Any way to return the circular graining to this Speedy case back?

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The case back on the left is really odd: the circular finish has been completely removed, yet the Hippocampus and wording is still quite deep and legible. Don’t know how that was done.

Anyway, is there any way to restore to circular graining as per the case back to the right? Thanks.

 
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The one on the right is odd to me (and a service caseback 145.0012 I guess)... The one on the left looks fine.
 
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The one on the right is odd to me (and a service caseback 145.0012 I guess)... The one on the left looks fine.

Yes, you are correct about the case back (in the previous post) on the right being a service back. However, you can see in the photo below the one that you say looks fine, and an unmolested example to the left, where the light circular pattern is still visible:

Edited:
 
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It could be done on a lathe but it was removed by honest wear and the hippocampus doesn't seem uniformly sharp.

In this case, I vote "it ain't broke, why fix it?"
 
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it was removed by honest wear and the hippocampus doesn't seem uniformly sharp. In this case, I vote "it ain't broke, why fix it?"

The pictures aren’t perfect but in hand, the thing is a mirror finish, which tells me it was polished. Wouldn’t mind a light graining put back, but who the heck can do that kind of work?
 
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The one you are worried about has a plastic protector on without that it probably shows remnants of circular graining. Until you get a proper view of it you can’t really form any conclusions.
 
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The pictures aren’t perfect but in hand, the thing is a mirror finish, which tells me it was polished. Wouldn’t mind a light graining put back, but who the heck can do that kind of work?

Any competent watchmaker. I just did one a few days ago, but it was a modern style case back where the whole watch was pretty beat up. You mount it in a lathe, using a chuck that grips the inside of the case back, and then apply the finish. Not a difficult task at all.
 
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If you recut/polish this caseback to get back the circular effect, it will only look artificial I think...
 
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Don’t know how that was done.

Worn on someone’s wrist for 50 years would be my guess 😗
 
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Worn on someone’s wrist for 50 years would be my guess 😗
Wrist hair can act like a scouring pad if applied for long enough, but I'll say it again, there is a protective sticker on that caseback obscuring a proper view. Note the red line. If once the plastic is removed it is still polished completely smooth, then that suggests the back maybe saw a polish wheel at some point so re-establishing the graining isn't as bad a sin IMO as many case refinishing efforts since the real damage is already done.
 
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Wrist hair can act like a scouring pad if applied for long enough, but I'll say it again, there is a protective sticker on that caseback obscuring a proper view. Note the red line. If once the plastic is removed it is still polished completely smooth, then that suggests the back maybe saw a polish wheel at some point so re-establishing the graining isn't as bad a sin IMO as many case refinishing efforts since the real damage is already done.

Will remove it and report back.