This one just arrived five minutes ago, and I must say -- with all due respect to and admiration for Jasper's near-perfect sample (and all the others that have spent the last 38 years in the vaults and safe-boxes) -- that this is one of the coolest watches I have ever seen {and I hate the word, "cool"). Clearly, some forensic work will be required to try to figure out what in the world happened, but the quick inspection shows:

• case is original, seems to be untouched
• steel hands and markers are perfect
• lettering, logo and hash-marks are perfect
• luminous on hands and dial is intact and evenly aged
• strap is original Corfam, and shows little wear
• the only thing missing is the paint, and it seems to have not a single fleck, speck or atom of the original "midnight blue" paint.

Surely, this one will earn a better nickname, but for now it is "The Paintless Wonder".

Jeff