I’ve seen this image posted several times and it appears to be regular polishing arbitrarily split into multiple steps. First they polish the lugs. Then they polish the case. Then they polish it some more. After that, they polish it. Is the difference just that a Japanese guy does it?
I see a lot of people on here complaining and suggesting that Goodwill’s pricing is predatory. To better understand this thought process I’d like to propose a thought experiment. Keep in mind here that Goodwill’s goal is to sell donated items to raise money for charity programs, not necessarily to sell cheap clothes. Whether you think every local goodwill meets that mission is a separate question.
Let’s say an item is donated in good/nearly new condition. An internet search shows that the item costs $20 new, and can be found in similar condition on eBay or other resale sites for ~$15. Is there any reason you feel that Goodwill shouldn’t also price it at ~$15? If so, how much cheaper than other resellers should it be priced, and why?
Edit: very few people are answering the question I asked. While I appreciate the discussion I’d really like to know how you feel this hypothetical item should be priced and why.
On one side you have grand seiko fans. “Pics don’t do it justice” followed by thirty macro shots. Every dial inspired by an ever more obscure natural phenomenon and set further apart by polishing (it’s different from regular polishing because a Japanese guy does it). Every post dripping with cope and resentment toward the Swiss competition, framed as enlightenment.
On the other side you have speedmaster heads who think they’re seconds from launch. Each scratch and plastic dial scuff tells a story: “I bought and damaged a speedmaster”. If you stick around long enough they’ll continue lecturing you about the spiritual practice of manual winding and why you need a chronograph to boil eggs.
If they met on the final battlefield of cringe, who would emerge victorious? The modern day samurai or the brave cosmonauts?
A lot of people marvel at the finishing and feel of high end watches, but at the end of the day it really is not that hard to make an expensive watch feel expensive.
Contrast this with what Seiko does. They leverage decades of experience to make watches that are not only affordable, but look and feel even cheaper than the price when experienced on the wrist. I can’t think of another brand that even comes close on this dimension.