On the subject of crystals and how they sit, the 2 case types, 145.014 and 145.034(three if you count the rare telestop version) have different types of crystal so may look different in profile.

I think it is an easy watch to judge if it has been polished or refinished. Any watch with large areas of brushing like this is very hard to replicate without making it look brand new, if done properly, or a soft edges, or just imprecise radial graining if done by hand.

 

Great point about the .014 vs .034 case types. Would be interesting to see several side views of each to see if any consistencies emerge...

And yes, ultimately after viewing hundreds of these cases it does become second nature to spot restorations. That said, given the limited photographic skills of many sellers and the notoriously difficult-to-capture finish of the Mark II and its ilk, it's always nice to have a few other signposts to look out for.

 

I'm considering nabbing these NOS racing dial hands for my new beater:


...though I'm somewhat concerned the white of the "new" hands will clash with the nicely yellowed old paint on the running seconds hands:



I'm also still puzzled by the hour and minute hands on this puppy. They really do appear to have aged in tandem with the rest of the watch (the central parts in particular seem to match the faded white of the running seconds hand perfectly) and I wonder if by some fluke they might somehow be original to this piece despite their lacking black painted segments...? I suppose it's possible they were replaced/repainted a really long time ago. Establishing that this is indeed a 145.014 will be Step 1 on this befuddling journey.

 

Finally got this beauty beater on my wrist and ready to share a few quick and dirty iPhone shots.

There are pleasant surprises:

-The faded orange colour of the chrono hands against the gray dial looks amazing in person. Much prettier than expected and not yellow at all. And the “wrong” all-white hands absolutely look like they’re the same age as the rest of this watch. I’ll probably start a thread to discuss this and draw in a few more opinions...

-The stretch in the bracelet is actually pretty minor, so there’s an extra $350 I won’t need to spend.

-Brush marks are still visible throughout the top of the case, lines still sharp.

Somewhat less pleasant:

-This watch has seen a buffing wheel. And although the “embellisher” used it tastefully and kept the lines of the case intact, they unfortunately goofed a bit near the bottom left edge and shaved a roughly 6mm long divot out of the bottom edge of the polished band. This is hardly a point of obsession as it’s not terribly visible but a bit of a bummer nonetheless.

Overall, after hours spent obsessing over the tiniest details on these things, a surprising realization has emerged: this watch is gloriously imperfect and it’s awesome as-is. It would technically be a great candidate for a restoration, but I honestly don’t find myself wanting to change a single thing about it! It’s a gorgeous, 100% wearable and unpretentious beater.

 

congrats!

 

These tonneaux cases can take some polish, but before you even consider making an offer, you need to ask for photos of both lug areas

this is what you absolutely dont want - where the metal is dangerously thin

 

No argument there, Sherbie.

I'm probably gonna leave the refinishing to this watch's eventual next owner. For now I like it the way it is, shininess be damned.