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Constellation 14381.61.SC Question

Vjramire
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Good morning friends!
I'm looking to hopefully grab this at an auction house that I've done business before. Unfortunately I'm not able to see it in person and their pictures are both limited and poor quality (which I think helps with the strike price if someone is willing to take the risk). I usually an not a big fan of patina but something about this one strikes me the right way. Also there is no picture of the movement, which they normally do have one posted. From what you see, does the dial look correct and original? It does to me but I am no expert. Does the reference# match the case and dial?
Many thanks!
Vincent

Screenshot_20250828_082951_Brave.webp Screenshot_20250828_082938_Brave.webp Screenshot_20250828_083020_Brave.webp
 
Peemacgee
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All looks correct.
Although the ‘65 inscription is late for this watch.
 
Bruce235
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Agreed the pics are pretty poor. Likely to make the patina look "better". The case looks pretty soft but the pics aren't helping there either. The dial does appear original.
Movement is a crap shoot.
I would only buy if was low priced. Actually I would pass because I have a much nicer pie pan already.
 
cristos71
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I like it and think it will clean up really nicely. The cream dial patina is very charming....I'd go for it!
 
Vjramire
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cristos71 cristos71
I like it and think it will clean up really nicely. The cream dial patina is very charming....I'd go for it!

Yes that's what I was thinking! I truly appreciate the feedback!
 
Vjramire
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Bruce235 Bruce235
Agreed the pics are pretty poor. Likely to make the patina look "better". The case looks pretty soft but the pics aren't helping there either. The dial does appear original.
Movement is a crap shoot.
I would only buy if was low priced. Actually I would pass because I have a much nicer pie pan already.

This would be my first pie pan because I'm tired of waiting for the "right"one and this will scratch my itch.
 
Fallout Boy
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Isn t the minute-hand (and the seconds- hand? ) a bit short?

And should not be a T on the dial? ( twice lumed)

Anyway: worth any soft restauration!! 👍
Edited:
 
Peemacgee
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Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
Isn t the minute-hand (and the seconds- hand? ) a bit short?

And should not be a T on the dial? ( twice lumed)

Anyway: worth any soft restauration!! 👍

Hands are fine.
No Ts on a Constellation reference produced pre1963
 
Dan S
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The dial doesn't have much of a pie-pan. ::stirthepot::
 
JazzDrummerChris
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To me it looks like well done, old re-dial. The distance between "OMEGA" and "AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER" extends from left to right and the minute markers look hand painted. The "R" from "CHRONOMETER" is too short.
I would not buy it without seeing the movement. A bad dial develops from humidity and consequent corrosion. What gets to the dial also gets to the movement. Overall condition from my view is poor, movement parts are expensive if you can get them at all.
 
cristos71
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JazzDrummerChris JazzDrummerChris
To me it looks like well done, old re-dial. The distance between "OMEGA" and "AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER" extends from left to right and the minute markers look hand painted. The "R" from "CHRONOMETER" is too short.
I would not buy it without seeing the movement. A bad dial develops from humidity and consequent corrosion. What gets to the dial also gets to the movement. Overall condition from my view is poor, movement parts are expensive if you can get them at all.
I have to strongly disagree with you here, there's nothing about that dial that makes me think redial.

I'd suggest that any text abnormalities are likely caused by the distortion of a scuffed crystal
 
Peemacgee
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JazzDrummerChris JazzDrummerChris
To me it looks like well done, old re-dial. The distance between "OMEGA" and "AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER" extends from left to right and the minute markers look hand painted. The "R" from "CHRONOMETER" is too short.
I would not buy it without seeing the movement. A bad dial develops from humidity and consequent corrosion. What gets to the dial also gets to the movement. Overall condition from my view is poor, movement parts are expensive if you can get them at all.
cristos71 cristos71
I have to strongly disagree with you here, there's nothing about that dial that makes me think redial.

I'd suggest that any text abnormalities are likely caused by the distortion of a scuffed crystal
Welcome @JazzDrummerChris - forthright first post there.

You beat me to it @cristos71 - I agree that with better pics we would see that the dial is correct and we really can't see the quality of the minute haches with these pics.

@JazzDrummerChris - You may be correct that the dial degradation is due to moisture intrusion but this dial may also have been degraded due to the presence of, what looks like, radium lume.

And, for clarity, parts for the cal 551 movement - which were produced throughout the 60s - are still readily available (via an Omega approved watchmaker)
 
Peemacgee
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Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
no redial
FIFY
for some reason the image doesn't appear in this thread (but you can see it in the email alert)
 
JazzDrummerChris
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cristos71 cristos71
I have to strongly disagree with you here, there's nothing about that dial that makes me think redial.

I'd suggest that any text abnormalities are likely caused by the distortion of a scuffed crystal
I am not going to argue with you, pictures are just not very good to judge. A well done redial is often hard to tell at which point it does not really matter.
 
Passover
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JazzDrummerChris JazzDrummerChris
I am not going to argue with you, pictures are just not very good to judge. A well done redial is often hard to tell at which point it does not really matter.
We are happy here for any opinion, keep it comming... Got more watches to show us despite the Constellation you already posted?
 
JazzDrummerChris
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
Welcome @JazzDrummerChris - forthright first post there.

You beat me to it @cristos71 - I agree that with better pics we would see that the dial is correct and we really can't see the quality of the minute haches with these pics.

@JazzDrummerChris - You may be correct that the dial degradation is due to moisture intrusion but this dial may also have been degraded due to the presence of, what looks like, radium lume.

And, for clarity, parts for the cal 551 movement - which were produced throughout the 60s - are still readily available (via an Omega approved watchmaker)
Radium is unlikely to cause damage to a dial, degassing from (bad) crystal glue is more likely. I own a 1932 Hamilton "Andrews" with a radium dial and that has only very mild patina you see on other dials without radium.
Parts... good for you, I just wrote what my master watchmaker said and it also of course depends on your location. Germany being much closer to Switzerland does not help, USA was and is a way bigger market. Great movement though, mine still runs like a chronometer,
 
cristos71
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JazzDrummerChris JazzDrummerChris
I am not going to argue with you, pictures are just not very good to judge. A well done redial is often hard to tell at which point it does not really matter.
For some maybe not, but I've seen quite a few Constellation dials over the years and these pictures were certainly good enough for me to make the 'original' call.
 
Peemacgee
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JazzDrummerChris JazzDrummerChris
Radium is unlikely to cause damage to a dial, degassing from (bad) crystal glue is more likely. I own a 1932 Hamilton "Andrews" with a radium dial and that has only very mild patina you see on other dials without radium.
Parts... good for you, I just wrote what my master watchmaker said and it also of course depends on your location. Germany being much closer to Switzerland does not help, USA was and is a way bigger market. Great movement though, mine still runs like a chronometer,
I'm pretty sure that a Constellation crystal isn't glued in, so it won't be that.
However, I didn't say that it was definitely because of radium - just that it could be.
@Falloutboy 's watch shows that 'tobacco-like' patina can occur on tritium dials too.

Regarding parts - it has nothing to do with me, for good or bad.
Perhaps your 'master watchmaker' doesn't have an Omega account? - so parts, which are now restricted by Omega, will be hard to come by for him - but for a watchmaker with an Omega account then parts for the 551 should be readily available, worldwide.
 
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