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Cozmopak

I take absolutely no offense at Chris75s comments. I actually love these types of discussions and I encourage them! To my eyes, this is an exceptional watch, but everyone has their different perspectives. The term ‘unpolished’ is overused and in many cases unprovable. I have no doubt that this watch has been lightly polished in the past, as have the vast, vast majority of watches from 1972 unless they were literally sitting in someone’s safe and never serviced.

To me, these lugs look thick:

Dan S

This is maybe easier to understand by looking at a comparison image. Untouched cases are rare.
(from https://www.watchprosite.com/rolex/a-case-primer-for-the-rolex-1675--unpolished-/732.791448.5303788/)

Chris75

I am sorry I really didn't mean to criticize the watch just for fun.

Imo a watch with a case in that condition is far from exceptional, and often big dealers take advantages of their name to sell watches that aren't as exceptional as claimed.

J Jeffari

Chris, it's clear to me that you have no idea what you're talking about. First, if you've studied the history of the GMT you'd know that Rolex intermittently, depending on the period, cut the lug holes closer or farther from the lug edge. The 6542 lug holes in the late 1950s were usually cut right near the bevels on the lugs, later 5513/5512 examples were cut further from the bevels, and then in the late 1970s the holes appeared closer to the edge of the lugs as the bevels were much less prominent on the case. Looking at the edges on the back of the case near the crown guards, the clear, worn (not sharp) bevels on the lugs, as well as the flat lug holes placed perfectly near the lug edge, indicates the case is clearly unpolished. Chris, if you're going to contradict a dealer as skilled and honest as Eric Wind, I suggest you take your ignorance to another forum.

Cozmopak

Great reference. For me, the dial and the very nice and rare fat font insert was what sold this watch for me. I felt the case is strong.

Chris75

Jeffari I am sorry but that watch is clearly polished, as stated also from other members.

I am also sorry that the simple fact that I am criticizing a watch from your friend Eric ( that we can see sitting next to you in the picture) made you write your first post on this forum.

I am not here to criticize Mr. Eric Wind as a dealer, I was merely stating my opinion on a polished watch, that, as the OP also said, wasn't in fact sold as unpolished.

Facts, by the way, may contradict also big dealers, as happened specifically to Mr. WInd in the past ( I remember recently a problem with an Explorer 6610 with an "odd" minute hand) and to many other big names.

The crown guards, the case, the lugs and the bevels clearly show that the case was polished, no matter how skilled your friend Eric may have been.

Last pictures are of real unpolished 1675 from the same period of the OP one.

This is a free forum, a place of discussion and knowledge, not a big dealers' club.

J Jeffari

Chris, I am proud to call Eric Wind my friend. And I’m even prouder to have purchased most of my watches from Mr. Wind. I think my collection speaks for itself. I’m happy to compare collections anytime to see who has a better understanding of vintage sports Rolex and who understands what an unpolished watch looks like.
And you are correct in saying this is a forum for sharing true knowledge. That’s why I think you should share elsewhere.

Dan S

So we have two lurkers suddenly emerging to air personal grievances that apparently center around a well-established dealer. One is posting photos of the other without permission, and the other responds by saying "mine is bigger than yours". This is unfair to the OP, who is a relatively new collector that is happy and excited about his purchase. Take it offline please (or to rolexforums).

georgetownhoya

Hi Chris75, I’m not sure who you are as you don’t have much/any of a history posting here. Who are you? I have handled a lot of GMT-Masters over the years and believe this watch is unpolished. It was definitely not “recut” and I bought it from the widow of the original owner. There were, or course, differences in case design and the chamfers over the approximately two decades of the production of the reference 1675. There is a lot of confusion about what constitutes an unpolished case and there are certainly varying degrees of wear to these cases. It is often a “grey” proposition of opinion and expertise, not something “black and white”. I hesitate making any sort of final determinations without having the watch in my hands and studying it closely. In my opinion, people that attempt to be armchair experts generally betray their lack of knowledge by attempting to be so certain from imperfect, low-resolution photos from odd angles. You need to hold it in your hands to be more certain, and I have. BTW, you may enjoy my Reference Points on Vintage Rolex Submariners on HODINKEE and we are working on a Reference Points on the GMT-Master to be released in 2020. You may also enjoy my talk to the Horological Society of New York from earlier this year that you can watch on YouTube. Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you. I care deeply about this community of vintage-watch collectors and want to continue to see it grow and thrive. The negativity and armchair trolls I so often see hurts the entire community by making people want to do other things. People generally are not attracted by negativity. All the best, Eric Wind WindVintage.com