16610 LV polished at Rolex Service

[thecontractor1]

A friend has a 16610 LV D serial number for sale. He recently sent the watch to Rolex for a service, polish and green bezel replacement. The original bezel was chipped.
My question is--Has the polish and bezel replacement hurt the value of this watch instead of increased the value? The prices on the LV are all over the place but seem to fall somewhere around $6500 for the ones that actually sell. Photos are attached. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[mannyv11]

No I don't see it has hurting the value of the watch since it was done at RSC. The only thing that has increased the value is that it was recently serviced and should have a warranty from Rolex.

[joe100]

Naw it's fine. Rsc work on a modern piece won't hurt a thing

[Oyster Lover]

Originally Posted by thecontractor1

A friend has a 16610 LV D serial number for sale. He recently sent the watch to Rolex for a service, polish and green bezel replacement. The original bezel was chipped.
My question is--Has the polish and bezel replacement hurt the value of this watch instead of increased the value? The prices on the LV are all over the place but seem to fall somewhere around $6500 for the ones that actually sell. Photos are attached. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

One thing to consider here:

(1) SHORT TERM: in the short term, having the watch polished and serviced by an authorized Rolex center will likely increase the value of the watch a tad, and this is because whomever is buying the watch will feel more comfortable that it's all legit and has no hidden issues.

(2) LONG TERM: but in the long term (we're talking 20 years down the road) most things that an authorized Rolex center will do to the watch (including basic polishing, replacement of parts, etc.) will SUBSTANTIALLY HURT the resale of the watch down the road. We're talking, depending on the watch, you'll be polishing away half its value, or maybe even more. This is because collectors of high-end vintage watches want them in "as found" and "original" condition, warts and all.

As such, I would never dream of having work done to my own watches - just like I wouldn't buff and polish the original finish on my antique Colt pistols.

[joli160]

On the contrary;

[ronricks]

A proper polish is not going to hurt the value short term. A bad polish job can destroy the value however. I think the bezel inserts for those are $300 from Rolex now which is absurd.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by joe100

naw it's fine. Rsc work on a modern piece won't hurt a thing

x2

[RinkRolex]

Seems fine to me.

[cdmorenot]

It depends who you ask.

As a buyer, if I am in the market for a LV, I want that thing to be as mint as possible, I don't care if it is NOS or refinished as long as the job is done properly.

I am willing to pay top dollar for something that is in mint visual condition as opposed to something that isn't. The service performed is also worth something...

Some are proud of their battle scars, I like to keep mine to a minimum when and where possible.

[tjbender]

The reason some LVs are going for so much is due to speculation that they might be the next Paul Newman. As such people are going to be looking to get the most pristine example. I'd say most collectors will certainly prefer and unpolished version with original bezel. The work looks good but if I were in market for an LV i would want another example as they can still be found untouched.

[Oyster Lover]

Personally, if I had a watch I thought had a high chance of being an "earner" watch in the far future, I wouldn't send it to RSC or have any original part taken off of it. I'd just wear it very gently, and would clean it every 10-15 years at a local AD, cautioning them that I wanted all original parts kept, and absolutely no buffing.

But don't take my word for it - listen to what an antiques appraiser from the Antiques Roadshow had to say on the subject (both explicitly, and read-between-the-lines):

http://www.tpt.org/antiques-roadshow...watch-ca-1972/

[Mrkamir9]

Originally Posted by tjbender

The reason some LVs are going for so much is due to speculation that they might be the next Paul Newman. As such people are going to be looking to get the most pristine example. I'd say most collectors will certainly prefer and unpolished version with original bezel. The work looks good but if I were in market for an LV i would want another example as they can still be found untouched.

Well said. Just depends who's buying the watch. Some people don't care if they are polished, I do. I prefer them untouched. But, this was done right and looks beautiful. When the watch has completely lost its shape, that's a different story. I'm sure you won't have a problem in the future! Cheers!

[joli160]

Originally Posted by tjbender

The reason some LVs are going for so much is due to speculation that they might be the next Paul Newman. As such people are going to be looking to get the most pristine example. I'd say most collectors will certainly prefer and unpolished version with original bezel. The work looks good but if I were in market for an LV i would want another example as they can still be found untouched.

The question is can you really tell ? Some watches come back from an RSC in such perfect condition that it might be near impossible and can easily pass for untouched.

[Danny83]

It does not hurt the value

[Oyster Lover]

Originally Posted by joli160

The question is can you really tell ? Some watches come back from an RSC in such perfect condition that it might be near impossible and can easily pass for untouched.

That's a really good question, and my guess would be that at the high-end vintage watch auctions (where a high end Rolex like a 1960s Daytona would end up with the highest sale price) their "cataloguers" (the experts who review the watches) would be able to tell quickly if a watch had been worked on, or not - as these folks see thousands of watches a year and at that point have a pretty good knowledge of what is what.

Having said that, as a frequent buyer of art and antiques at auctions, I can also say with a high degree of confidence that quite frequently the cataloguers get things wrong, and that not all "experts" are created equally. Here's an interesting link for an Antiques Roadshow valuation that came back to bite the expert in the bee-hind:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/sea...900--201502A19

[bodhipooh]

I guess the more important question to ask is when/where is the watch on sale, and for how much?!

[RichM]

First service, done by the RSC on a modern watch, I'd say absolutely not. It looks like a brand new watch. I'd probably pay a premium. It looks brand new and under a two year warranty. Not too bad.

[bobabreath]

Looks like new but they might have polished a bit more off the crown guards, they seem a bit pointy. This would only affect the value for someone who would even notice or care about such details.

[Gaijin]

I just had my M serial daily wearer 16610LV serviced at the RSC. They of course insisted on polishing it and I'm glad they did! Came out amazing. I also had the bezel replaced for not a whole lot. Had a scratch on there that I didn't put on. Bought it used. Warranty now. I don't think the value has gone down as a result. In fact the Rolex that I have sold to Greys here they are always happy if the watch was recently serviced.


http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...=434592&page=3

[thecontractor1]

Picked it up today with a white face Explorer 2. The Submariner is like new. New bezel, clasp and crown. $1,512 RSC service in 2015. Under factory warranty. The watch has not been worn since it was returned from service. Original sales receipt and service invoice. PERFECT

[brucewayne1959]

Nope. No harm at all since it's a D serial and was polished at Rolex. If it was the Fat Four bezel then that would have been a different story...

[wuyeah]

If it is not a Y serial LV, it's not a unicorn. Not a rare unicorn, there is no need to worry about its future value, just enjoy it. Non-Y serial will maintain value.