Unpolished Expectations

[greekbum]

Unpolished Expectations
We all would love to find a NOS late 50’s –late 70’s Rolex that had never been serviced or touched just waiting for us to own. The reality is there are very few out there.If the watch had been serviced before the odds are VERY high it received some sort of a polishing. It seems that people are always using the words UNPOLISHED. In my life I have only handled a dozen or so truly NOS examples that were never polished and mint. They are out there. But at what percentage? .05% 2% maybe 3% ? I have seen and handled hundreds that have been serviced and polished that still looked very strong and had most of the original chamfers left but they had been lightly polished during services. (are these ok to call unpolished by some) I have seen just serviced and completely polished watches that looked like they were never touched also. ( but they were) I think if you use the words unpolished the terminology needs to be honest as to not mislead or confuse people as a truly unpolished watch is rare and will command TOP money vs 1 that has been all other things being equal. If one goes down ebay and all forums fs sections and adds up the ads that say unpolished what % do you think truly are ? Is it less than 50% 10 % 5%

[springer]

It definitely is the new buzz word to "hawk" your Rolex. Seeing these "unpolished" Rolexes always brings a chuckle to my lips.

[TurboWatch]

Originally Posted by greekbum

Unpolished Expectations
We all would love to find a NOS late 50’s –late 70’s Rolex that had never been serviced or touched just waiting for us to own. The reality is there are very few out there. It seems that people are always using the words UNPOLISHED . In my life I have only handled a dozen or so truly NOS examples that were never polished and mint. They are out there. But at what percentage? .05% 2% maybe 3% ? I have seen and handled hundreds that have been serviced and polished that still looked very strong and had most of the original chamfers left but they had been lightly polished during services. (are these ok to call unpolished by some) I have seen just serviced and completely polished watches that looked like they were never touched also. ( but they were) I think if you use the words unpolished the terminology needs to be honest as to not mislead or confuse people as a truly unpolished watch is rare and will command TOP money vs 1 that has been all other things being equal. If one goes down ebay and all forums fs sections and adds up the ads that say unpolished what % do you think truly are is it less than 50% 10 % 5%

unpolished to me means the watch retains all the battle scars and the current owner choses not to polish it. That is different from never polished. A never polished watch retains not only the scars but also the original contours, chamfers and what ever left of the original finish.

[greekbum]

Originally Posted by TurboWatch

unpolished to me means the watch retains all the battle scars and the current owner choses not to polish it. That is different from never polished. A never polished watch retains not only the scars but also the original contours, chamfers and what ever left of the original finish.

Is this like saying I didn't polish the watch since I owned it (so its unpolished by me) but I don't know what the previous owner did see pics and decide for yourself. In my book that is a fair explanation

Originally Posted by cruvon

I would say as a novice, I would put "Unpolished" and "never polished" in the same bucket since they would mean the same to me.

To you, me and everybody looking at it. The issue I have is that only a very small % are and Novice collectors,1st time buyers etc could be misinformed .

[cruvon]

I would say as a novice, I would put "Unpolished" and "never polished" in the same bucket since they would mean the same to me. Offcourse it would have to be a near mint watch if it had no battle scars so that would be in a different category like say "never polished with no scratches, dings,etc.". Then there is NOS, which is a level higher that has to be unpolished and with zero battle scars.

[onkyo]

I chuckle at each watch that I see described as 'unpolished' when it clearly has been polished in the past (possibly many years ago) and is now beat to hell..... aka 'unpolished'.

My definition of 'unpolished' is never polished and not not polished recently.

[johnbeth]

Originally Posted by onkyo

I chuckle at each watch that I see described as 'unpolished' when it clearly has been polished in the past (possibly many years ago) and is now beat to hell..... aka 'unpolished'.

My definition of 'unpolished' is never polished and not not polished recently.

I agree!

[dddrees]

As a novice I still am unable to tell whether the watch has ever been polished or not. I still don't know what the tell tale signs are and I am attemtping to learn. So yes this is terrribly misleading for me, however such is life and this is the way things are done.

So you will have those that are misleading on purpose and those themselves selling that don't know themselves. So the saying goes (caveat emptor) or buyer beware as this is the way it has always been.

[Beaumont Miller II]

When I am buying a watch that is claimed to be "unpolished", I ask the seller what exactly that means to him. I make the distinction between unpolished and never polished. If I was the seller of a watch, I would say the case is strong with fat lugs and let the pictures speak for the watch. I agree with you Nikos and Pav. There are some abuses.

[ExpII]

Originally Posted by greekbum

Unpolished Expectations
We all would love to find a NOS late 50’s –late 70’s Rolex that had never been serviced or touched just waiting for us to own. The reality is there are very few out there.If the watch had been serviced before the odds are VERY high it received some sort of a polishing. It seems that people are always using the words UNPOLISHED. In my life I have only handled a dozen or so truly NOS examples that were never polished and mint. They are out there. But at what percentage? .05% 2% maybe 3% ? I have seen and handled hundreds that have been serviced and polished that still looked very strong and had most of the original chamfers left but they had been lightly polished during services. (are these ok to call unpolished by some) I have seen just serviced and completely polished watches that looked like they were never touched also. ( but they were) I think if you use the words unpolished the terminology needs to be honest as to not mislead or confuse people as a truly unpolished watch is rare and will command TOP money vs 1 that has been all other things being equal. If one goes down ebay and all forums fs sections and adds up the ads that say unpolished what % do you think truly are ? Is it less than 50% 10 % 5%

I must have really lucked out recently. I picked up a U series (tritium) 14060 from another forum member and found out the movement was virgin and it had never been polished. I'm never getting rid of this beauty. Pics when it returns from service.