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18K Gold Constellation (check up)

bcduke2
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Hey guys!

I'm pretty new to the forum, but a big fan of vintage omega dress watches and speedmasters. I wanted to get some expert opinions on on a recently picked up. It has the eagle head gold hallmarks on the medallion, the side of the case and on the bottom right lug, which from what I'm told means it was cased in France.

My only gripe with it is the crown is tiny. Basically impossible to hand-wind.

Do y'all see anything off with this one?
 
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Flip
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Yes nice French cased Connie 😀
Not sure about originality of crown but being French it could be correct. Constellation crowns do tend to be tiny and difficult to wind but fortunately being automatic they don’t need winding often if worn or kept in a winder when not in use.

A tip for a winding charge when you need to though, use 1 finger at the back of the case and wind crown clockwise ie slide your finger downwards over the crown and repeat. You’ll soon get the knack of it and once wound 15-20 winds get it on your wrist, the best place for it 👍
 
Peemacgee
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Welcome @bcduke2
Nice Connie.
French cased equivalent of a ref 168.010.
Lovely sunburst dial with pencil hands, onyx inset indices AND lume. (Very unusual)
The crown is one of the larger options for this reference - the smaller ones are much more difficult to wind.
Almost certainly will have the cal 564 inside with quickset date.
Congratulations.
 
lindo
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Very nice. As for the crown, it might actually be a larger replacement for the original.

For example, I am sure the the crown on the attached watch is original and obviously designed to be hidden, but it is a real pain to use.

IMG_0182.JPG
 
MikiJ
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There's always small wire nuts and they work just perfect for winding your watch with a small crown 😉
s-l1600.jpg
 
bcduke2
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
Welcome @bcduke2
Nice Connie.
French cased equivalent of a ref 168.010.
Lovely sunburst dial with pencil hands, onyx inset indices AND lume. (Very unusual)
The crown is one of the larger options for this reference - the smaller ones are much more difficult to wind.
Almost certainly will have the cal 564 inside with quickset date.
Congratulations.

Indeed. 564 inside.
 
bcduke2
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MikiJ MikiJ
There's always small wire nuts and they work just perfect for winding your watch with a small crown 😉
s-l1600.jpg

haha! Genius... never would have thought of that.
 
bcduke2
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
Welcome @bcduke2
Nice Connie.
French cased equivalent of a ref 168.010.
Lovely sunburst dial with pencil hands, onyx inset indices AND lume. (Very unusual)
The crown is one of the larger options for this reference - the smaller ones are much more difficult to wind.
Almost certainly will have the cal 564 inside with quickset date.
Congratulations.

Right on with the quick-set. Wonder why it took Rolex so long to catch up on this. Seems like a simple enough design.
 
padders
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bcduke2 bcduke2
Right on with the quick-set. Wonder why it took Rolex so long to catch up on this. Seems like a simple enough design.
It's not the most elegant quickset solution, in fact it is downright worrying having to repeatedly pull the stem out to advance the date. I wonder how many stems have failed on 564 and 565 movements from this. I actually prefer the 561 way of doing it, advancing then moving back across midnight, it feels less violent.
 
bcduke2
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padders padders
It's not the most elegant quickset solution, in fact it is downright worrying having to repeatedly pull the stem out to advance the date. I wonder how many stems have failed on 564 and 565 movements from this. I actually prefer the 561 way of doing it, advancing then moving back across midnight, it feels less violent.

hadnt thought of that, but that’s a great way to say it. It is certainly not the most elegant way to do it!
 
hoipolloi
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padders padders
I wonder how many stems have failed on 564 and 565 movements from this.
I have more than 20 564's and none of them fails in the last 10 years. If you use it right, it lasts for a long time.
 
seikosematic
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With Connie's, I don't feel bad about replacing crowns that are difficult to use--so I'd say grab another on ebay and swap em. The pie pan crowns with the ten sides are pretty but inoperable, so even those can go.
 
Peemacgee
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seikosematic seikosematic
With Connie's, I don't feel bad about replacing crowns that are difficult to use--so I'd say grab another on ebay and swap em.


The beauty of these ‘hidden crown Connies’ is just that - the hidden crown.
I’m not sure what the OP would swap it with - he already has one of the bigger versions of a crown for this reference -although there is a flat ended version which gives slightly more purchase area.


seikosematic seikosematic
The pie pan crowns with the ten sides are pretty but inoperable, so even those can go.

😲
Blasphemy!
 
Peemacgee
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@seikosematic
I should have added ‘welcome to the forum’
All opinions are welcomed here - even if they are somewhat heretical 😉
 
Edward53
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Only thugs replace the crown on hidden crown models. You either live with their foibles or get something else.

To set the time, turn the watch over, gently ease out the crown using your thumbnail, set it a minute ahead and push the crown back in. Then shake the watch gently for about ten seconds and put it on. The movement of your arm will wind it the rest of the way. You'll probably lose much of that minute during the first day while it wakes up, then you can hack it to the correct time if complete accuracy is important to you.

I'm wearing my hidden crown Seamaster as I write this.

IMG_4213.JPG
 
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