Ben -- not only the magnification but also the lighting has an effect on seeing irregularities in the finish. I use 10-12 magnification with a non-florescent light across the surface when I am looking for "closer to perfection". Somewhere around 8X to 12X you are reaching the limit of what is visible to the more discriminating eye (or collector).
When I am looking at process changes I often spend time looking at the surface at different steps to see what I can get.
Have not sprung for the magnification for digital photography at about that magnification, but thought about it.