Comments:
I'm assuming this will clean right up...
...without 'polishing.' I'd prefer to see the gold color...
I’m not sure I am a big fan of such an oxidation of the case (I should see it in the metal) but…
…I am certainly a huge fan of the 3970 second series 😉
I am a fan of a nice gradual patina on the dial....this doesn't work for me at all.
....just being honest.
.
.
When you say "a nice gradual patina on the dial" do you mean, for example, that some of the bar indexes gradually develop a subtle patina?
Is that really patina or just odd light? Whatever, it's an iconically wonderful piece (and the patina, if it's there, will clean off).
I guess I don’t consider the case being tarnished patina.
I think you can get most of that out with hand polishing with a dry polish cloth. It won’t polish out the scratches, won’t cause any fading of the hallmarks etc. The aging of the dial with color change is the type of patina I wouldn’t want to mess with.
The more I look, the more I think it's a freak reflection. (Look at the images on the top right lug,) Tarnish like this on an 18kt Patek Philippe? Nah.