Introducing: The Unpolished Index

A totally scientific and made-up 100-point score of what matters: Collectibility and wearability.

Many watch reviews read like press releases. A spec sheet, some mealy-mouthed sentiments about size or color, perhaps a few thoughts on price and competition.

Still, the internet is flooded with ‘em. Here’s how Unpolished is doing reviews differently: The Unpolished Index.

It’s a 100-point scale of 10 categories, each rated 1 to 10. Half the score reflects a watch’s appeal to collectors (Collectibility), the other half focuses on what it’s like to wear (Daily).

I love reviews that give actual ratings—cars, albums, gadgets. It’s fun because it’s ridiculous. Something to argue about. Faux-objectivity overlaid on something inherently subjective. But the best rating systems challenge the reviewer (and the reader) to defend their perspective within a consistent framework.

Here’s a look at the 10 factors of the Unpolished Index:

Collectibility Score

Measuring a watch’s appeal to collectors and enthusiasts.

• Design: Aesthetic strength, proportions, originality.

• History: Importance to the brand or broader watch history.

• Horology: Technical interest, movement architecture, or finishing.

• Market: How hard it is to get and how much people want it.

• Cool Factor: Pure vibe. The X-factor that makes it feel special.

Daily Score

Measuring a watch’s wearability and practicality for everyday use.

• Features: Lume, date, GMT, water resistance—useful stuff, relative to its category.

• Comfort: How it wears: size, weight, strap/bracelet, ergonomics.

• Quality: Materials, construction, and finishing.

• Versatility: Across different settings and styles.

• Value: What you’re getting for the price, both market and retail.

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It’s a consistent 100-point scale for every watch, but the score will naturally reflect the reviewer’s own perspective. We look forward to arguing in the comments. It’s loosely inspired by car reviewer Doug DeMuro’s DougScore. As we do more reviews, the database of Unpolished Index will be made available to paid subscribers.¹

The Index reflects an analysis of a watch’s features, not just a simple statement of personal taste. Hopefully, it’s a helpful tool for readers to understand the reasoning behind an opinion.

This isn’t a definitive, unbiased ranking—there is no such thing. But it’s a consistent, repeatable way to evaluate watches across their most important attributes. Future reviews will also include a video component (YouTube coming soon!).

The first review in the Unpolished Index will be a head-to-head comp of the original Tudor Black Bay 58 ‘Gilt’ and 2025’s updated Black Bay 58 Burgundy—coming August 8. Subscribe to get it in your inbox:

1. I’m targeting at least 1 review/month, with many of the next few being head-to-head reviews to provide additional context while building up a database.