[tech_fan]

I had the original Apple watch Stainless Steel silver and the stainless steel looked and felt like metal. I ordered and received the Stainless Steel Space Black and the casing feels like plastic. Is it a plastic body? I noticed that the crown on the watch also feels and looks like plastic which is different from the silver one I had. Is that part plastic as well?

[tcuprof]

No and no. They are stainless steel. The space black is pretty glossy, maybe that's what is leading you to perceive that it's plastic.

[nnahorski]

I had the original Apple watch Stainless Steel silver and the stainless steel looked and felt like metal. I ordered and received the Stainless Steel Space Black and the casing feels like plastic. Is it a plastic body? I noticed that the crown on the watch also feels and looks like plastic which is different from the silver one I had. Is that part plastic as well?

Nope. The body is stainless steel with a diamond-like coating of carbon to produce the black finish on the steel. Perhaps this makes the watch feel more "plasticy" than it otherwise would. The crown would be subject to the same process.

[Mac Guy]

The body is stainless steel with a diamond-like coating of carbon to produce the black finish on the steel.

Yes, what he said. This is an industry standard process called DLC (diamond-like coating as mentioned). The exact formulation may vary a little from manufacturer to manufacture, but it's a pretty stout coating, bonded to the Stainless Steel case.