how to know if a watch has been polished

[ndane]

i am looking to buy a watch but wanna know what to look for to see it it has been polished. i heard that experienced collectors can tell if a watch has been polished or not, and am just curious as to how they can tell this. thanks in advance.

[Tools]

Usually you cannot tell if a watch has been polished...only over polished..

Here are the key areas..

First, the crown guards on either side of the crown should be uniform and properly rounded, not sharp (except the early pointed crown guards)


Second, the lugs should be even, a slight bevel on the top edge, and not thinned by excessive grinding/polishing.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by Tools

Usually you cannot tell if a watch has been polished...only over polished..

Here are the key areas..

First, the crown guards on either side of the crown should be uniform and properly rounded, not sharp (except the early pointed crown guards)

Second, the lugs should be even, a slight bevel on the top edge, and not thinned by excessive grinding/polishing.

And the brushed parts haven't been polished.



Jocke

[ndane]

Originally Posted by Tools

Usually you cannot tell if a watch has been polished...only over polished..

Here are the key areas..

First, the crown guards on either side of the crown should be uniform and properly rounded, not sharp (except the early pointed crown guards)

Second, the lugs should be even, a slight bevel on the top edge, and not thinned by excessive grinding/polishing.

somehow, i knew that you, larry, were going to be the first one to answer. thanks a lot. but my ss/plat ym has more pointed crown guards and that has never been polished. 'sup with that?

[ndane]

larry, are you showing me pics of a sub that has been polished? i think you are, but am not sure.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by ndane

somehow, i knew that you, larry, were going to be the first one to answer. thanks a lot. but my ss/plat ym has more pointed crown guards and that has never been polished. 'sup with that?

I added some pics.. Yes, this is a 2005 Sub, and how you can't tell if it was done professionally, but you can tell if it is overdone, and those are not.. i.e., how they should look..

The YM has a different shape to them than the others.....I'll let a YM expert answer this...We do have pictures of a YM in the Library..

[Tools]

Here is what the lugs on a YM sould look like...


As you can see, they are much different and always look "overpolished"



And how the crown guards of the YM should look:



(Jocke's Photos)

[GeoGio Greece]

I am of the opinion that an experienced eye can spot immediately a polished case from the look of the sides, the edges of the lugs and the "general" look.

Though I was told that if the polishing is done by Rolex with special machines, this meaning that the watch is put on a jig and is done by a brush guided by a pattern, I still believe that a good eye can spot the work done at once.

I have done some polishing in the past on my own, on old AK, Sub and DJ, quite scratched but not severely banged, using car chrome polish, the one that dries out to powder, with excellent results.

All hair scratches were gone, the cases were shining and no wear to the edges caused. And the acrylics of that time, were done as usually with toothpaste.

[cuesrus]

Thanks for the tips!!!!

[smh223]

Originally Posted by GeoGio Greece

I am of the opinion that an experienced eye can spot immediately a polished case from the look of the sides, the edges of the lugs and the "general" look.

Though I was told that if the polishing is done by Rolex with special machines, this meaning that the watch is put on a jig and is done by a brush guided by a pattern, I still believe that a good eye can spot the work done at once.

I have done some polishing in the past on my own, on old AK, Sub and DJ, quite scratched but not severely banged, using car chrome polish, the one that dries out to powder, with excellent results.

All hair scratches were gone, the cases were shining and no wear to the edges caused. And the acrylics of that time, were done as usually with toothpaste.

agree 100%

[Bisquitlips]

From what I have seen, Rolex sometimes over polishes their timepieces direct from their factory before they have ever been purchased the first time.

[B. Doggy]

Nice pics!!!

[Imtiaz]

Even if the watch has been polished, the value will not change a great deal.

Rolex makes the case thick such that it can be polished a few times.