How we grade, and what “vetted” means.
In vintage, condition is most of the conversation. Here is the scale we grade on, and what each grade means in practice.
Close to how it left the factory. Very little wear, everything working, often with the box and papers. These are the best examples we come across.
Light wear from careful use. Everything works, and whatever small faults we found are named in the listing.
A working piece that carries its history on the outside, whether that’s brassing, a service mark under the baseplate, or a faded insert. The price reflects it.
Sold for restoration or spares. We tell you exactly what works and what doesn’t.
Every fault goes in the listing.
Every listing has a Condition & faults section written in plain language. If we noticed something, whether it’s brassing, haze in a lens, or a crack at the battery door, it’s written there, and we photograph the details close up so you can judge for yourself.
Done by hand, on a bench.
When we call a piece vetted, we mean a person went through it by hand, worked every function, serviced it, and graded it against this scale. Then we priced it against what it usually sells for and put a 14-day return behind it.