Over the coming months I will be putting together a collection of answers to popular questions, we are always being asked.
In this article I’ll be discussing my opinion (as that’s all I can offer) on the age old question – “has the watch been polished?”
Bearing in mind most of the watches we sell as a business fall into the early 80s-00s era, you have to take into account how old the watch really is. If you’re old enough to remember 1985 for instance, a lot has happened in those forty years. Most possessions you will have owned have long since been lost or broken. It’s a testament to the quality of manufacture of Swiss watches; they often don’t look dissimilar to the day they were purchased.
Watches may have and are more likely to have changed ownership in their life and then been resold in the trade.
For the watch to be resold, the trader/jeweler will want the watch to appear pleasing to the eye . In which case they will have to professionally and sympathetically restore the watch. This being done with the utmost care will often involve cloth wheels , polishing soaps, and varying finishing tools. A craftsman will do this without removing unnecessary metal and often only needs to use the lightest of abrasives. I’ve no doubt (in my opinion) it is of no detriment to the watch and should only be done when necessary.
However, there is the other side of the coin, which we sometimes see, where an amateur has been aggressive with polishing. Also, that or someone has worn a watch daily on a manual job. Cases will often have knocks and be rounded, bracelets loose and stretched, and bezels scratched. In this instance there are a few companies that are capable of full restoration. This could possibly involve new parts and laser welding deeper marks before refinishing. There’s no real issue with this, providing that the work is undertaken by professionals and age-related parts are sourced.
Returning a watch to a manufacturer like this would often result in a huge bill and service parts being added. Purists have opinions on this, but really it’s down to the individual and how they want their watch. For me, I’d have no problem owning a watch having been fully restored but would be reluctant to stock such an item unless sourcing for an open-minded client.
In short, I’d say 99% of watches have been polished at one point. Is this a problem? No, if done correctly. The only time you can be sure that a watch has not been polished is buying it from the original owner. Most watchmakers/manufacturers would in the past have performed some type of restoration at service. In light of this, you can see why the question “Has the watch been polished?” Is perhaps a little naive.