Reply With QuoteLooks clean, but it's been polished heavily
The more I look for a replacement for my Black Bay, the more I see watches, such as the one below, described as in mint or near mint condition. Do we think the watch below, going by the pictures, is indeed in 'near mint condition'? Perhaps I am expecting too much!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NR-MINT-Ti...item58bae7fa14
Looks clean, but it's been polished heavily
and no it doesn't look clean either...Mint to me would be lightly worn with the faintest of hairlines, no dings and no scratches.
The case rim is really banged up so just this observation makes this watch unqualified as mint......NO WAY!!!!
Guillermo
Difficult to tell overall condition from pictures, the camera will always pick up more than the naked eye.
As a (professional) seller I'd be surprised if you would call a very good watch anything other than mint, however some are more honest than others.
No it's far from what we'd use the word mint to describe on a watch forum.
Good to fair would be nearer the mark.
If you zoom out slightly there's a Polo mint just to the left of the watch.
Only if you could describe my undercrackers as near mint as well....
Not really. Mint for me = nearly as new.
You should see some of the "mints" on Chrono24....
This. No sharp lines to be seen.Originally Posted by ach5
& this is 'near' the condition of some of those!!!
The case has also been 'near' polished away as well...
I'm not familiar with these so can't comment on the case finish, but I do know that good pictures can often show a watch in its worst light. In other words, you can see many imperfections which are invisible to the naked eye.
But my biggest concern about this one is the description: "Near mint with just a few small marks on the chimney. Bracelet good for an approx. 7.5" wrist." Sorry matey, but if you want to sell a £3.3k watch you'll need to do a bit better than that. And wtf is this chimney you refer to?
Buy the seller and all that...
Appears heavily polished to my old eyes.
Well polished...
from
to
A question I should probably know the answer to already, but I'll ask anyway: How can you tell from a photo if it's been overpolished? Should I be looking for chamfers? brushed finish? Size of lugs? What is it about a watch that instantly screams 'overpolished'?
I also believe they have a plastic ring / gasket between the emergency beacon release and the case ?? looks like its missing on this as can see the orange colour on the transmitter
no sharp edges looks like some took a hot knife to butter on the case :(
Last edited by Seamaster77; 1st February 2015 at 12:54.
I never buy a second hand watch from eBay.
Interesting replies guys. I'm no expert but I'm struggling to see any major differences between the two pics above - with regard to the sharp edges, where exactly are you referring to?
If you look on the lugs there is a line running along the lug.
In the over polished "mint" example the line is softened into a soft curve especially noticeable by looking at the ends of the lugs where they touch the bracelet.
Nope, it's not mint. The comments on polishing above are right I'd say. Leave that one.
It looks to be fairly tidy but not what I'd call mint.
I see it now - thank you!
Look at the clasp lettering with the ebay zoom thingie... Now thats overpolished !!
At least I know what to look for from now on! :-)
I have a very specific interpretation of items described as "mint" - namely that you cannot differentiate between the item in its current state compared to its new state. By this definition, a polished watch could not be described as mint.
To be honest, that was my thought process. A watch in such good condition that it would be difficult to distinguish it from a new one.
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