post COA:





Original picture.

Yes, that is black paint. And, yes that picture is cropped from a very distant shot!



any guesses as to ref and cal?

 

Wow. Your watchmaker did a miraculous job on this if I read this correctly!

 

Thank you, he did indeed. And was able to polish the original crystal with a logo, as you can see, a very low profile crystal....I like that feature a lot.


This is the difference in height, Omega still offers one for the reference, and Archer was most generous sending me the Omega order numbers. The diameter is correct, so it would have fit.

I'm glad my original had no fractures.

 

So he did the lume as well? Beauty of a watch!

 

He used his "special technique" to match the applied plots. The radium on the hands had to be sacrificed to get the black paint off.

 

And one in sunshine this evening.

 

Well he's gonna be my go to guy for lume work for sure!

 

He nailed the proper texture/value/hue. Makes a big difference in the esthetics. Great dress watch, love the low profile crystal.

 

Great looking Constellation - those facets and that dial..!

I agree totally about the original crystal. Only a few of the ones I've owned have had one and it's a major cosmetic bonus to the watch.

How do you feel about the lume dots on the arrowhead markers? Quite unusual, I'd say?

 

Thank you.....Special factory order along with these hands. I wouldn't change a thing.....MOST uncommon.

Any guesses on reference possibilities before my reveal?

Desmond's never seen one of these, he along with me, Mike and Evan got it wrong before my WM opened it up.

 

Arrowhead markers with lume on them? Yes, they are original from factory and rare like hen's teeth.
Long time ago, I saw one Seamaster with same arrowhead markers like that for sale by WatchCo from Australia, I did try but lost the battle.
Congrats on a rare find and hope you will enjoy it for a long time to come.
Regards.
Hoi.

 

If Desmond hasn't seen one then you know it's rare or at least very uncommon.

Congrats on the acquisition!

 

Well, I thought it was for certain a ref 2887, it had all the signs.
When my watchmaker sent me the pictures, my heart fell, it was a ref 14381-1 SC and cal 551

So, off I go researching that after sending the pix to Desmond, Mike and Evan....we all thought for sure a uncommon 2887.....screw back/ straight leg "M" in Chronometer and "RE" at the end, profile of case.

And then Desmond responds and Mike and Evan......I'll let them comment for themselves here when they can.

Needless to say, disappointment turned into EXCITEMENT





Pretty clean movement when he finally got it open, it was completely seized and took parts of two days to get it open.

No WM marks on case back but one on a lug


Hint for rarity: look at the serial number.

 

It's a very rare dial for ref 14381 indeed, but it goes nicely with the early serial. Do you have pictures of the dial's back side?

The case back is very different from that of ref 2887, however, as well as the case's overall shape. Also that crown will never fit that ref either.

 

I assume you wanted to know if dial feet were chopped......Desmond's first question too

 

Hehe, just wanted to be sure whoever messed up the hands didn't also mess with the dial

 

You mean the black paint?

 

It's a lovely Constellation. Looks so fine in that wrist shot.