1967 Omega Constellation

Hi guys!
Can't get my head around this one and would really appreciate some help.

I got this "OMEGA Constellation" as a payment guarantee in a business. The person who owned it said it had been in the family for quite a while and had it serviced just months before (it seemed in absolute perfect shape and was working fine - it needs to be serviced again and polished since it was locked in a safe for a couple of years).

I went and checked for information on the watch and the movement (serial number 25637371, caliber 564) seems legit but I found a couple of issues and red flags.
1. I've seen most of these models with a screw back and this one is a "snap off" and I also haven't seen that design on the back;
2. there is an "18K 0'750" engraving for the gold carat and a tiny stamp which I can't read, but there is no "OMEGA WATCH CO." engraving as in most watches and the reference is only a 5-digit number (12188) which is also something I haven't seen in similar models;
3. after I opened the watch I found a loose screw, which I believe is from one of the sides which I believe should have a sort of a "bridge" which would fix the movement to the watche's case and there is none;

Can you share some information on this watch? Could the watchmaker have changed the movement or some other parts of the original one like the dial for example?
Do you think it is an authentic model? Any idea on a price range that it could sell for? I'm trying to figure out if it is worth sending over to get it properly serviced.

Best regards,
Miguel Gomes

Hi Miguel and welcome.

I am not a Connie (Constellation) expert, but one can see quite clearly some issues with the watch:

1) The dial has been repainted;
2) The movement is in bad shape and is a mixture of parts of different movements, and as you already noticed, there are screws missing;
3) The bezel is missing;
4) The seconds hand is incorrect and the other two hands look a little funky;
5) The back of the watch is overly polished, and it is indeed very weird that the Omega logo is not on the inside of the caseback to be seen.

Because of the issues above, the watch has little to no value as a collectible... Maybe for scraping parts out of the movement and maybe the crown, if that is an Omega vintage scalloped crown (not quite sure but maybe).

Also, again I am no specialist, but I don't think any respectable watchmaker and any respectable business partner would say in their right mind this watch has been serviced if there is a screw missing...

Sorry, hope your deal goes through though. But the watch and it's promise of securing a payment does not inspire much trust to me.

Best wishes,

Rudi

Miguel, whatever Business you wanted to guarantee with this: step away from that person. And from that watch. There are many possibilities here. One is, that it is not an omega Case. And if that turns out to be true, I would question the Gold as well..... Good luck ! Kind regards. Achim

Thanks for all your feedback. So I was right to be suspicious about this watch.

When I got it, it came with a gold omega bracelet (that I don't think belonged there but anyway) and that was what I valued it for because I had no clue about how much the watch itself would be worth (thank God).

When I went to check the watch itself, and after seeing high prices for similar 18K "constellation" from the 60's, I started digging for some more information and it just didn't add up.
I've heard about some companies outside "OMEGA" doing the backs, but I'm not sure if this is the case. It also it looks like rose gold which is also another uncommon feature.
I believe the dial may have been changed for a new one, now I'm just wondering about the case itself.

Anyway, it seems like it has been messed up quite a bit but if the movement (as it seems) is authentic, as well as the dial and if I can confirm the case and the back to be 18 carat gold, do you have any idea about a price?
I'm just wondering if I could sell it, or even if I keep it if it is worth spending couple hundred in getting it properly serviced.

Thanks for your help anyway, it has helped a huge deal.
Regards,
Miguel

Sorry guys, I missed this answer when I replied and only saw it later, which kind of answers most of my last questions.

Thanks so much again.

The funny thing is that I have an "OMEGA Genève" (166.0174 366.0833) and when I got the golden one in the business I didn't even use it cause the diameter is too small for my taste, but I always thought that one would be the expensive one and when started to look online also thought I could've hit jackpot, and in the end then it turns out that it's not really like that, the chunky steel one is probably worth more.

Well it's true what they say, can't judge a watch by it's face 😀