Set the time and pay attention to the crown. The knurling should still bite a dry fingertip. Pull to the setting step. The step should be clean, not a grind. The minute hand should move without a stutter. Push the crown home and see that it sits flush. If guards are present, the crown should not stand proud of them. A proud crown is a mismatch between tube and case, and it is a sentence by itself. Dents on the outer face of a guard are handling marks. Name the side. Leave the origin out of it. The reader can set the same crown and feel the same step.

How it differs

For the Patek Philippe Aquanaut, compare the diameter you can measure with the length from lug tip to lug tip. A wide bezel can make the dial look smaller than the case. Keep the comparison inside this case idea.

Common mods

On the Patek Philippe Aquanaut, people change the insert, the bracelet, or the hand set. Name the one part that was changed and leave the rest undescribed rather than guessing.

What to check on a used piece

Check the clasp position, the end-link gap, and whether the hands pass cleanly on the Patek Philippe Aquanaut. Write those three and ignore the sales line. These notes are not authentication and not a shop.

A library page is written by {Site}. A photo post is one person’s notes. Neither authenticates a watch, offers it for sale, or speaks for the name on the dial.