Nice 18k (or 14k) gold constellation - prob case ref.2852 with a cal. 505 movement.. Need high resolution pictures to verify dial is not a refinish. Case looks to be in good shape. Nice heirloom and from a valuation perspective, that will be affected by the dial - whether original or not.

 

Unfortunately, I'm 99% certain that the dial was refinished many years ago. This was what was done when the original dial became discolored as almost all of them did way back then. Also, someone replaced the hands with ones that are way too long for the dial. A correct example would look more like this (random eBay example):



There is a correct dial for this watch currently for auction on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Omega-...50835893553?pt=AU_Watches&hash=item51af72e531Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

Correct crowns, stems and hands are available from watch part sellers who specialize in vintage Omegas like Ofrei.com and Jules Borel.

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa

 

To the collector the value is diminished by the refinished dial.
To you however, it might be more important to keep it as is since this is the very same watch - refinished dial and all - that your grandfather used. If the real value is as an heirloom piece then have it refurbished by an qualified independent watchmaker and I would leave instructions to get the correct crown and not to have the case polished.

 

What MSN has said is quite true. But the watch does have considerable intrinsic value, as it is solid 18K or 14K gold.

The hands, stem and crown are relatively inexpensive and can be replaced as part of a normal service. This is not a big deal for a skilled watchmaker. Just be sure to get original Omega parts.

The dial is totally up to you. The reasons these dials are so expensive is that those markers are solid gold, the "pie-pan" style is more collectible (but will fit your watch just fine), and they are almost impossible to find in mint condition like that.
gatorcpa

 

There is a slight difference between the Ref. 2652, 2782 and 2852 dials. That's probably what you are thinking of.

I guess we should find out if it is a bumper or rotor automatic before spending the OP's money.
gatorcpa

 

2648 had a 29mm dial (not piepan though) and 2652, 2782 and 2852 had 27mm dials. This watchco dial I don't think will fit. Look closely at the dial on my watch and compare to the watchco dial - the distance from the top of the omega logo to the edge of the 12 o'clock marker as well as the distance from the bottom of the star to the edge of the 6 o'clock marker is shorter in the dial on my watch (it is a 27mm dial - directly measured by me) compared to the watchco dial. It's NOT the same dial.



Watchco dial:

 

Dials from cal. 354 bumpers won't fit cal. 50X rotor automatics. So dials for Refs. 2648, 2652 and 2782 wouldn't fit a Ref. 2852 regardless of the diameter.

The pictures aren't to scale, so I'm not sure that I can tell the diameter of either dial from these photographs. Also, it seems that the raw dial has a small border (~1mm?) around the edge. I guess that's where the dial ring sits. It could be that Watchco included this flange in the measurement. Really no way to know what they did.

There have always been slight variations in dial marker placement based on contract manufacturers or production runs.
gatorcpa

 

I understand what you're saying Gator but I have measured the 2852 dials and they are 27mm not 29 or 29.5mm as the watchco dials. This is no different than the seamaster chronometre dials watchco is selling - they have the 29mm version and those won't fit in the typical SM chronometre cases as those cases took 27mm dials.

 

It's not a bumper, it's either a cal. 501 or 505 full rotor constellation.

And buy the watchco dial at your own risk - no guarantee whatsoever that it will fit. If it was the 27mm size I would say $300-500.

 

No price if you never find a watch to fit it.