Zaratsu polish getting scratched in time

It´s crazy how good it looks out of the box and the first scratches hurt like hell, but you get used to it. It ages like everything else, but for me that´s ok, because i would always prefer scratches over a watch sitting in the box.

I totally agree. A watch is to be enjoyed on the wrist not sitting in its box.

Unfortunately good things require high maintenance.

I generally don’t care either. I assume when I send it in for a service in a few years, the Seiko service can polish a little bit.

I have 3, all with some Zaratsu polishing in my daily wear rotation. I can see some scratches with close examination, but on the wrist not noticeable.

Wearing mine right now. I obviously won’t wear it to do yard work or swim, but otherwise I’ll let fate visit upon it.

And maybe then I’ll get a new one too 😜.

I wear mine all the time; sometimes even to bed. They don't just sit in a box, but I do try to avoid scratches. I just try to pay attention to how close they are to objects that I could ding them on, and take them off if there is a good chance of getting them very wet.

This is why I spend my money on quality of design first and quality of finishing 2nd. Finishing fades as you use the watch. The fundamental quality of the design is permanent.

I have 60+ year old watches whose polished surfaces have been dulled to a subdued almost matte finish. But those with great design still look amazing.

If you fall in love with a particular watch due to the finishing, you won't be as likely to get that kind of long term enjoyment out of the watch. It'll only look that perfect on day 1. And the scratches and dents will hurt that much more. And if you have it polished someday, it'll still never be as good as it was when new

The question is not about maintenance cost but scratching and aging…

Excellent statement!!! 👍

Thank you.

Great discussion!

It's funny, but that was one of the things holding me back from diving into GS in the first place - the worry about dings and scratches. Once I got over that hurdle mentally, this happened...

• I've found that the 44GS case is the biggest scratch magnet, because of the huge flat surfaces

• My SBGJ255 is scratched all to hell, because it's 44GS and titanium!

• Nonetheless, it continues to be one of my absolute favorite watches

• For the most part, I never notice the scratches and dings on the case - spend too much time being mesmerized by the dials and the faceted indices

• Finally, I would say that the new Evolution 9 design specifically addresses this concern, as you get vast swatches of brushing on those surfaces that are most susceptible to scratching

Like anything else, the first ding is the most painful. And then you forget all about it!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I think we must learn how to live with scratched watches over time…

This sounds like wisdom. Scratched your watch will be…😉

I didn't say anything about the cost. High polish at this level will naturally show more wear and require more taking care of in general.

Anyways enjoy 🤙

I think it adds character and makes it more “my” watch over time. I have two GS, one in a 44GS case and the other in an elegance case. I’ve had the skyflake (elegance case) for about two years now. It has some dings and scratches, but to other’s points, it’s only noticeable upon super close inspection. When I look at my wrist during the day it still looks perfect to me 😀. I wore it today as a matter of fact!

Firstly I'll just say I don't own any GS watches, but I always thought the Zaratsu polishing was a cool gimmick, just like the beautiful dials and spring drive movement. After visiting a GS boutique and trying some of the watches on, however, I still greatly appreciate the time and effort that goes into it, but I've come to the realisation that maybe a full-high polish case isn't for me. On some watches like the Omiwatari it hides the curves and bezel edge, and on others it doesn't really match up with the sportier-style dials... in my opinion. I guess I prefer a mix of polish and brushing to really accentuate the design of a watch case.

I think I'd be a lot more pissed by scratches on my high polish dress-style watch than I would be on a polished/brushed sports-style watch.

If you wear these often, they’ll pick up more and more scratches. To me, a watch with one scratch looks worse than the same watch with multiple scratches (within reason).

@HotWatchChick69 is a GS maven and definitely the one to listen to.

That said, one of the reasons I sold my GS was bc I freaked out about keeping my Zaratsu perfect, which made the wearing…stressful.

But I think I’ve moved past that now, thanks to Crunchers here, and so I’m thinking about another one up the line 😉

👍

Yeah the Rolex RSC polish is extremely unimpressive. Are there independent craftsmen who focus on GS lapping and polishing yet? Rolliworks works miracles with restoring cases, but they’re Rolex and Tudor focused

Looks like he has a site now, https://lapinist.com

Guessing the waitlist is decently long? But possibly worth it

I think I would rather go with GS when sending a watch for maintenance…🤔

👍