16710 - Has this watch been polished?

[ryvius]

Hi all,

I'm trying to level-up my proficiency in spotting when a watch has been polished or not. I've been on the hunt for a 16710 and found one made in 2006 that claims to be unpolished.

I've talked to a few people here to get their take, and one suggested the crown and the lugs may have had some light work done and suggested I get a broader take.

Polish isn't a deal-breaker - but it is a negotiating lever to bring down the price a bit.

So I'd love to get your take - is this watch original or polished and if so to what degree?

[RJRJRJ]

Based on the minor scratches on the polished areas, I would expect to see some on the brushed surfaces as well, so it probably had a light polish. Looks pretty good to me though. It also could be the lighting hiding the brushed scratches.

[3sheets86]

I'm no expert but these pictures against white backgrounds that are so often used these days really don't help imo.

[japenney]

Possibly a light polish. But the case looks excellent overall for the age.

[dricig]

Looks to be fine, probably polished at some point,
The bezel insert looks to be aftermarket.

[ryvius]

Originally Posted by dricig

Looks to be fine, probably polished at some point,
The bezel insert looks to be aftermarket.

The insert looks aftermarket - how you can you tell? The font/size/spacing seems consistent with every insert I've seen from that era.

[Tools]

No, it has not been "polished"

Yes, the grain has been re-brushed, it is not original.

[Vetracer]

Looks like it has at some point but it’s a good looking watch.

[Crazy Lugs]

Always look at the underside of the lug tips- they are sharp from the factory, and those look quite decent.

Over polished examples will lose the crispness at the lug tips. Also look at crown guards, but that is mainly on five digit subs where they get pointy.

[Rocket_Man]

The case looks to be in great shape to me. Nice sharp lugs and edges and on the bezel. As Larry said the bracelet has been brushed on its own. Doesn't seem like a big deal, overall the watch looks good. If the seller is saying the bracelet has not be 'polished' I guess technically that might be true, but it was brushed. Not recently though. The current owner may not have been the one who had it brushed. But to me, refinishing the bracelet is not that big of a deal. But an over polish on the case can be a deal breaker.