Yes, you said it eloquently, the CR has something very special. Charm? Soul? Something you have to spend time to fully discover what it is. The magic of the platinum case / enamel dial is another strong asset.
Yes, I think you are right about the prod number, too. But luckily, it is not as rare as the platinum / blue version.
Thanks for this superb answer, my friend.
All the best,
nicolas