Hello Forums!

I am a complete noob to the forums and would like to be apart of this no nonsense community. (I have been reading through the threads and you are awesome). Call this an initiation..or Sabotage, whichever you prefer lol.

Just bought this unreal constellation that is in all original and untouched condition (Minus the bracelet) and curious what you think of it? Is this a rare find due to condition? What would you say is fair market value? Etc. Thanks guys!

 

What did you pay for it?

 

Yikes.. those hands! Dial and case looks good though.

 

Yes, all hands wrong.

Dial looks good. Case is good so far (seen from top only).

 

Nice watch but untouched it is not, as you may have already noted the hands are certainly not original. This is not a good sign as it opens the flood gates to other as yet unknown horrors. It is great that you have a full set, and that does add value, maybe 15% over a loose watch but papers can be easily faked so I wouldn't necessarily depend on that too much either.

Not trying to rain on parades at all, the dial and case are nice so it is a nice piece but I hope you didn't pay a huge premium for it as an untouched original set because on one point at least it falls down.

 

Interested to hear what people think a good price is for these, as I was looking at some examples recently which were priced between $600 - $800 usd. The trouble I was having was the examples I could find that were good cosmetically had tired looking movements and vice versa.

 

Oh boi the hands aren't original? Lol well it was from an older Gentlemen and he said he kept it in a box. Crazy thing is, everything looks great. It even has the original engraving from 1970 as it was a gift for 20 years of service.

So do you all think that maybe the hands eroded some and the owner replaced it? I am sort of a noob but everything looks good as far as case, dial, etc. Does it look like an untouched dial? Thanks.

 

Engraving.

 

Also, if it is any indication the watch box and papers smelled like someone died lol.

 

It is possible that the original owner had the hands replaced for something more luminescent than the standard hands (see mine below). If it bothers you, this model is so common that an old established watch repairer might even have some put away from a parts watch.

I would ditch the after market band. You can fit a leather band, or pick up a used Omega stainless steel one.

 

Maybe, to keep the value of the b&p, air it out and then pack the box with desiccant packs. I’ve never tried any home remedies for mould abatement for paper products. But, it’s something to consider

 

I saw some Constellation like yours does not print "T-SWISS Made-T" on the dial, does that mean those watches is not using Tritium lume?

 

Hi @Ohmeguh

Regarding the hands - There are multiple styles for c-cases.
have you looked through this thread?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-c-cased-constellation-thread.72308/page-16

and read Desmond’s essay on c cases?

http://download1582.mediafire.com/xirghxrcvbxg/nwtxwmkgyfl/C-Shape+OMega+Constellation.pdf


hope that helps.

 

I got a similar model with box and papers from 1972.
I believe the brick bracelet is the most common combination from Omega.
Bezel should be white gold.

 

Btw my watch is a 168.029 on 1040 bracelet with 518 end links.

 

i have 593 end links with my 1040.
... but i bought the bracelet separate from the head.

 

What is fair value for the watch band you purchased. May have to buy one?

 

That's a beauty!

 

Omega regularly missed off T marks on certain models when tritium lume had in fact been used. You can find tritium dial Omegas with 2 symmetric Ts, one T only or indeed no Ts at all.

I note the OP watch has T marks but the other has none. I am not a C case expert so can't tell you if this is right for the model or not but as a more recent example, the 80s Pre Bond and 90s original Bond SMPs have no T marks, yet both used tritium lume. Up until 1998 anyhow.

 

10 yrs ago i paid $100... i'd guess they are more today.