A resourceful smartwatch proprietor has shared an unconventional technique for hiding deep scratches on wearable system screens, probably saving shoppers a whole bunch of {dollars} in restore or substitute prices. This method, whereas not a everlasting repair, gives a cheap answer for these trying to prolong the lifetime of their broken units.
The tactic, as detailed on Reddit, entails using mineral oil and a tempered glass display screen protector to masks deep scratches on a Garmin Epix 2 smartwatch. The person, who bought the system second-hand at a reduction as a consequence of its broken display screen, experimented with varied restore methods earlier than stumbling on this distinctive method.
Initially, the person tried to shine out the scratch utilizing diamond paste, a standard technique for minor floor imperfections. Nonetheless, this proved ineffective for deeper scratches and resulted in injury to the display screen’s anti-glare coating. The lesson realized: sharpening just isn’t really helpful for vital display screen injury on these units.
Trying into different options, the person found that mineral oil has a refractive index much like that of Gorilla Glass, the fabric utilized in many smartwatch screens. By making use of a tiny quantity of mineral oil to the scratch after which fastidiously inserting a tempered glass display screen protector over it, the person was capable of successfully conceal the injury.
Take a look at these earlier than and after photos – the outcomes are fairly spectacular. Just about nearly as good as new.
The way it works
So how does this work? It seems nearly too good to be true.
The mineral oil, which has related light-bending properties to the display screen materials, fills the gaps within the scratch. The addition of a tempered glass protector then creates a clean floor, making the scratch just about invisible to the bare eye. The person experiences that this technique additionally helped to cover the areas the place the anti-glare coating had been by chance eliminated through the sharpening try.
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It’s a method we’ve got not heard of earlier than. It would even work on watches with sapphire glass. Nonetheless, the longevity of this answer stays to be seen. Plus there could also be potential drawbacks or dangers related to introducing mineral oil to digital units. These are unknowns. It’s additionally most likely not a good suggestion to make use of oils aside from mineral oil, as its shelf-stable nature makes it much less prone to degrade over time.
Garmin customers dealing with scratched screens sometimes have restricted choices for restore. Historically, many resort to dwelling with minor scratches, as they don’t impair the system’s performance. For deeper scratches or cracks, customers could try to hunt skilled restore companies at their native watchmaker store. However this service will be pricey and is probably not accessible. Garmin warranties sometimes don’t cowl display screen scratches – nevertheless it’s value contacting them and posing the query. You by no means know – they might provide you with a refurbished unit.
All issues thought of, making use of a display screen protector to your Garmin watch is at all times a good suggestion. The small upfront value may probably safeguard your worthwhile system for years to come back.
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