Supercase Polishing. Easy Tells?

[illiguy]

I’d like to think I’ve developed a good eye for whether a 5-digit or earlier Rolex has been polished.

I’m finding it more difficult to determine whether 6-digit Rolex models have been previously polished, especially “supercase” 11 and 12 series Submariners.

For example, seeing a litany of 116610LV “Hulks” in the classifieds that are pristine looking, but certainly can’t call be NOS safe queens.

Any good tells on these and other supercase models?

[Mystro]

If you can’t tell, then that’s a good thing because that means it was probably done correctly.

I can see an average polish job if the pics are good enough. I can almost always tell if a mechanical buffing wheel was used.

Sharp edges on the case but look at the polished sides of the bracelet where it transitions into the brushed top. That is a “tell” if they know what they are doing or just a quick orbital buffer treatment. If they roll that polished edge ever so slightly over the top into the brushed edge, it jumps right out.
On PCL clasp: the edges of the middle band needs to be sharp where it overlaps into the brushed sides. Always look where two edges or two different polishes surfaces meet. If you are just touching up a super clean piece by hand these edges will look sharp and oem. This is not a “polishing” but a light detailing. There is a huge difference between detailing and polishing. If a mechanical buffing wheel is used, I can almost always see it.

[Njkdog]

If it’s done, minimally, and correctly, I don’t think there are any tells. Not even to mention if it has been refinished, and had metal put back on

But bad polishing jobs. I don’t think there are any difference with the super cases compared to aluminum models
Rounded edges, not as crisp lines, so on

But I do kind of agree with you, with the tuna can clasp, it’s pretty easy to tell how much it has been polished. That’s how I do it, at least with those, or one of the ways, and that cannot be done on modern Rolex.

The hulk is more likely to be a safe queen, so maybe try to learn with no dates? I bet they would get beat up the most because people view them the most as tool watches.