Routinely polishing to death

[TimeAZ]

Originally Posted by thesharkfactor

Like this here, absolutely destroyed, look at the crown guards. I saw this today and had to take a picture. Not only was it the most expensive 116610LN I have ever seen, it is also the worst condition.
This is what can happen when someone whose job it is polishes a watch that does not belong to them.. Some poor soul will probably buy this in ignorance and pay well over 50% over retail for a watch that is compromised.

this is literally hideous

[thesharkfactor]

I agree, it’s awful.

Chisholm Hunter folks. Most expensive grey D in the UK. Some of their watches are in poor condition if you know what you are looking at.

[thesharkfactor]

double..

[fskywalker]

Some people even decline polishing by RSC, which in general are
supposed to be the experts. Had never been against polishing as think a well done, light polish will not destroy a watch; on vintage pieces understand the no polish concept. Each to its own.

[Tanalasta]

It’s hard to know when polishing may soften the edges. The watch does come back looking almost new.

I would trust GS and Zaratsu. But for a Rolex I want to wear daily, I earned those dings and scuffs. And there’s enough of them a light polish v the well worn look - I prefer the latter.

One of the ones who decline polish here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[telesquire]

I was looking at YM40's used recently and there are so many with polished bezels....just ruins them and they look awful with the gaps between the numbers done. Even worse on the gold ones. Its dealers justifying asking four or five K over MSRP for 15 year old pieces usually with no history or docs from HK/Dubai.

[Hpozzuoli]

There are so many new, young millionaires from the social media craze. These young hipsters only care about shiny and more shiny. They have more money than ever and buy in bulk, as long as it’s shiny.

[telesquire]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

There are so many new, young millionaires from the social media craze. These young hipsters only care about shiny and more shiny. They have more money than ever and buy in bulk, as long as it’s shiny.

That reminds me of all the new Instabook based dog owners who bath their pooches as often as they do themselves just because they smell like dogs....clueless.Let it be a dog and stop washing all its natural coat oils away!

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by telesquire

I was looking at YM40's used recently and there are so many with polished bezels....just ruins them and they look awful with the gaps between the numbers done. Even worse on the gold ones. Its dealers justifying asking four or five K over MSRP for 15 year old pieces usually with no history or docs from HK/Dubai.

Yea and after the yacht master lugs are polished poorly they are round and terrible......I’m waiting for my brand new rhodium from AD....I usually don’t mind buying near mint/light worn but not for this one

[karleone]

Originally Posted by Gab27

Most used watches are polished because most buyers don't want to pay $10,000 for a scratched up watch.

I think if you posted a picture of a brand new watch from an AD and asked if it was over-polished that half the people on watch forums would probably say yes.

No

[karleone]

For all the people saying polishing is ok and happy because watch come back new: you are not expert enough on the topic. There are very good polishers that will repolish a watch and use factory brushing finish, chamfers / bevels if any, keep a fat and sharp case. But unless you know an expert in polishing you might get a horrible polish even at RSC. Two examples of watches that usually don’t support well a repolish: 4/5 digits sub/SD/gmt/Explo 2 - most of the times after a repolish chamfers/bevels are gone, crown guards are not sharp, polished surfaces are not flat but rounded. Another example are metal bezel Daytonas: most of second hand ones are repolished and bezel looks always awful and rounded lugs…

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Vetracer

Hello All

As a watch enthusiast I've spent many years collecting and trading watches which I enjoy wearing and which I'm proud of. I'm fortunate to have received most of my twenty watch collection from AD's and being the original owner, I've opted not to polish any of my watches, even the ones I've owned since 2001. The fact I'm subscribed watch forums, I'm already confessing to having an unusual obsession for watches so please hear me out.

Prior to the spike in interest of watches (when watches were readily available and weren't items of speculation), I used to see unpolished examples for sale and cases were sharp and lugs were sharp and fat.

My observation now is that the big grey market dealers are each polishing watches routinely as part of their preparation process before sale. I've been disappointed when looking at watches which are only up to five years old. The cases and lugs are rounded. This is extremely evident to me because I have unmolested examples of most models at home. I guess unless you see an untouched watch you may not be able to see the extent to which the shape has altered.

After speaking to a couple of grey market dealers about this, they claim that they are giving buyers what they want and that the watches fetch better money when refinished. The problem is though, the rate at which watches are being worn and flipped now, it won't be long before watches are polished to death as each piece is repeatedly, routinely polished.

You wouldn't polish a Paul Newman Daytona so why does every watch which goes up for sale need a polish?

The irony is that if I presented any of my watches to a grey market dealer for sale, they'd attempt to lowball and then advertise my watches as "unpolished" for a large premium on top of the market price.

I understand that not everyone is carful when wearing their watches and that accidents happen but unless you have dents and damage to watches (which probably need to be laser filled), can we not just live with hairline swirls on the case and bracelet for the longevity and enjoyment of our passion?

Look in the real world Rolex watches are designed to be polished at normal routine service now every 5 -10 years depending on use. But today there is a anti polish syndrome and many today could not tell a good polish from a bad one. And with todays mainly extremely pampered watches as long as polish is dome by RSC or one of there certified affiliated dealers. Then it would take around 4-5 polishes before you could tell any difference thats about 40 years of wearing.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Vetracer

Hello All

As a watch enthusiast I've spent many years collecting and trading watches which I enjoy wearing and which I'm proud of. I'm fortunate to have received most of my twenty watch collection from AD's and being the original owner, I've opted not to polish any of my watches, even the ones I've owned since 2001. The fact I'm subscribed watch forums, I'm already confessing to having an unusual obsession for watches so please hear me out.

Prior to the spike in interest of watches (when watches were readily available and weren't items of speculation), I used to see unpolished examples for sale and cases were sharp and lugs were sharp and fat.

My observation now is that the big grey market dealers are each polishing watches routinely as part of their preparation process before sale. I've been disappointed when looking at watches which are only up to five years old. The cases and lugs are rounded. This is extremely evident to me because I have unmolested examples of most models at home. I guess unless you see an untouched watch you may not be able to see the extent to which the shape has altered.

After speaking to a couple of grey market dealers about this, they claim that they are giving buyers what they want and that the watches fetch better money when refinished. The problem is though, the rate at which watches are being worn and flipped now, it won't be long before watches are polished to death as each piece is repeatedly, routinely polished.

You wouldn't polish a Paul Newman Daytona so why does every watch which goes up for sale need a polish?

The irony is that if I presented any of my watches to a grey market dealer for sale, they'd attempt to lowball and then advertise my watches as "unpolished" for a large premium on top of the market price.

I understand that not everyone is carful when wearing their watches and that accidents happen but unless you have dents and damage to watches (which probably need to be laser filled), can we not just live with hairline swirls on the case and bracelet for the longevity and enjoyment of our passion?

Look in the real world Rolex watches are designed to be polished at normal routine service now every 5 -10 years depending on use. But today there is a anti polish syndrome and many today could not tell a good polish from a bad one. And with todays mainly extremely pampered watches as long as polish is done by RSC or one of there certified affiliated dealers. Then it would take around 4-5 polishes before you could tell any difference thats about 40 years of wearing.

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by padi56

Look in the real world Rolex watches are designed to be polished at normal routine service now every 5 -10 years depending on use. But today there is a anti polish syndrome and many today could not tell a good polish from a bad one. And with todays mainly extremely pampered watches as long as polish is done by RSC or one of there certified affiliated dealers. Then it would take around 4-5 polishes before you could tell any difference thats about 40 years of wearing.

Lots of watches go in to RSC for their first service and end up with an over-zealous technician who polishes the watch and all the edges are rounded as a result.

I’ve even had a watch go in to RSC for a simple job and come out with significant damage on the case.

If the right person within RSC gets your watch (and that can also happen), then the polish is light and the result is reflective of that.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura!,

Lots of watches go in to RSC for their first service and end up with an over-zealous technician who polishes the watch and all the edges are rounded as a result.

I’ve even had a watch go in to RSC for a simple job and come out with significant damage on the case.

If the right person within RSC gets your watch (and that can also happen), then the polish is light and the result is reflective of that.

Well in over 50 years of owning and wearing Rolex watches had many services done world wide with various RSC world wide never once had a bad polish. Or any damage done to case or bracelet, but today significant damage, deep marks and dents often equate in the real world to very tiny stuff.

[telesquire]

This guy does some amazing recoveries of beaters....

https://www.instagram.com/the_watch_polisher/

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well in over 50 years of owning and wearing Rolex watches had many services done world wide with various RSC world wide never once had a bad polish. Or any damage done to case or bracelet, but today significant damage, deep marks and dents often equate in the real world to very tiny stuff.

Its subjective, isn’t it.

I’m sure you’ve had good experiences - someone has to!

Everyone will comment based on their own experiences, and I’ve had a watch damaged. As did a colleague of mine (albeit his was a Tudor).

However, i have also observed the lines of other owners cases once they have been to RSC for the first time, and you can clearly see rounded edges everywhere.

[georgekart]

There are watch enthusiasts and then there's everyone else. I wouldn't mind a couple hairlines on a watch that I'm going to wear regardless. I was even at a grey dealer once and he showed me the watch and said this about a watch that's literally 3 months old: "Here's a watch, we send it off to polish tomorrow, if you buy today, before we do, I can knock 500 off so I can have a quick turnaround." When I asked him why they need to polish it at all, all it had was a couple hairlines I would have back on it probably within a month or at most 2 of wearing it, he replied that it is because most clients want it that way.

Frankly I would not polish it because I know I would have it in worse shape by the end of the year. Yet most customers who aren't us want it looking brand new. So he knew I was right that it didn't need polish, I knew I was right it didn't need polish. All of you would agree it didn't need a polish. Yet I am certain, the next day it went off to get polished. Not because either of us thought it needs a polish, but because average Joe does.

[brandrea]

If done right I see no issue

[Golden Ellipse]

Originally Posted by cvo

I only trust RSC to polish my watches. They have the right tools, specs and experience.

The worst polishing jobs I’ve ever seen have come from RSCs, including a GMT-II that was returned to me with the bezel knurling corners all polished down to a nice slippery radius…

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by Golden Ellipse

The worst polishing jobs I’ve ever seen have come from RSCs, including a GMT-II that was returned to me with the bezel knurling corners all polished down to a nice slippery radius…

Don’t tell them that lol…. U will have all the polishers running to the jool tool lady

[thesharkfactor]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well in over 50 years of owning and wearing Rolex watches had many services done world wide with various RSC world wide never once had a bad polish. Or any damage done to case or bracelet, but today significant damage, deep marks and dents often equate in the real world to very tiny stuff.

The problem arises when they try to get deep marks out of the lug top or chamfered edge for example, metal has to be removed all over to erase the mark.

I think a quick tickle over the polished surfaces with a CapeCod cloth and brushing of the brushed surfaces every few years is good stuff. You can't remove deep marks but that's fine. I do this myself now and again.

It's the polishing wheel and removing dents and deep scratches that will spoil a case. This happens during prep' for resale or a service. If you never experienced it then it's perhaps that you never had deep marks to remove.

You can't look at the Sub I posted above and say it looks alright and you'd buy it.

[7enderbender]

Personal preference I guess. Most consumers likely want a shiny polished watch. In the guitar world there has been this “relic” trend for a number of years now where brand new models are made to look dinged up and “vintage”. While actual owners/collectors of vintage guitars are looking for clean specimens and pay a premium for that. At least that hasn’t happened in the watch world yet. Or maybe it has somewhere, I don’t know.
When my Sea Dweller goes into the RSC later this year I want them to do the make-look-as new treatment. I’ll never sell it and I like it better that way. I don’t care if an edge is razor sharp or not. Good thing is that they offer options.

[fsprow]

If:

-I'm keeping the watch, I prefer not to polish except at the service interval (say 10 years). Results have been excellent in all cases.

-I'm selling the watch - a factory authorized polish and service prior to sale.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by thesharkfactor

The problem arises when they try to get deep marks out of the lug top or chamfered edge for example, metal has to be removed all over to erase the mark.

I think a quick tickle over the polished surfaces with a CapeCod cloth and brushing of the brushed surfaces every few years is good stuff. You can't remove deep marks but that's fine. I do this myself now and again.

It's the polishing wheel and removing dents and deep scratches that will spoil a case. This happens during prep' for resale or a service. If you never experienced it then it's perhaps that you never had deep marks to remove.

You can't look at the Sub I posted above and say it looks alright and you'd buy it.

Think some of you guys would of had a heart attack if you seen my 16600 SD after 5 long years working as a real tool watch with well over 600 hours underwater. Well used and sometimes abused its been serviced and polished by 3 different RSC world wide yet now 20 plus years old still working and looking good today.

[JSolution]

I but almost exclusively grey (I wouldn’t given the chance of course).

I prefer my watches to be polished when I buy them and looking new, even if a couple of years old. However it ya quite obvious when a dent has been polished out and the case is mishapen.

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by padi56

Think some of you guys would of had a heart attack if you seen my 16600 SD after 5 long years working as a real tool watch with well over 600 hours underwater. Well used and sometimes abused its been serviced and polished by 3 different RSC world wide yet now 20 plus years old still working and looking good today.

As i say, you’ve had a satisfactory result, and thats illustrated in the photo you’ve posted here - nice job, with nice clean lines.

But, many others don’t look like that after an RSC polish.

[GoingPlaces]

Originally Posted by thesharkfactor

Like this here, absolutely destroyed, look at the crown guards. I saw this today and had to take a picture. Not only was it the most expensive 116610LN I have ever seen, it is also the worst condition.
This is what can happen when someone whose job it is polishes a watch that does not belong to them.. Some poor soul will probably buy this in ignorance and pay well over 50% over retail for a watch that is compromised.

That's pretty beat up, too bad.

[sokoloka]

Originally Posted by bob sims

To which I responded that I am very happy to have never held a loop im my 60 plus years!

But have you held a loupe?

[thesharkfactor]

Originally Posted by padi56

Think some of you guys would of had a heart attack if you seen my 16600 SD after 5 long years working as a real tool watch with well over 600 hours underwater. Well used and sometimes abused its been serviced and polished by 3 different RSC world wide yet now 20 plus years old still working and looking good today.

Beautiful. I totally agree with you. Nothing wrong with a polish if done right, like your handsome SD there.