Explorer II 1655 unpolished Lug width

[swingt]

Dear all

Would like to seek your help...Came across a 1655, the original seller said it is unpolished at all...However, when I look at the watch in person, it looks like the lower right lug (crown side) seems slimmer than the lower left lug...

Would that be just a visual illusion?or is that the original curve of the case?

Many thanks for help!!

Cheers

[swingt]

Picture...



Thanks for help

[bluemartinifan]

Hard to tell on the lugs with that pic but the crown guards look polished.

[dshin525]

Hard to tell...but is that a gap between the band and the lug (lower left)?

[STEELINOX]

show us side views of the mid case, and thats the real "tell"...

Typically, these older casings had crown side lugs that were indeed narrower and it is seen here - as you had suspected, the taper from crown to tip of the lugs are this way because the actual lines that the crown would take the place of actually intersect the midcasing such that if it (midcase) were to be cut symetrically, the crown itself would stick further out and beyond the taper line of that side of the mid case, had the lugs been cut with the same thickness as on the non crown side...

Case in point are DAY-DATE midcases, if you look at them, you will see that the crown sort of sticks further out beyond the line of the bezel, it retains symmetry of the non crown side lugs, and are more or less equal...

Its prolly more of an asthetic/symmetry detail...

Hope I am making some sense...

[springer]

The watch has definitely been polished - but, the greatest majority of 40-year-old watches have been polished. Ask for better pics and address your concerns with the seller. Also, there was a thread here a while back concerning the right side lugs appearing a "tad" thinner on the vintage watches - even on "genuine" unpolished examples. I believe the upper right lug was the topic of this discussion.

[STEELINOX]

To try and illustrate !


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[springer]

Originally Posted by STEELINOX

show us side views of the mid case, and thats the real "tell"...

Typically, these older casings had crown side lugs that were indeed narrower and it is seen here - as you had suspected, the taper from crown to tip of the lugs are this way because the actual lines that the crown would take the place of actually intersect the midcasing such that if it (midcase) were to be cut symetrically, the crown itself would stick further out and beyond the taper line of that side of the mid case, had the lugs been cut with the same thickness as on the non crown side...

Case in point are DAY-DATE midcases, if you look at them, you will see that the crown sort of sticks further out beyond the line of the bezel, it retains symmetry of the non crown side lugs, and are more or less equal...

Its prolly more of an asthetic/symmetry detail...

Hope I am making some sense...

Good points! The Explorer II pictured here does not contain a factory finish on the lugs and the edges of the lugs do not appear to be a factory finish, whether or not one lug is smaller than the other.

[STEELINOX]

Originally Posted by springer

Good points! The Explorer II pictured here does not contain a factory finish on the lugs and the edges of the lugs do not appear to be a factory finish, whether or not one lug is smaller than the other.

The side views will tell for sure, if there is any "bowling" visible at the lug pin holes, its game over/rethink...

[mdw3]

The bezel on that watch may be unpolished. As for the case itself, I would say it might be unpolished -- in the past two weeks. That's about all I can say.

Michael

[swingt]

Thanks all, the logic sounds right...Seem the right lug connecting the crown may be visually or actually slimmer?

The seller insists the watch has never been polished and there are a few more pictures...

Thanks for your help indeed...

[swingt]

[Vincent65]

If that watch has never been polished, then I have never taken a breath! It doesn't matter though - it's a very nice watch, and 40 years old, and most of them have been polished. The case is still pretty decent, and clean, with no corrosion visible and clear numbers between the lugs. All depends on the price, and what you're in the market for. I like it.

[crowncollection]

It looks polished but most have been it was a standard part of service in the past.


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[zapokee]

Did Rolex make watches on which one crown guard is larger than the other? If not, it seems this has been polished...

[nicispapa]

I ve heard about older GMTs with different crown guards but this 1655 I think
has been polished .....

thats what I call unpolished:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...7&postcount=12

[Michael M.]

The case is not unpolished.

[HL65]

This watch has definitely been polished without question regardless of what seller claims...sorry.

[STEELINOX]

Yes, it's a paper weight, lol, j/k...

It's been polished AND poorly refinished = pass...

But, yes, again, them lugs are the way these cases were punched out...

[swish77]

This watch has been polished. Period. However, there are so many other factors, a lot of them more important. I wouldn't get hung up on whether a vintage case has been polished or not _ unless it's poorly done, of course. Evaluate it for what it is. Still, it would bother me that the seller is trying to mislead you, and I would wonder what else might be amiss. Good luck either way.

[springer]

Originally Posted by swish77

This watch has been polished. Period. However, there are so many other factors, a lot of them more important. I wouldn't get hung up on whether a vintage case has been polished or not _ unless it's poorly done, of course. Evaluate it for what it is. Still, it would bother me that the seller is trying to mislead you, and I would wonder what else might be amiss. Good luck either way.

X2 Aaron. You wouldn't believe how many are being mislead by this "unpolished" phenomenon. I had a conversation just last week with a guy looking for an "unpolished" 40-year-old GMT. Most of the original, unpolished watches definitely look the part and surely do not look new - unlike the 1968 GMT case pictured below. Like you noted Aaron, there is nothing wrong with a vintage watch that has been polished. Personally, I like them restored, unpolished, or polished. It all depends on the overall condition and value placed on the watch.

[CrownMe]

The watch being polished is no big deal at all as long as it was done right. But the seller saying over and over that the watch is Un polished would make me question the rest of the watch. You can clearly see it has been polished. The bottom right lug you can see the spring bar almost flush to the case. Not a deal breaker at all and I would love to own it. It's just not Un polished.

[swingt]

Thanks all indeed, would you suggest to bring the watch to Rolex for case refinish again? Do Rolex generally make the case better? Or just leave it untouched in this conditions...thanks

[Cc1966]

Leave it alone...still a very nice piece as it stands now.

[mike]

Originally Posted by CrownMe

The watch being polished is no big deal at all as long as it was done right. But the seller saying over and over that the watch is Un polished would make me question the rest of the watch. You can clearly see it has been polished. The bottom right lug you can see the spring bar almost flush to the case. Not a deal breaker at all and I would love to own it. It's just not Un polished.

Agreed. I noticed the springbar as well. Does look like a nice example.

[springer]

Originally Posted by Cc1966

Leave it alone...still a very nice piece as it stands now.

X2. Leave it alone, it looks very nice. Remember, these are old,worn, 40-year-old watches. 99% do not look new after decades of wear. This Explorer II is a fine vintage example - wear it in good health.