Bezel first

Everything looks fine in a catalogue photo. In the hand, the bezel is what gives a piece away.

Why the bezel

It is the part with the most operations on it: machined, engraved, filled, polished. Every step leaves a mark. A badly printed dial shows up at a glance; a badly engraved bezel does not, until you look close and with raking light.

What I look at

• Engraving depth: even across every numeral, not just the large ones.
• Fill: black on steel, platinum on ceramic. Even, with no bleed or gaps.
• The triangle at twelve: centred on the axis. One degree is visible.
• The edge: sharp, not rounded. Over-polishing is what softens a piece.

If the bezel is right, the rest usually is. If the bezel is wrong, stop.