sapphire test from JerryRigEverything includes a third smartwatch model, the Garmin Fenix 7. It is a luxury wearable featuring a titanium body. And, the sapphire screen is also pure. Level 6 and level 7 picks slide smoothly on this watch. It’s only at level 8 on Moh’s scale of hardness that we start seeing scratch marks. All of this is an interesting find. You can watch the full video below.