Advice on a Constellation 14900 and a Seamaster 600

happyfishkinki · Jun 13, 2022

Hi everyone. First thank you OF for the space. I am a newbie in this and would like to get an opinion on two omegas that I’ve taken an interest in. They are from a dealer so I appreciate there may be a premium in the price, but I would be grateful for your views especially as to any issues with the dial or originality of the parts or anything I should be aware or think about before getting any of these? Unfortunately there are no photos of the movement available but I believe I should be able to inspect the movement in person and they do come with a 12 month warranty. Seller also says they’ve been serviced.

Thanks again for any advice you may have ! Much appreciated.

1) Constellation 14900-62-SC priced at around £1500

34mm Stainless Steel
Caliber 551, 24 Jewels Automatic Movement

I don’t know if it’s just me or is there something wrong with the word omega on the dial?

2) Seamaster 135.012 priced at around £600

32mm Stainless Steel Round Case
Caliber 601, 17 Jewels Manual Winding Movement

I’m aware of the marks on the dial but other than that does the dial and everything else look original?

Engee · Jun 14, 2022

The Constellation looks like a redial (uneven minute markers as well as the oversized “o” in Omega). Even if it was original I think £1500 is way too much. The edges are not sharp enough for my liking.

I don’t know if that’s a fair price for the Seamaster - I’m not at all familiar with that model - but it looks to be on fairly poor condition particularly around the edge of the dial between 6 & 9. Also over-polished.

I would pass on both.

ConElPueblo · Jun 14, 2022

Both watches look correct, but are a bit too soft to be really interesting to collectors. I don't think the price for the Constellation is outrageous (if serviced) and for a dealer it is fairly priced, IMO.

The Seamaster 600 is, IMO, very expensive. £600 for a relatively small, unassuming, manual winding watch is ga-ga. Better looking swiss watches of the same quality can be had for a fraction of this.

happyfishkinki
1) Constellation 14900-62-SC priced at around £150

I don’t know if it’s just me or is there something wrong with the word omega on the dial?

Huh? That does look pretty weird 😕

Peemacgee · Jun 14, 2022

The index style on the constellation is one not often seen on 6-figure references. (and not that common on earlier references)
The 5-minute hache block is inconsistent with some missing their serifs.
The OMEGA is definitely unusual, the figures are significantly slimmer than normal and both the O and the G are larger than their companions.
The letters are also a different shape to the norm

However, if this is a redial then we are all in trouble.

ConElPueblo · Jun 14, 2022

Peemacgee
However, if this is a redial then we are all in trouble.

To me the wear on the dial is convincing enough. One thing is to recreate a redial of tha5t quality another thing is to then add convincingly worn lume and unattractive aging on the dial.

iamvr · Jun 14, 2022

Peemacgee
some missing their serifs.

Noticed that one as well. What do people think about the spacing between the hache marks and the edge of the pie pan. Seems rather wide, but I haven't seen enough examples to make a call.

Davidt · Jun 14, 2022

Re the Seamaster 600, bear in mind this is the small/unisex 32.5mm version and not the full size 34mm version.

The smaller refs are significantly less sought after and this obviously impacts value.

Even if I was in the market for the smaller SM600 I’d want to pay less than £600 and get one with a better dial. Full size versions with good dials can generally be found unserviced, for under £400 within a week or two.

Caliber561 · Jun 14, 2022

Am I tripping balls or is the Seamaster 600 missing a second hand? Caliber 601 always came with centre seconds, no?

Engee · Jun 14, 2022

ConElPueblo
To me the wear on the dial is convincing enough. One thing is to recreate a redial of tha5t quality another thing is to then add convincingly worn lume and unattractive aging on the dial.

Surely that depends on how long ago the redial was done?

ConElPueblo · Jun 14, 2022

Caliber561
Am I tripping balls or is the Seamaster 600 missing a second hand? Caliber 601 always came with centre seconds, no?

You, my good man, is certainly not "tripping balls" as you say. Good catch!

Engee
Surely that depends on how long ago the redial was done?

Yes and no, I guess. I can't think of any older Omega redials that have any sort of finesse to them - only very recently have they become convincingly good. If it had been an old redial, we'd be discussing the thickness of crosshairs and colour of lume. Or even the position of "Swiss Made" - and by "discussing" I mean "laughing at" 😁

I guess aging such as this could be made artificially, but I don't get why? Experts who would see it as an indicator of authenticity would pick up other clues and those who lack the experience would be put off by it.

iamvr
Noticed that one as well. What do people think about the spacing between the hache marks and the edge of the pie pan. Seems rather wide, but I haven't seen enough examples to make a call.

There are versions of the pie pan Constellations which have some distance between markers and the pie pan edge. It's not enough to be noticeable in the flesh, but in close-ups it stands out.

hoipolloi · Jun 14, 2022

This is a "regular" 14900 pie pan.

The one in discussion was made by another contractor, I think.

happyfishkinki · Jun 14, 2022

Thank you everyone for the advice - this is so very helpful! Given the above I will probably pass on the Seamaster. Although I do have a very small wrist and in fact do not mind the smaller size, it doesn’t sound like the right price at all and not to mention the missing second hand!

I just had a further question / doubt about the constellation

ConElPueblo
You, my good man, is certainly not "tripping balls" as you say. Good catch!

Yes and no, I guess. I can't think of any older Omega redials that have any sort of finesse to them - only very recently have they become convincingly good. If it had been an old redial, we'd be discussing the thickness of crosshairs and colour of lume. Or even the position of "Swiss Made" - and by "discussing" I mean "laughing at" 😁

I guess aging such as this could be made artificially, but I don't get why? Experts who would see it as an indicator of authenticity would pick up other clues and those who lack the experience would be put off by it.

There are versions of the pie pan Constellations which have some distance between markers and the pie pan edge. It's not enough to be noticeable in the flesh, but in close-ups it stands out.

Taking the point above, if I understand it correctly, that the constellations dial aged this way is unlikely a redial, I suppose this has taken into account the font size / style of OMEGA (with admittedly slightly bigger O and G), or would this tip the scale in any way?

TexOmega · Jun 14, 2022

I vote original on the Constellation, so no scale to tip.

Fallout Boy · Jun 15, 2022

https://sta.sh/022m3filfk8e

happyfishkinki · Jun 15, 2022

Thanks again everyone.

Having done a bit more research I understand that Omega for a short period of time removed "Officially Certified" from the Constellation dial, and I've been reading that this is more common in other case references and have not seen 14900 being mentioned. The closet example I see in the vintage omega database has the text on it (https://database.omegaaddict.com/members/display.php?mode=display&watchID=373).

I hope this is just my insufficient research and the absence of the text "Officially Certified" doesn't make this constellation an incorrect example?

Peemacgee · Jun 15, 2022

happyfishkinki
Thanks again everyone.

Having done a bit more research I understand that Omega for a short period of time removed "Officially Certified" from the Constellation dial, and I've been reading that this is more common in other case references and have not seen 14900 being mentioned. The closet example I see in the vintage omega database has the text on it (https://database.omegaaddict.com/members/display.php?mode=display&watchID=373).

I hope this is just my insufficient research and the absence of the text "Officially Certified" doesn't make this constellation an incorrect example?

early doglegs (14900/14902) often (correctly) have the missing text dials.

unxsr · Jun 15, 2022

I have very small wrist too and the unisex/midsize Seamaster 600 fits me perfectly. I love mine.
For reference, I also have a Genève 135.041, which isn't considered a large model, but it looks big on my wrist.

My take is, if you have small wrist, don't be afraid to get the smaller one as it would fit your wrist better.
Also, the demand for the smaller ones are lower so you can find a some great deals.

Regarding the listing you shared above, you can definitely find one in way better condition for less that price.
Try to find something that doesn't look overpolished.

Advice on a Constellation 14900 and a Seamaster 600

happyfishkinki

Engee

ConElPueblo

Peemacgee

ConElPueblo

iamvr

Davidt

Caliber561

Engee

ConElPueblo

hoipolloi

happyfishkinki

TexOmega

Fallout Boy

happyfishkinki

Peemacgee

unxsr

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