Unpolished case vs. polished case Speedmaster value.

apm1 · Feb 7, 2018

OhmMega
Thank Sony cell phone for that. I don't know where my SLR battery is so apologies for not being able to satisfy your appetite for perfect pictures. I can of course take the pictures down so it doesn't annoy you so much. Sorry again.

It is not for my appetite!
But if you ask questions about a certain watch, like giving a value, opinion on the case, dial ecc. at least the pictures have to be good! Don’t you agree?

OhmMega · Feb 7, 2018

apm1
It is not for my appetite!
But if you ask questions about a certain watch, like giving a value, opinion on the case, dial ecc. at least the pictures have to be good! Don’t you agree?

I haven't said that I don't agree. Of course better pictures help, that's rather obvious.

Anyways, the pictures are at the moment what they are. For some reason that not-so-good Sony mobile phone camera produced what we see here. At least the edges and the sharpness can be seen if nothing else. I have nothing to hide here as I'm not selling the watch. Also I have nothing to gain per se even if the watch would be non-polished and I have nothing to lose if it is polished. It's my watch and it is what it is.

I'll check that battery for the SLR at some point and I'll upload those pics. However I'm not going to break my neck in order to produce Hubble-quality pictures for something which someone can say: yeah it looks like it's not polished but I think it has been polished at some point. There is no way I can prove otherwise. And I don't even have to do so.

mr_yossarian · Feb 7, 2018

Meanwhile, everybody enjoy good pictures of a truly unpolished 145.012 😀

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-speedmaster-145-012-67-cal-321-boxed-serviced.55823/

sevenhelmet · Feb 7, 2018

mr_yossarian
Meanwhile, everybody enjoy good pictures of a truly unpolished 145.012 😀

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-speedmaster-145-012-67-cal-321-boxed-serviced.55823/

😲 I don't get jealous often, but wow... just wow.

Maganator · Feb 7, 2018

It doesn’t look like yours has been polished – but as has been pointed out – the photos aren’t clear enough to be 100%.

Regardless, it is a lovely looking watch and welcome.

Hopefully you stick around and we’ll get to see some better pictures of your lovely watch in due course 😝

Archer · Feb 7, 2018

In my own personal opinion unless you bought a watch new, and have never had it serviced, you never can really be 100% sure a watch has never been polished a second time. Of course they have all been polished once - at the factory. Typically done in a dark room with artificial lighting only, like this:

I took these at the JLC factory by the way...

The ability of case restoration has come to a point where any watch can be made to look unpolished if you want it to, and that includes adding material back through laser welding. If you want some refinishers can even add in a little wear and tear to make it look authentic and not freshly refinished. To me a claim of "unpolished" is to be taken with the greatest skepticism, and is virtually meaningless. I will not pay a premium for such a claim, however I will look at the condition of the case and judge that on it's own merits.

Cheers, Al

OhmMega · Feb 7, 2018

OK here are some new shots. Not necessarily better though 😀 Before anyone says anything: no, I will not quit my job to pursue career in photography.

I took the old pics down so that I don't upset anyone. So that's how the watch looks like. Note the small dent at "75" position.

I hope you get a better idea on how this thing looks like.

dennisthemenace · Feb 7, 2018

Lovely watch, and the hands look original. Don't listen to chancers at WUS.

OhmMega · Feb 7, 2018

dennisthemenace
Lovely watch, and the hands look original. Don't listen to chancers at WUS.

Thanks.

Chancers won't have a chance as this watch will be passed on to my son at some point in the future. It most definitely is not perfect but it's good enough to take good care of and pass on in the family. And I like the watch and I think that's what matters the most 😀

apm1 · Feb 7, 2018

The watch is in very good conditions. Fat and sharp case, correct dial, hands and bezel.
This reference is highly desirable with 321 movement, and command high valuations.

dennisthemenace · Feb 7, 2018

apm1
The watch is in very good conditions. Fat and sharp case, correct dial, hands and bezel.
This reference is highly desirable with 321 movement, and command high valuations.

I seem to remember hearing that before.

apm1 · Feb 7, 2018

dennisthemenace
I seem to remember hearing that before.

Which is what I said in page 1.

padders · Feb 7, 2018

OhmMega
OK here are some new shots. Not necessarily better though 😀 Before anyone says anything: no, I will not quit my job to pursue career in photography.

I took the old pics down so that I don't upset anyone. So that's how the watch looks like. Note the small dent at "75" position.

I hope you get a better idea on how this thing looks like.

You have a little bit of opening damage on that caseback. A good polish will take that right out.

t_swiss_t · Feb 7, 2018

mr_yossarian
Meanwhile, everybody enjoy good pictures of a truly unpolished 145.012 😀

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-speedmaster-145-012-67-cal-321-boxed-serviced.55823/

Interesting to see that there are definite differences in the width of the chamfers at the sides of midcases, even comparing unpolished examples. Easy to see spot between that example (top picture) and another (bottom). Though the one on the bottom is a 145.022-68, making me wonder if the cal 861's had any subtle case changes compared to the lyre 321's. Has that been discussed before?

😕

apm1 · Feb 8, 2018

Could be because one is HF case and the other CB case.

mr_yossarian · Feb 8, 2018

apm1
Could be because one is HF case and the other CB case.

Both HF. CB only on 105.012-66's and on none of the above Speedies. Differences of Casebands can also be found in MWO.

Unpolished case vs. polished case Speedmaster value.

apm1

OhmMega

mr_yossarian

sevenhelmet

Maganator

Archer

OhmMega

dennisthemenace

OhmMega

apm1

dennisthemenace

apm1

padders

t_swiss_t

apm1

mr_yossarian

Similar threads

Vintage Navitimer decision: unpolished but blemished vs. polished and unblemished

861 Speedmaster Parts (C3 Tritium Dial, -71 Case back, 633 End Links, Tritium Hand Sets)

Speedmaster ADB 80s Case and Caseback

Special case Speedmaster Mark IV

Omega 105.012-66 CB case Speedmaster Professional

New Incoming: Really Interesting 'strapper' Case Speedmaster 125