I'm going to disagree with a few of the other opinions here - the case has certainly been polished, but it's far from a lost cause and the lugs on 1016s were never as thick as Subs/GMTs to begin with, so I think the "dire" nature of the case is possibly being exaggerated here. The dial looks to be flawless and the original hands show perfectly matching lume as well. It reminds me a lot of my own (see link below), and for full context, I paid ~$8,500 all-in (including servicing/replacement crystal) in 2017 off eBay. I have never thought about having the case redone and have been offered low-teens for it with no questions asked. While the seller may be slightly high, I think you certainly have room to meet him in the middle. Would be a killer daily wearer and even better since you know the prior owner!
http://www.bazamu.com/rolex-explorer-ref-1016/Click to expand...