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Fallout Boy
·I forgot: Robin Israel (Oppenheim/Germany) is highly recommended and certified, but he is "overloaded" and stopped any new projects - IMHO.
Constellation 14381.61.SC Question
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerI'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.
Parts - Omega still supplies all parts for the 55X, 56X, 75X, and 600 series of movements, which are all related. If a watchmaker says they are difficult to find, they definitely are not Omega certified.
Also...radium burn on a dial is not uncommon at all, but is usually seen where the hands have been stopped in a particular position for many years, causing very localized marks on the dial beneath the hands, and not as an overall patina on a dial. When the radium is on the dial, it can actually burn the crystal as well...
Serviced and new crystal:
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JazzDrummerChris
·We are happy here for any opinion, keep it comming... Got more watches to show us despite the Constellation you already posted?
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Fallout Boy
·"dark brown" radium on my BENSON (similar to the ILLINOIS)
(enamel dial)
(enamel dial)
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JazzDrummerChris
·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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Peemacgee
··Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungersHe does not have an Omega account but he is well connected with others who do. If a part is available he will find it, there are a couple that Omega dos not have anymore and I forgot which ones. The difference is - the COA on my 551 was $ 200 and I got it back within a week. Send it in to Omega through an authorized dealer and the watch will be gone for a long time and multiply his price by 5 at least. The mother of a friend in Switzerland had a shot quartz 1980s (?) Constellation and she was told not reparable for movement no longer available. I found that movement for her through my own resources. I am not sure whether Omega really cares about their own old watches and their owners, rather sell new ones.
There's not many here that would suggest that you send a vintage watch back to Omega - cost for one but also that they would destroy the originality.
There are a couple of Constellation crowns (decagonal and 'hidden' crowns) that are unavailable new but the movt parts for the movts that @Archer listed above are still available.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerHe does not have an Omega account but he is well connected with others who do.
I am not sure whether Omega really cares about their own old watches and their owners, rather sell new ones.
Here's an example that is directly related to the calibers in question. Omega not only continues to supply spare parts for all these calibers, which have not been used in new watches for many decades, but they also continue to improve parts inside those watches - continuous improvement. On the 550, 560, and 750 series movements, the last upgraded part was in 2022 when they made a change to the automatic winding system on all these calibers - 50 years after these movements were no longer used in new watches...
There are a couple of Constellation crowns (decagonal and 'hidden' crowns) that are unavailable new but the movt parts for the movts that @Archer listed above are still available.
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JazzDrummerChris
·Ok, I was not aware of that but more than pleased to have learnt here!
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Vjramire
·Great news friends. After a slight bidding war at the auction end, I managed to squeak out as the highest bidder. I don't think it'll ship out to me until after the long holiday weekend, but I'll anxiously await it by the end of next week. I'll attempt to take some cleaner photos and post it here, then I'll drop it off to my watchmaker for a new crystal and service. Thank you again for all the input advice and feedback! I definitely wouldn't have been bidding so confidently if it wasn't for you!
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Passover
·Great news friends. After a slight bidding war at the auction end, I managed to squeak out as the highest bidder. I don't think it'll ship out to me until after the long holiday weekend, but I'll anxiously await it by the end of next week. I'll attempt to take some cleaner photos and post it here, then I'll drop it off to my watchmaker for a new crystal and service. Thank you again for all the input advice and feedback! I definitely wouldn't have been bidding so confidently if it wasn't for you!
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JazzDrummerChris
·Don't hesitate with the 'a new crystal', in many cases a crystal polish is enough, especially when it's an original one!
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Vjramire
·My first Connie arrived today! It was quite dirty so I did a quick cleaning. I was dreading opening the caseback as the auction house did not have any pictures of the movement, but to my surprise a nice shiny 551 appeared before me! What a relief! I used some polywatch for the first time and I am very amazed at how it turned out. I don't see that the crystal is signed so does that mean it has already been replaced with an aftermarket? I won't be ordering a new crystal when I send it in for a full service but I think I'll wear it this week and enjoy it first. So the movement serial is 17,006,xxx which I think dates it to 1959 but the caseback has a 61 after the ref#. It also has the inscription dated 1965 but I'm sure that could be a later engraving. So is this '59 or a '61? Anyway, here are a few pictures, a couple before and after with the honorary wrist shot. Thank you all!
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omega1994
·excellent
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AG77
·Looks great. Your weekend will be the better for it!
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Peemacgee
··Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungersSo the movement serial is 17,006,xxx which I think dates it to 1959 but the caseback has a 61 after the ref#. It also has the inscription dated 1965 but I'm sure that could be a later engraving. So is this '59 or a '61?
Movement serial dating charts aren't as hard and fast as some folks think they are. (or that some charts suggest)
A 17,00m movement may have been first produced in 1959 but movements were used over a period of time.
The caseback in your watch means that iteration of the 14381 was first produced in '61.
A 17,006 movement ending up in a 1961 watch is entirely plausible.
Here is an excerpt from a serial dating chart, where the first column is, year of first production, the second is, the year produced through and the the third, used in low production.
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SOG53
·Very nice congrats. Mine says hello also 17 mil SN. Maybe littermates!!
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Passover
·Nice looking watch! Has a special, personal touch with the patina, I like this very much!
Polywatch always does a great job, I'm amazed every time I use it!
![IMG_20250906_101840[1].webp](https://omegaforums.net/data/attachments/1962/1962459-be014a567fe5d03d4eb504441fa4c28f.jpg?hash=48jiPkRKqG "IMG_20250906_101840[1].webp")
Polywatch always does a great job, I'm amazed every time I use it!
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bardamu
·Looks really nice, congrats!
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osterman
·Nice catch.
Congrats.
Congrats.
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Vjramire
·Putting in a few hours at work today with a new olive shell cordovan strap.
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