Buying a metal bracelet watch with 2-3 missing links (including platinum)

[FrançoisCzapek]

You occasionally see a gray market metal bracelet watch being sold at a discount because the seller discloses it is missing 2-3 links. This is worse for Rolex because a factory Daytona bracelet is significantly smaller than a factory Nautilus (or so I experienced).

If the price is attractive enough, the seller is reputable enough and the papers are complete (implying the links were lost, not that the watch was stolen without the box and spare links), would it make sense to take the hit, purchase the watch and order replacement links from the service center?

Does this make more sense if the watch is unused or practically unused, so the new links will not look odd beside the original ones? (Or if you are planning to have the watch polished, is that a consideration?)

If this actually makes sense, is the question more difficult if the bracelet is precious metal not steel, and more so platinum? Replacement links are priced exorbitantly.

I imagine you could try asking around if someone with a small wrist is willing to sell excess links but imagine few will want to do this.

Or, are there less obvious considerations that make this a headache not worth taking on, which is why watches with missing links are priced at a discount?