How to gauge polishing when purchasing used steel sports watch?

[FrançoisCzapek]

I'm still confused about polishing when purchasing a steel sports watch. Could I ask:

1) Would anyone not buy a used steel sports watch if it was polished before, or if it was polished by someone other than the official service center?

2) Would anyone not buy if you feel the bezel and the edges and they don't feel right, for models with sharper edges?

3) Would anyone not buy if the seller refuses to answer directly whether the watch has been polished or not, especially if it's an individual and not a store?

4) Do the answers change for higher end steel models, like a Daytona or even a Patek Nautilus (which has sharp and well defined edges on the bezel)?

There are a range of answers in old threads, and there are many new sellers and individual "dealers" with different habits in the steel sports watch market these past years.

[thesharkfactor]

Ffs

[ikincooper]

You will get a variety of answers here too, depending on the perspectives of those replying.

For me personally…

1) yes i would and have purchased watches that must have been polished. The key for me is such a polish must have been conducted conservatively.

2) for a watch like an AP, where the sharp finishes are part of the aesthetic then they must be in tact. They can be maintained with the right polishing skill set and subject to only minimal corrections being needed. Even for a Rolex I’d want too still see sharp/non rounded edges.

3) I would suggest using your own judgements and not relying on the sellers description or answers. And understand Im no expert. The key should be that you are happy with the watch itself, not what someone tells you about the watch that may or may not be true.

4) yes as touched on above

Cheers, Niki


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[padi56]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

I'm still confused about polishing when purchasing a steel sports watch. Could I ask:

1) Would anyone not buy a used steel sports watch if it was polished before, or if it was polished by someone other than the official service center?

2) Would anyone not buy if you feel the bezel and the edges and they don't feel right, for models with sharper edges?

3) Would anyone not buy if the seller refuses to answer directly whether the watch has been polished or not, especially if it's an individual and not a store?

4) Do the answers change for higher end steel models, like a Daytona or even a Patek Nautilus (which has sharp and well defined edges on the bezel)?

There are a range of answers in old threads, and there are many new sellers and individual "dealers" with different habits in the steel sports watch market these past years.

Just use your own eyes it will be quite obvious if watch has been over polished but all Rolex watches are to be designed to be polished at normal routine RSC service.

[FrançoisCzapek]

For #3, is there any plausible reason for a seller to not know whether it was polished or not? Let's talk about watches not older than 2010.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Originally Posted by padi56

Just use your own eyes it will be quite obvious

Less experienced than some here, so don't want to trust my own eyes until I get more practice.

I'm always frustrated by this kind of advice.

[joli160]

1. There are some independents who can do a better job than Rolex.

2. As long as it looks good overall. There is also sleeve polish caused by cuffs sliding over the watch for years.

3. In the second hand market nobody is able to answer this other than the original owner. If you look what is on offer on the web it is clear that the vast majority of watches have been polished or prepped for sale.

4. A professional polish is hardly noticeable if at all.
If you can see clearly rounded edges or craters in the springbar holes I’d pass.

Nobody buys scratched up watches

[FrançoisCzapek]

For #3, I'm still confused because I imagine many watches 10-15 years old are still sold by the original owner.

If it's a dealer, wouldn't' the have asked the seller and he should know unless he would rather not outright say it was polished? Established dealers and stores will readily say this.

If it's a second owner, he can at least say he knows this history from the time he owned it and can repeat what the original owner said. Any owner could also look up the service history especially if he had the watch serviced.

If a watch has been flipped a few times, then you have to be on guard more.

Despite this, why is it acceptable for a used watch seller to outright say he doesn't know the servicing history and the buyer can just check the condition himself?

I'm just trying to understand if this is how it is, and irs best sticking to ADa and established secondhand stores if you are new to the game or not confident enough.

[Rolex1982]

Don’t over think it. If you look at a watch and you like the watch, what does it matter if it was polished or not? If you like it and you like the price then buy it, wear it and enjoy the hell out of it. :)

[joli160]

A dealer who buys a watch doesn’t ask if it is polished or not because he knows the answer will be complete BS anyway. He will make an offer based on the condition the way he judges the watch.

The term unpolished is often misused.
It is even forbidden to use on another huge watch forum in their for sale section because nobody can back it up.
He said, she said.


Why a dealer states unknown service history ?

Rolex is not in the habit of sharing information. Most likely they will not tell you anything if you make inquiries without presenting the watch.
It’s going to take a lot of detective work for a dealer to find out the exact history. Not worth the effort and totally acceptable for a dealer to state unknown.

If it runs fine and looks good on the day of purchase it will probably continue to do so. Otherwise factor in 1K for a service and sent it to the RSC soon as you bought it and you have build your own history

[padi56]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Less experienced than some here, so don't want to trust my own eyes until I get more practice.

I'm always frustrated by this kind of advice.

Well just look at many watches on the net then compare to the one buying, picture below is my own 16600 SD had a very hard life will well over 600 hours underwater. And now its been serviced and polished by 4 different RSC worldwide now 25 years old still ticking and looking good today.

[Andad]

Nice one Peter.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Originally Posted by joli160

Why a dealer states unknown service history ?

Rolex is not in the habit of sharing information. Most likely they will not tell you anything if you make inquiries without presenting the watch.
It’s going to take a lot of detective work for a dealer to find out the exact history. Not worth the effort and totally acceptable for a dealer to state unknown.

Sure, but wouldn't the owner selling to a dealer (especially if it is a consignment) be able to retrieve the service history, and any new owner will be able to validate if what was said was true?

[FrançoisCzapek]

Maybe to ask the question another way.

If you buy a used watch in OK condition but you are not sure if it was polished or serviced and you are forced to sell it several years later (without having it polished), will any of this have any impact on your sale?

[S.Explorer]

If it's a used watch, I would assume it's had a polish but as long as it's done nicely (I.e. profile, thickness and sharpness maintained), it's not a problem.

Have a look at multiple watches, you'll get a feel for what is good.

[brandrea]

Post pictures here on this forum … there are plenty of polish experts ready to comment

[joli160]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Maybe to ask the question another way.

If you buy a used watch in OK condition but you are not sure if it was polished or serviced and you are forced to sell it several years later (without having it polished), will any of this have any impact on your sale?

No, any seller just stating that a watch is unpolished is not generally believed to be true because it cannot be proven in any way.
Any prospective buyer will assess a watch and see if the condition meets his expectations.

If you buy a watch in OK condition and have it polished by a pro it can become actually in very good condition and will improve the value.
A scratched up watch with marks all over in unpolished condition is worth less than an expertly polished one.

[Marcjvr]

How about this…buy it if you like how it looks else don’t buy it

Unless you are trying to start a watching selling business and seeking advice for how to maximize profit

[1William]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well just look at many watches on the net then compare to the one buying, picture below is my own 16600 SD had a very hard life will well over 600 hours underwater. And now its been serviced and polished by 4 different RSC worldwide now 25 years old still ticking and looking good today.

This is the answer.

[rmagoo57]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Less experienced than some here, so don't want to trust my own eyes until I get more practice.

I'm always frustrated by this kind of advice.

Then don't buy a watch until you get more practice. Go visit stores, look at pics of watches for sale and compare them to "NOS condition" watches, etc.

[996marty]

I’m sure this has been mentioned in one of your other questions
Why don’t you just stick your name down to buy a new one if you have so many concerns?

[L_S_SHOE]

1. Yes, I would buy a polished watch, but only if an unpolished example couldn’t be found at a reasonable price. I also wouldn’t care necessarily who polished the watch. I’ve seen the RSC over-polish a watch more than once. What matters is that the watch was only lightly polished by someone who knew what they were doing. It’s hard to polish a watch correctly and very easy to polish it incorrectly and ruin the watch (for me).

2. I wouldn’t buy a watch if I thought it was over-polished.

3. Sellers may not know the history of the watch and therefore may not be willing to say one way or another that the watch was or wasn’t polished. Be wary of claims that a watch is unpolished unless the seller is extremely knowledgeable and trustworthy or if they know with certainty the watch’s service history.

4. Answers don’t change.

In general, I prefer a watch that’s not been polished. I dislike the thought of removing metal, and those scratches give you an idea of the kind of life that watch has lived.

You’ll need to study new or unpolished examples to get a good idea of what the watch looked like originally, and only then will you be able to tell what an over-polished example looks and feels like. In my opinion, if a watch was correctly polished, it should be a difficult to tell if it was polished at all.


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[huncho]

Originally Posted by thesharkfactor

Ffs

lmao

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by padi56

Just use your own eyes it will be quite obvious if watch has been over polished but all Rolex watches are to be designed to be polished at normal routine RSC service.

This modern no polish mentality truly puzzles me.
I guess it’s us old folks that are ok with a polish at service, the way it has always been for us, as we bought them without an investment mentailty.
But, to each their own if it makes them happy to have an eternally scratched, used looking watch rather than an occasional new looking one again.

[shaunylw]

If you are buying a pre owned modern Rolex from a seller, it been polished. All of these dealers polish then list them for sale. It really doesn’t matter.


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[FrançoisCzapek]

Thanks. Look, part of my confusion is caused by some threads just scream don't ever polish, especially for Patek sports watches more than Rolex.

[Calatrava r]

Virtually every used watch you buy from a used watch dealer has been polished. Dealers will tell you they cannot sell watches with marks on them.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Yes and every reputable dealer I've spoken to just say so, with the occasional watch where they say it was stated not to be polished and the owner in fact kept it as a safe queen or occasionally and very carefully wore it.

Just confused because I spoke to a couple of (more amateur) dealers who refused to just outright say it was polished, and then only with this thread do I hear people saying it's absolutely normal to polish watches and enjoy polished used watches so long as it's done well.

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Yes and every reputable dealer I've spoken to just say so, with the occasional watch where they say it was stated not to be polished and the owner in fact kept it as a safe queen or occasionally and very carefully wore it.

Just confused because I spoke to a couple of (more amateur) dealers who refused to just outright say it was polished, and then only with this thread do I hear people saying it's absolutely normal to polish watches and enjoy polished used watches so long as it's done well.

I always say for consideration……….watch was polished to begin with when manufactured. So every watch in the world is a polished watch.

[jgottsman11]

Can someone just ban this guy too like all of the other recent similar members who posted basically the same repetitive stuff?