Refinishing RO

[BOBI]

Hi friends, wanted to check if sending a steel RO to AP for refinishing as part of servicing would impact resale value in any form? There are currently some slight scratches on the bezel and clasp area of bracelet due to few years of wearing. Reason for asking is I might let go of my current model to fund another purchase if I'm lucky enough to get any allocation (watches are so expensive!). Appreciate any inputs! Thanks!

[Benzsiam]

There are two groups of people, one don’t mind about scratches and want only non-polished the other preferred the brand new look even they knew that was lightly polished before but still has sharp edges. For me, I preferred the brand new look, if my watches have a lots of scratches, I will have APSC performs lightly polish to make it looks brand new again when I send in for service.

I think most of secondary market dealers must do some lightly polished on their pre-owned watches, they are all in mint condition.

In your case, if the scratches are not bad, just leave it alone.

[CarlOver]

I think you should do as you want for yourself. It might effect the sale but someone will buy it and appreciate the watch with full disclosure. Not everyone puts PPF over their whole car. Some do. There are buyers for everything in any condition and surprisingly not always strongly correlated to condition.

[HMHM]

Honestly, this is a game you can’t win. If you send it for polishing, the dealer will tell you that because it’s been polished, the value will be lower. Conversely, if you don’t polish, the dealer will tell you because it has scratches, it’s a well worn watch so prices will be lower. If you are looking for best value, it has to be pristine, unworn, sticked condition, or else the grey dealers will find 1001 excuses to pay you less.

[nsarkas]

Originally Posted by HMHM

Honestly, this is a game you can’t win. If you send it for polishing, the dealer will tell you that because it’s been polished, the value will be lower. Conversely, if you don’t polish, the dealer will tell you because it has scratches, it’s a well worn watch so prices will be lower. If you are looking for best value, it has to be pristine, unworn, sticked condition, or else the grey dealers will find 1001 excuses to pay you less.

agreed 100%

Just do what you think will make you enjoy the watch most. As long as you’re not over polishing it won’t make any difference.

[VogelPhoenix]

I will hold off having any of my RO/ROOs polished as long as I can. I can't stand the rounded-off bezel transitions on the majority of used ROs for sale. There are few other watches where polishing jobs are that obvious. Clearly I'm in the minority, as it seems that all the grey's have a guy with a polishing wheel on standby to give anything that comes in a quick once-over, edges be damned.

I would really like to see hi-res before/after pictures of the bezel showing the work of one of the AP services centers. Clearly, AP knows how to get the transitions right the first time, so maybe it is possible when refinishing as well. Equally clearly, most other refinishers have no clue or don't care.

[Burlington]

If AP are doing the polish, you’re going to get a pro job which will enhance value.

Do not let a 3rd party near it with a buffing wheel.

Regarding sharp edges, my well worn, but not polished APD has rounded off significantly from day to day wear.

No plans however to get it polished in the short to mid term future.

[TunaTuna]

Don't worry 99.9% of watches sold, both on the forum and on dealer websites, are polished. You know what your watches look like after a few months or years, and all these listings are super clean. Come on, don't be fooled, everything is polished. Thing is, just have it polished by the service center or a refinishing expert on that brand

[Zazzles]

I would also love to see ap service center result. I had to return this royal oak that arrived from a Grey due to rounded off edges.
No history of ap polishing it, this was a third party job.
https://i.imgur.com/aFdsYeW.jpg
Zoom in on the end of the case flank, between the intermediate links.

I'd gladly take some scratches and marks instead. Many wouldn't care about what I posted, but the brush lines on the case were also much deeper and not all were in straight lines. There was pitting in the case too, I think because they held too much pressure when dragging it across the sand paper at the end, pushing the case into the grit of the sand paper creating little craters. Looked head on at the watch, the main case angles weren't straight either looked wavy. Just killed the watch for me.
I paid an extra 3k to buy one stickered brand new

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Zazzles

I would also love to see ap service center result. I had to return this royal oak that arrived from a Grey due to rounded off edges.
No history of ap polishing it, this was a third party job.
https://i.imgur.com/aFdsYeW.jpg

That makes me sad.

[macrowatch]

Hence the price for new pieces. Not many survive 3rd party polishing wheels!

To OP, I’d rather just get a new bezel and clasp. Makes everything minty for OCD enjoyment, and not absurdly pricey.

[Timeguy123]

Originally Posted by HMHM

Honestly, this is a game you can’t win. If you send it for polishing, the dealer will tell you that because it’s been polished, the value will be lower. Conversely, if you don’t polish, the dealer will tell you because it has scratches, it’s a well worn watch so prices will be lower. If you are looking for best value, it has to be pristine, unworn, sticked condition, or else the grey dealers will find 1001 excuses to pay you less.

well said.

[yOyOYoo]

Originally Posted by Zazzles

I would also love to see ap service center result. I had to return this royal oak that arrived from a Grey due to rounded off edges.
No history of ap polishing it, this was a third party job.
https://i.imgur.com/aFdsYeW.jpg
Zoom in on the end of the case flank, between the intermediate links.

I'd gladly take some scratches and marks instead. Many wouldn't care about what I posted, but the brush lines on the case were also much deeper and not all were in straight lines. There was pitting in the case too, I think because they held too much pressure when dragging it across the sand paper at the end, pushing the case into the grit of the sand paper creating little craters. Looked head on at the watch, the main case angles weren't straight either looked wavy. Just killed the watch for me.
I paid an extra 3k to buy one stickered brand new

Ouch that looks bad. Did the dealer try to pass this off as mint condition?