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  1. cristos71 Jan 11, 2015

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    I visited a watch fair recently and was fortunate enough to find a couple of interesting pieces, although not perfect I thought this one worthy of a small post as it is a not too often seen variant.

    What we have is a 1952 18kt rose gold French cased Constellation 2648 with a cal 354 and Fab Suisse on the patinated dial.

    I do have a soft spot for these Fab Suisse Omega watches, from a time when France was insisting on this addition to the dial on watches imported into the country.

    I believe there were restrictions on, or perhaps heavy taxation of, imported precious metal watch cases during this 50´s-70´s period which resulted in the movements and dials being shipped out from Switzerland and then cased up in France in a French produced Omega precious metal case.

    Notable is the non use of the usual Omega reference number, but an additional case serial number, the use of the old Omega logo on the inside of the case back and the French eagles head hallmark on the outside of the case.

    20150111_160151.jpg

    20150111_155946.jpg

    20150111_160327.jpg
     
    felsby, Ko1892, heavenscloud and 17 others like this.
  2. omegastar Jan 11, 2015

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    So, how was it ?
     
  3. cristos71 Jan 11, 2015

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    See above ;)
     
  4. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    If you're going to have dial patina, nice and even like that is not bad, beautiful piece
     
  5. JohnSteed Jan 11, 2015

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    Very attractive, a beautiful example!! Congratulations!!!
     
  6. kyle L Grasshopper Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    Cool piece and I like the patina. Also a fan of the Fab Suisse dial. :)
     
  7. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jan 11, 2015

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    French case Connie !!! I notice it has pointier lug, more convex case back than the swiss brethren.......
    Connie RG french front 2 (800x600).jpg
    Non fab suisse french case Connie
     
  8. hoipolloi Vintage Omega Connoisseur Jan 11, 2015

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    I hate to see a 2648 with a logo with sharp edges and Constellation font of the second generation.
    Maybe only from France?
     
  9. TNTwatch Jan 11, 2015

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    What's the reference of your Connie? Not 2648 I guess?
     
  10. MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    Are these french cases marked 2648 or is that designation used to find the closest comparable swiss case model?
     
  11. cristos71 Jan 12, 2015

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    Not marked 2648, I based my call on Desmond's article on the subject, the 13 million serial range and the thin bezel together with my own pre purchase assessment.

    I also found the single crossed t's to be going against the grain a bit.
     
    Edited Jan 12, 2015
  12. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog Jan 12, 2015

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    I think it's kosher. The French versions of the 2648 ran longer than the Swiss versions, and if the serial is in the late-ish 13 mills then it would coincide with second gen Constellation lettering anyway.

    Nice pick up C

    Cheers

    Desmond
     
  13. cristos71 Jan 12, 2015

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    Hi Desmond,

    Yes it is a 13.9 million serial.

    Regards,
     
  14. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jan 12, 2015

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    Nope ....the case back says 409425.
     
  15. TNTwatch Jan 12, 2015

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    But the bezel looks pretty narrow like the 2648's. Does it have press-in or screw-in case back? What movement is inside? Can you compare it to the other gold Connies like 2652/2782/2853? More pictures if you can? Thanks.
     
  16. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Jan 12, 2015

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    Very nice, and I share your soft spot for the Fab Suisse versions. Congratulations!
     
  17. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jan 17, 2015

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    Not only the bezel is narrower but the lugs are also thinner. It has Cal 505 inside and press in caseback. Unfortunately I did not take movement and caseback picture when I serviced it. Here are few external pictures and few from seller pictures:
    French connie 505 aftsvc 1 (800x450).jpg french connie aftsvc caseback 1 (800x450).jpg Connie RG french front 1 (800x600).jpg $_57 (6).JPG $_57 (4).JPG $_57 (7).JPG
     
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  18. Mark020 not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer Jan 18, 2015

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    Nice catch!
     
    Edited Jan 18, 2015
  19. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jan 17, 2017

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    I just have mini GTG with my fellow collector. He noticed that my french case Connie is bigger than its swiss siblings !!! It is like 35.5 to 36mm with bigger dial to match. So it is a jumbo connie for the period.

    @cristos71 Does your 2648 fab suisse also has jumbo size?

    Cheers
     
  20. omegastar Jan 17, 2017

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    Actually fab. Suisse stands for Swiss Made, as you all understood, I guess. The reason is that it was not legal to not have in French. If you look at international ads in France you will notice that the English text is either translated or adapted. Like "Just do it" etc...Some old French Omegas even have "fabriqué en Suisse" on the movement instead of Swiss made. Around the late sixties fab. Suisse disappears as there is more tolerance in the interpretation of the law. I even read somewhere that they used to import gold-plated watches and recase them in gold French case. It would be interesting to ask an archive certificate to verify those testimonies.
     
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