Has recut/laser welded vintage Rolex now entered the realm of collector acceptance?

[fizz]

I see it every day, and now, with almost increasing frequency. Almost 90% (not scientifically calculated) vintage Rolex sports models, specifically the classics such as 1675 and 5513 have some sort of case correction done. In most cases, this is referred to as "recently polished" (see the barrage of listings at Tropicalwatches), but it's clear that the chamfers have been added as part of some cosmetic witchcraft. About 10 years ago, when I first tip toed into this world, any kind of case polishing was a death knell (or immediately called for more scrutiny by forum members and collectors of the offered watch or advice to seek better alternatives) but I think the quality of the craftsmanship improving many fold has led to their acceptance. I would even go as far as saying, that they seem to be desirable. I know I like them and when I was recently looking to acquire a 1675 earlier this year, amongst other things, the visual appeal of the case held considerable consideration. I found myself being drawn to these "recently polished" examples because they really did add to the overall look of the watch.

Having spoken to a few of the craftsman that offer such a service, it seems they can even control the "level" of this recutting/laser welding with some offering a look that makes the reformed case look thick and even but still vintage with some level of artificial wear. Again, I don't bring this up as criticism but to admit that I think this is a step in the right direction - not in comparing them to truly unpolished/thick examples but as a quality salvage operation for cases that need them and will full declaration provided on the part of the individual who partakes in it.

I raise this thread on the cusp of flirting with the idea of applying the same "fix" to my watch. The dial and insert are fantastic, but I find myself routinely asking myself, wouldn't it look so much better if one of these case maestro's did their magic on it?

Let me know your thoughts.