The problem is nobody keeps hold of watches for very long these days and every time a dealer gets a watch they polish it. They're all gonna be bars of soap soon enough
The most honest, informative and interesting watch dealer I continually follow. I just ran across this scenario with an advertised as unpolished watch. Same items were pointed out to me. Thanks.
When dealers advertise a watch as being "in unworn condition" then its been polished. Thats how I interpret it anyway. Otherwise it would simply be advertised as "unworn".
That mop dial is gorgeous David, thanks for sharing. You have so many beautiful rare Rolex watches you really should publish a book to showcase the collection
Excellent stream that I found most informative. Thanks David for passing on this sort of info because we all get over enthusiastic when finding a watch that we’d like to own at what looks like the right price. 👍👏
David, Very informative. Reminds me of an experience I had with a very well known Watch Dealer whom you know very well and I will not mention. I was lucky to be offered a Rolex Explorer 124270 brand new from my local AD. I purchased same but after a few months could not just come to terms with wearing a 36mm watch. In fact I only wore the watch twice. I contacted the aforementioned well known second hand watch dealer who offered me a very fair price for the watch which I dispatched to them. I subsequently received a telephone call from one of their female representatives who said that they would have to lower the offer price by approximately £200 as the watch required a light polish. I queried this and explained that the watch was brand new and worn only twice and was immaculate. She was adamant that it required a polish but after some discussion upped the offer by £100. All a bit !!!!!!!!!!! If you ask me.
People don’t want to pay money to a retail dealer for a scratched watch,most buyers don’t understand it’s best left alone, so the dealers polish them, shame really.
Yes I had the same thing on a Rolex I had bought new from the AD and never sized or worn, as far as I was concerned it was unmarked. Another dealer returned an omega saying it needed polishing, which indeed it did after they had handled it. I complained but all they offered was a free polish which did not really help me, again a very very well known dealer.
Whether a dealer regards a watch as unpolished or post first light polish is largely determined by whether they're buying or selling. Good info nevertheless.
Thanks David, good to see you making videos again. I have been offered a new Rolex by an AD, which I think had been polished, like the Seadweller you showed, there was damage to the screw heads and one of the links which it seems they tried to conceal. Again a large AD group, they did not seem bothered by this as the watch would sell to someone else. I walked away and eventually got the watch from another AD in perfect condition.
I can’t sleep until someone tells me if it is preferable to wear a watch above or below the wrist bone. For clarification, “below the wrist bone” means closer to the hand.
That's interesting, one of Roman's employees said that it's ok to sell a polished watch as brand new - it's on the record (i.e. on video, here on youtube).
Good video! Is it not just more possible your costumer i lying and had someone polish it? More realsonable then the AD polishing and selling a pre-o watch as new stock.
It depends on how it’s being polished, like yea with a mop on a dremel or even a good high quality wheel, sharp edges are going to start to round off. Now if you’re using a professional level lapping setup no one will know if it’s been polished. The oyster bracelet gives away a lot of information, the raised center of the end link and the raised center of the clasp are supposed to have a sharp edge. Even a single run on a buffing wheel will round it off, to me it would stand out. You cannot polish a flat surface with a round surface.
Interesting point of view about polishing. After how many years does it take before you consider a watch to be now vintage? Does it just depend just on age or is there more such as when they stopped making it. For example, is an Explore 1 (114270) from 2000 vintage or a 14270 from 1999 or must you go back to a 1016 from 1993.
Thanks for bringing up an issue often arising in the grey market. The ‘unworn’ label is BS too, I bought an unworn watch from a certain company in Belfast and it had loads of hairline scratches on inspection - I’m fine with that as it was a good price, but it’s not unworn. The sales guy essentially said it wasn’t worn outside of the house so it counts as unworn…. Total BS as we all know. Decent company and great effort outside of this poor terminology/classification, so I won’t name them, but it’s something dealers need to start being transparent about as it’s dishonest, totally pointless as I would have still bought it and it’s definitely put me off spending my money with them again
The funny thing is that you say that you would happily polish a modern watch but you don't want a vintage watch to be polished. One day this modern watch will be vintage and you having polished it will have reduced the value. I think your statement should rather be: don't polish high end watches, ever... one day they will be vintage and the value will decrease if you polish them.
Used watch dealers are worse than used car dealers if you ask, there is a lot of this going on (polished watches being sold as ‘unworn’). I would rather buy a used watch with scratches on it myself, I don’t think I’d ever polish a watch of my own or certainly not in the first 10 years of ownership. These watches are passing hands all the time and getting polished repeatedly in the first few years of their existence.
Great clip. Too much hysteria about polishing, just take the watch as you find it and make an assessment vs. The price. It does however highlight the untrustworthiness of a proportion of the pre owned watch market. All about buying the seller
The problem is nobody keeps hold of watches for very long these days and every time a dealer gets a watch they polish it. They're all gonna be bars of soap soon enough
Some images of the two batgirls VS the one you did sell would’ve helped. Pictures tell a thousand words.
It’s about time you came back David.
The most honest, informative and interesting watch dealer I continually follow. I just ran across this scenario with an advertised as unpolished watch. Same items were pointed out to me. Thanks.
What chance have we got if dealer's can't trust dealers. Name and shame them if it's true
When dealers advertise a watch as being "in unworn condition" then its been polished. Thats how I interpret it anyway. Otherwise it would simply be advertised as "unworn".
That mop dial is gorgeous David, thanks for sharing.
You have so many beautiful rare Rolex watches you really should publish a book to showcase the collection
Excellent stream that I found most informative. Thanks David for passing on this sort of info because we all get over enthusiastic when finding a watch that we’d like to own at what looks like the right price. 👍👏
Your insights and advice are as always very much appreciated.
Thankyou, found this very useful. Love your passion in watches.
David, Very informative. Reminds me of an experience I had with a very well known Watch Dealer whom you know very well and I will not mention.
I was lucky to be offered a Rolex Explorer 124270 brand new from my local AD. I purchased same but after a few months could not just come to terms with wearing a 36mm watch. In fact I only wore the watch twice.
I contacted the aforementioned well known second hand watch dealer who offered me a very fair price for the watch which I dispatched to them.
I subsequently received a telephone call from one of their female representatives who said that they would have to lower the offer price by approximately £200 as the watch required a light polish.
I queried this and explained that the watch was brand new and worn only twice and was immaculate.
She was adamant that it required a polish but after some discussion upped the offer by £100.
All a bit !!!!!!!!!!! If you ask me.
People don’t want to pay money to a retail dealer for a scratched watch,most buyers don’t understand it’s best left alone, so the dealers polish them, shame really.
Yes I had the same thing on a Rolex I had bought new from the AD and never sized or worn, as far as I was concerned it was unmarked.
Another dealer returned an omega saying it needed polishing, which indeed it did after they had handled it. I complained but all they offered was a free polish which did not really help me, again a very very well known dealer.
Whether a dealer regards a watch as unpolished or post first light polish is largely determined by whether they're buying or selling. Good info nevertheless.
Thanks David, good to see you making videos again. I have been offered a new Rolex by an AD, which I think had been polished, like the Seadweller you showed, there was damage to the screw heads and one of the links which it seems they tried to conceal. Again a large AD group, they did not seem bothered by this as the watch would sell to someone else. I walked away and eventually got the watch from another AD in perfect condition.
I can’t sleep until someone tells me if it is preferable to wear a watch above or below the wrist bone. For clarification, “below the wrist bone” means closer to the hand.
Always above. It looks awful below (closer to the hand).
You content is always so good and i get to learn so much 🎉
That's interesting, one of Roman's employees said that it's ok to sell a polished watch as brand new - it's on the record (i.e. on video, here on youtube).
Very informative video David thank you
Great vid David. The little cuts added in are genius! Well done Chris!
Great, helpful episode, David. Thank you! So many things we need to look for but are not trained to catch. I so appreciate your insights.
Audio a little low and music loud, good video like the info on polishing.
Was just about to say that.
Good video! Is it not just more possible your costumer i lying and had someone polish it? More realsonable then the AD polishing and selling a pre-o watch as new stock.
Brother can you make a video of a polished AP vs an unpolished AP please? Im talking brushed finish
It depends on how it’s being polished, like yea with a mop on a dremel or even a good high quality wheel, sharp edges are going to start to round off. Now if you’re using a professional level lapping setup no one will know if it’s been polished. The oyster bracelet gives away a lot of information, the raised center of the end link and the raised center of the clasp are supposed to have a sharp edge. Even a single run on a buffing wheel will round it off, to me it would stand out. You cannot polish a flat surface with a round surface.
Super informative video
Interesting point of view about polishing. After how many years does it take before you consider a watch to be now vintage? Does it just depend just on age or is there more such as when they stopped making it. For example, is an Explore 1 (114270) from 2000 vintage or a 14270 from 1999 or must you go back to a 1016 from 1993.
Thanks for bringing up an issue often arising in the grey market. The ‘unworn’ label is BS too, I bought an unworn watch from a certain company in Belfast and it had loads of hairline scratches on inspection - I’m fine with that as it was a good price, but it’s not unworn. The sales guy essentially said it wasn’t worn outside of the house so it counts as unworn…. Total BS as we all know.
Decent company and great effort outside of this poor terminology/classification, so I won’t name them, but it’s something dealers need to start being transparent about as it’s dishonest, totally pointless as I would have still bought it and it’s definitely put me off spending my money with them again
David you are so honest
Great video thank you.
The funny thing is that you say that you would happily polish a modern watch but you don't want a vintage watch to be polished. One day this modern watch will be vintage and you having polished it will have reduced the value. I think your statement should rather be: don't polish high end watches, ever... one day they will be vintage and the value will decrease if you polish them.
Used watch dealers are worse than used car dealers if you ask, there is a lot of this going on (polished watches being sold as ‘unworn’). I would rather buy a used watch with scratches on it myself, I don’t think I’d ever polish a watch of my own or certainly not in the first 10 years of ownership. These watches are passing hands all the time and getting polished repeatedly in the first few years of their existence.
Great clip. Too much hysteria about polishing, just take the watch as you find it and make an assessment vs. The price. It does however highlight the untrustworthiness of a proportion of the pre owned watch market. All about buying the seller
Great video.
Interesting video 10/10 😀👍
sounds to me the bracelet was swapped before the customer collected it
Bracelet has serials on it. So wouldn't have been swapped
You guys have to fix your sound as soon as possible. Or hold microphones closer to your mouth
Agree....only just watchable.
Good content, but please address the problem.
Although alitte better than you had PT in last week.
Why not name the scammer to help out the community you say your looking out for ?????
File under Things You Will Never Say About Your Chinese Watch
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
And I thought watches were for wearing and enjoying ....🤔
He fancies cameraman ❤❤
Thanks David very interesting and informative video.