*** THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT POST ***
That said, I honestly did expect it to be in a little better condition, based solely on other posters here saying how spotless their S&D Timeless razors were. That has nothing to do with Timeless as a company, though. They stay very far away from promising a pristine razor in the language on their site, and I have no complaints about how my order was process or how quickly it arrived. No shade on Timeless.
For others who might be thinking about S&D, these are the best pictures I could snag with my iPhone XR. I'm also including some observations on each piece:
Stand: This probably got the worst of it. Uneven finish and mars all over.
Handle: Same as the stand, really, but harder to see thanks to all the engraving. The finish is uneven all the way around. Zero issues threading it onto the cap post, though.
Base Plate: Small scratch on the bottom near the center hole (nothing to cry about), more finish problems, and a general lack of smoothing around some of the edges (lather channels, etc.).
Top Cap: The top of it has the best overall finish of everything, but there's a pit in the middle scallop close to the edge (eye magnet). Also, both long edges are rough/nicked along their lengths, but I don't think I'll be able to feel it while shaving.
Other: Packaging and presentation were perfect. You can tell you're dealing with a quality company, even though you're buying a lower quality item.
All in all, the parts look like they're either factory seconds, have been used hard by a customer for a few weeks then returned, or they all just live in one big box together. If I had it to do over I'd spend the extra $20 to get a perfect sample, but that's what I get for being cheap. I do see value in saving even more money on razors made of the more expensive materials. To be fair, if you were shaving on the back of a galloping horse you'd never notice the defects.
Anyway, here are the pics. The flaws are much more apparent in person, but hopefully this gives you an idea of what you might expect if you order one for yourself. I'll post performance feedback after my first shave with it tomorrow morning (using one my new Med Preps!).