As we continue to discuss the endless topics that make the vintage watch hobby so interesting, let me suggest a topic that I cannot recall our discussing, in any depth or detail – polished cases.

Let me begin with a confession and a question: The confession is that I do not know the details of how polishing occurs? What tools and techniques? What materials and solutions? When does a “cleaning” become a “polishing”? If any metal is lost / removed in the process, does that make it a “refinishing”? [I know how to polish a car and even silverware, but could benefit from one of our watchmakers / craftsmen providing some information about the process. Abel and Craig . . . are you out there?]

So now the real question: How do you react to a Carrera or Autavia from the 1960s, on which the metal has been cleaned, but the case has never been refinished? You can see all the light nicks and scratches that have been added over the years, but you are confident that no metal has ever been removed by a polishing or refinishing process? The edges of the case are original; no work on the surfaces that may have softened them in any way . . . absolutely razor sharp!! Or how do you react when the metal has been polished – clean and shiny, but the geometry of the surfaces has been changed slightly in the polishing / refinishing process.

Over the years, it’s absolutely amazing how many times I have heard the phrase “lightly-polished”. No seller seems to confess that a case has been “heavily polished”. So how do you react, when you see these heavily polished cases?

And what about values? Yes, the shiny ones look bright and clean, but do you add or deduct from the price that you will pay, when you can see that the case has been polished / refinished? Will you pay a premium for having all the original metal, or do the nicks and scratches require a discount?

Final question: What shall we call a case that has all the original metal, without any loss in the polishing / refinishing process? Of course this one may have the light scratches and nicks, but the original surfaces have never been refinished? Original metal? Raw metal? Untouched metal? Over my years of collecting, I have come to love these old ones that have never seen the polishing wheel or sandpaper (or whatever it is they use to refinish them). How about you?

Jeff