Journal

How to read a condition report

What "unpolished", "service dial" and "aftermarket bezel" actually mean, and which of them should change your offer.

Senior watchmaker carefully examining a timepiece with a loupe in workshop.

A condition report is not marketing copy. It is a technical description, and most of its value sits in the words buyers skim past.

Unpolished

The case still carries its factory geometry: sharp lug edges, an unbroken transition between brushed and polished surfaces. Polishing removes metal, and metal does not come back.

Service dial

A replacement fitted by the manufacturer during servicing. Correct, functional, and a material reduction in value on a vintage piece.

Aftermarket

Any part not supplied by the manufacturer. On a modern watch this is usually a bracelet or a bezel insert; on a vintage one it can be the difference between two very different prices.

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