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Buying my first vintage Omega Constellation

ConElPueblo
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Kargol Kargol
also I am not sure if the bracelet is original...

The bracelet incl. end links look just fine.

For €500 including a bracelet, you'll be very, very hard pressed to find anything better than this. I actually don't think that the price is outrageous, far from it.

If the watchmaker would be willing to do a service at a friendly price I am sure it would clean up nicely.
 
Shabbaz
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Buy the watch and sell the BOR. You have yourself a cheap connie. 😉
 
Kargol
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
Buy the watch and sell the BOR. You have yourself a cheap connie. 😉
How much would a used original BOD cost in medium condition?
 
Shabbaz
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Between EUR 75 and EUR 150.

Edit: Prices are a bit all over the place if you look at sold items on ebay.
 
Kargol
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Is it true that BOR bracelets were supplied only with seamasters, or some Connnies had them too?
 
Shabbaz
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Kargol Kargol
Is it true that BOR bracelets were supplied only with seamasters, or some Connnies had them too?
I think they were optional.
 
cristos71
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Spotted/stained dial, wrong crown, in need of a service and with maybe a date wheel that has water damage/missing numbers ( see the 8 in 18 ), to me this one is a big pass. Keep your money in your pocket and save some more for a good one.

908873-c20f202925eaf86d5839dd01bb975e58 (3).jpg
Edited:
 
VetPsychWars
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Dimitris Dimitris
The thing that bothers me is that I think the omega letters should be silver if I am not mistaken , also there should be a silver star below the constellation letters

That's just the angle. Shiny stuff can look black depending where the light is.

Tom
 
janice&fred
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cristos71 cristos71
Spotted/stained dial, wrong crown, in need of a service and with maybe a date wheel that has water damage/missing missing numbers ( see the 8 in 18 ), to me this one is a big pass. Keep your money in your pocket and save some more for a good one.

908873-c20f202925eaf86d5839dd01bb975e58 (3).jpg

it's all personal preference. I like to consider a watch in it's entirety and like old watches that show their age a bit. most oldies have been polished over the years and a crown replacement doesn't bother me. sure if the dial was unevenly stained with big blotches it would be a different story but this watch is not at all ugly so if the mechanicals are decent it would make for a nice honest piece. oh...and with a decent original BOR with proper end links. we got to keep in mind that these old omegas didn't always live a pampered life in someone's drawer, and as those mint examples get harder to find in the wild, these honest but bruised examples are going to become very appealing. better to develop a taste for them now!
 
Dimitris
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Kargol Kargol
Is the crown signed? also I am not sure if the bracelet is original...
yeah it is but i forgot to take a pic
 
Dimitris
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janice&fred janice&fred
for $350 with the bracelet it certainly would be. 😁
yeah if it was 350 I wouldnt even hesitate 😁 !!
 
Dimitris
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VetPsychWars VetPsychWars
That's just the angle. Shiny stuff can look black depending where the light is.

Tom
yeah maybe you are right I will go to the shop and take a very god look at it again now that I did my homework
 
Dimitris
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
The bracelet incl. end links look just fine.

For €500 including a bracelet, you'll be very, very hard pressed to find anything better than this. I actually don't think that the price is outrageous, far from it.

If the watchmaker would be willing to do a service at a friendly price I am sure it would clean up nicely.
yeah he knows that I am currently a student so maybe I can buy it for 450eu and have him clean in and service it
 
Dimitris
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cristos71 cristos71
Spotted/stained dial, wrong crown, in need of a service and with maybe a date wheel that has water damage/missing numbers ( see the 8 in 18 ), to me this one is a big pass. Keep your money in your pocket and save some more for a good one.

908873-c20f202925eaf86d5839dd01bb975e58 (3).jpg
most of the dirt and yellowness you see is not on the dial , its on the crystal so I will ask him to clean in and make a service cause its his job so no cost for him , if I like the results maybe I will buy it
 
Dan S
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janice&fred janice&fred
... we got to keep in mind that these old omegas didn't always live a pampered life in someone's drawer, and as those mint examples get harder to find in the wild, these honest but bruised examples are going to become very appealing. better to develop a taste for them now!

It will be interesting to see if this comes to be true. Ever since I have been collecting watches and participating on forums, I have read comments like this from experienced collectors, and it certainly seems like a plausible viewpoint.

However, the trend over the past 5 years has actually been the opposite IMO. Top-notch examples are holding their value or rising, but flawed examples are bringing weaker and weaker prices. With the maturation of the vintage watch market, the "condition gap" is growing, and I am therefore more focused on condition than ever before.
 
Dimitris
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Dan S Dan S
It will be interesting to see if this comes to be true. Ever since I have been collecting watches and participating on forums, I have read comments like this from experienced collectors, and it certainly seems like a plausible viewpoint.

However, the trend over the past 5 years has actually been the opposite IMO. Top-notch examples are holding their value or rising, but flawed examples are bringing weaker and weaker prices. With the maturation of the vintage watch market, the "condition gap" is growing, and I am therefore more focused on condition than ever before.
I think everyone would prefer to buy a mint condition flawless watch than a watch with stained dial but the price gap is huge and some cant afford it 🙁
 
Dan S
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Dimitris Dimitris
I think everyone would prefer to buy a mint condition flawless watch than a watch with stained dial but the price gap is huge and some cant afford it 🙁

Actually, I don't agree - it just depends on your priorities. I have bought top-quality collectible vintage watches in phenomenal condition within your budget (or even substantially less), but they weren't Constellations. And I would much prefer a fantastic Seamaster, Longines, Eterna, etc., to a mediocre Constellation. But this is a personal choice, and one that often evolves with time and experience. If you ask an experienced collector about their priorities, I am guessing that 95% of them will mention condition as their top priority.

I will mention one other consideration, which may not matter very much to you right now, but may become relevant in the future. If and when you reach the point in your collecting journey where you decide to upgrade your collection, you will try to sell some watches to free up funds to buy better examples. At that point, you will learn that it's no fun trying to sell flawed pieces.
Edited:
 
Dimitris
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Maybe I will search for a nice seamaster but at this moment because am not experienced I prefer holding the watch in my hands and inspecting it , having a conversation with the seller , that was the first omega that I found local thats the reason I asked if it looks a good buy but I get your point and you are right I have many watches that I dont wear anymore and dont like now that I got into more quality timepieces!!
 
VetPsychWars
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Dimitris Dimitris
I would like to hear some more opinios please 😀 !!!

I have some watches I could sell you. How's that for an opinion? 😁

Tom
 
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