🔥 Watch Wear Pattern Heatmap

See where cases and bracelets usually get scratched or polished first — by watch type — and learn which marks are common versus more concerning.

Select Watch Type

Lugs

Sides

Bezel

Tap a hotspot for details

Common vs Concerning Wear

Common: fine desk-dive hairlines on case sides, light clasp rub, minor lug tip marks
More concerning: deep gouges, deformed lug holes, aggressive overpolish, sharp bracelet pin gaps from stretch

Even wear consistent with age is normal. Uneven heavy damage or loss of original geometry is more important for value.

Care Tips by Zone

• Case sides: be mindful of desks/keyboards
• Lugs: avoid rough strap changes without support
• Bezel: rinse grit after beach/dust exposure
• Bracelet: clean links and inspect clasp wear
• Dress polish surfaces: microfibre storage, avoid hard surfaces

Pre-Owned Inspection Notes

Use heatmaps as expectation guides. A used dive watch with light side hairlines can still be excellent. A “mint” claim with heavy polish rounding on lugs deserves closer scrutiny.

Wear pattern helps condition reading. It is not authentication by itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do watches scratch most? Case sides, lug tips, bracelet clasp areas and high-contact bracelet links are among the most common zones.

What are desk-diving scratches? Hairline marks from the case edge contacting desks or hard surfaces during daily wear.

Are bracelet scratches normal? Yes, especially on high-contact links and clasp regions. Severity and sharpness matter more than existence.

Should I polish every scratch? Not by default. Repeated polishing can erase original finishing and soften edges.