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Here's an example of "Just because it lived a hard life it doesn't have to be beat to death". This one spent 20+ years as the primary timer for my friend on thousands of dives to the bottom of the Seven Seas, and it's been to max rated pressure in chambers "more than a few times". When I got it I had to lick the crystal to see the time, so I spent a week rubbing it with a tshirt to get it as clear as this. The lugs still show the factory "bark" finish and there are admittedly some gouges on the HEV side and the 4:00 lug. Other than that, just lots and lots and lots of tiny dings from getting bashed around a dive boat for decades.

"...natural ageing is more than just scratches and dents!! It is not just mechanical but chemical as well." You have a good point there. No one would believe how many genuine vintage and modern rolex watches I have owned over the past 40+ years so I won't say but I have seen a lot of high mileage rolex watches up close and almost all of them seemed to be 'comfortable with their condition' for want of a better term. Not many of them have suffered damage indicating a catastrophic event. The ageing nearly always appears to be unremarkable and totally random with years of accumulated nicks and scratches providing a natural patina. Most of the serious damage has been from case corrosion, not rough usage. In some instances the watch was not good for wear around water and I had a 16xx DJ with a hole all the way through the case under the bezel from corrosion. Other than the hole, the case looked pretty good with only mild corrosion between the lugs and in the case back gasket area. Moderate cosmetic damage has not been a deep concern to me but I usually pass on buying severely damaged watches unless they are cheap enough to use for parts. I have seen quite a few DJ type cases with lugs that were slightly spread or tweaked together though. How they got that way I'll never know. Also saw a few that would rock quite a bit when placed on a flat surface because one or more of the lugs was bent up or down. No idea how this happened either. I only had one rolex case laser welded because of damage and it was a 14k gold case that had been chewed up between the lugs by a Speidel Twist-O-Flex bracelet with spring loaded end links. I have seen a lot of vintage gold case dress watches with 'Speidelitis' but the ongoing 'Gold Rush' has really thinned them out. 'Thinned out'. Literally. Like a guy I know who buys scrap gold flattens watch cases etc with a body shop hammer to save space when he ships 'scrap gold' out to be melted. Not many watch cases are showing up now.

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"Sir, is that a vintage 1963 Land Rover Series 2A you're driving, with cross-your-fingers drum brakes and powered by the 2.25L petrol engine making 65 horsepower?" "No, it is an aftermarket galvanized chassis with a turbo-diesel Mercedes engine, on Range Rover axles with disc brakes, power steering and coil suspension, and uses 2 original body panels and steering wheel." What may I ask is the difference?" "It's much faster and safer. Otherwise it looks identical."