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Constellation black dial, pie pan and crosshair, no date. Any info on this?

  1. TorsteinB May 27, 2016

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    Hi everyone.

    I'm new to the forum, and I would love if anyone could help me with a watch I've inherited from my dad.
    As for now, I don't know much about it. I'll take it to a watchmaker to get it serviced, and then I'll probably get more answers. But for now, I don't even know the year of manufacture. After a fair bit of googling, I've still not found one single example of the exact same watch. Which more than anything have led me to believe it might have been redialed.

    In my limited knowledge the condition is quite mint. The glass is scratched up (low quality glass I think), and that makes it slightly less attractive in these photos..

    Any help, info or tips would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks for a great forum.

    IMG_1268.jpg IMG_1272.jpg IMG_1270.jpg IMG_1273.jpg
     
    RancheroMaster likes this.
  2. TNTwatch May 27, 2016

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    The case and dial together indicate model 14900 made in the narrow period of 1963-1964. You can have the watchmaker get the movement and case numbers to confirm.

    The hour and minute hands are incorrect and probably not Omega made. Googling your topic title would give quite a few very similar watches, but not exactly the same because of the wrong hands.

    The glass is made of acrylic and, if not cracked, can be polished easily that will give the watch a brilliant appearance.
     
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  3. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog May 28, 2016

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    Could also be a 167.005, as 14900s more than often had a dial with the absence of "Officially Certified". Black dialled Constellations are highly collectible and quite uncommon, particularly in the calibre 551 versions. So, it's in your interest to look after the watch. As TNT says, the hands are incorrect for this model and should just overreach the minute index by a margin. Not easy to get hold of either, but not impossible.

    Your watch is well worth sourcing an independent watch maker (not an Omega service centre) and instructing him to disassemble and clean and oil the movement, perhaps replacing the case back seal and crown if the seal is worn.

    Cheers

    Desmond
     
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  4. TNTwatch May 28, 2016

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    Yes, that dial more often appeared on the 167.005, but that case looks more like the 14900, so that's why I suggested the narrow period when later 14900s sometimes had that dial style.

    And spot on remarks about the highly desirable black pie-pan dial and cal. 551 combination, Desmond!

    Cheers,
    Tony
     
  5. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers May 28, 2016

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    welcome to the forum Torstein

    sorry about the loss of your father -but you have a great momento to remember him by

    as noted above black dialled Constellations are highly sought after by collectors
    the watch has a dog-leg lug case designed by Gerald Genta ( a bit of a demi-god in watch design)
    the crown would have originally been a 10 sided version but these were often replaced during service -unfortunately that style is no longer available new from Omega but I wouldn't worry about that too much

    check out Desmond's Constellation collectors blog for lots of information about Connies

    do get the watch serviced if you intend to wear it
    if you let folks no where you are (country or state will do) you should get recommendations for a watchmaker to send your watch to for service
     
  6. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog May 28, 2016

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    Looks like we're in furious agreement :)

    Also the Tritium changeover was around late 62 and 63, so it puts the watch on the cusp.

     
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  7. TorsteinB May 28, 2016

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    Thanks so much everyone - a lot of new information to digest for someone who is a newcomer to watch collecting!

    Have to admit I don't yet understand all of the technical aspects of your answers, but I'll start looking into it right away.
    So much more fun when I know what's on my wrist.

    Peemacgee: I'm actually living in Norway, so I'll be looking into a local watchmaker there to get it serviced and the glass polished!

    TNTwatch mentioned the incorrect hands - which one would be the correct ones, and are these hard to get hold of?

    Thanks again guys for super quick and very informative answers!
     
    chronos likes this.
  8. TNTwatch May 28, 2016

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    Correct hour and minute hands look like in the pictures below. They should have the luminous inserts. Vintage hands will be hard to come by and depends on your luck, but new replacement hands may be ordered from Omega through qualified watchmakers.

    tumblr_mwrk1nGFo91s585bmo5_1280.jpg 1250_001_front.jpg
     
    JohnSteed likes this.
  9. marturx May 28, 2016

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    Hi and welcome to the forum!

    I'm curious about the strap. Looks to be a 20 mm hand made leatherstrap. One to be expected on a watch owned by a forum guy. Where does it come from? Who put it on the watch?
     
  10. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers May 28, 2016

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    If you look at Desmonds site you will see examples of watches like yours which should show the correct hand type
    Also look at the Constellation show and tell thread on this forum for a myriad of different Constellation types - there will be one like yours
    14900 is the case reference, 551 is the movement type or calibre - both non date references
    The case reference system was changed In the early '60's so yours could be a 167.005
    Toucan Google these references too for images
    One of the great things about this forum is that the comments come in dependent on global time zones and depending on the time you post
    So as Europe is waking up you should get comments from your Scandinavian brethren regarding watch makers
    Note: collectors often send their watches abroad to favourite watchmakers
     
    JohnSteed likes this.
  11. TorsteinB May 28, 2016

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    Once again thanks a lot for great replies!

    The strap is actually a gift from my brother who is a Rolex collector. He was the one advising me to post on this forum to find out more about the watch.

    I'll go to a watchmaker in Santa Monica on Monday (I'm in LA for one month) to get it opened up and I'll post more pictures then.

    What surprises me tho is that I still haven't seen or found one picture of the exact same watch (disregarding the incorrect hands)

    Why is this? Is it exceptionally rare?

    Thanks again.
     
  12. TorsteinB May 28, 2016

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    I'll check out his blog now, maybe I'll find an exact match there as you say, would be fun!
     
  13. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers May 29, 2016

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    'Rare' is a word used very sparingly on the forum
    your watch is certainly more uncommon than most because of the black cross-hair pie-pan dial
    I believe they weren't made in the same large numbers as the other pie-pans and black dials tended to degrade - so finding a nice one is becoming ever more difficult
    check out a thread by @Ali_Q8T from earlier in the year for a gold cap dog leg Connie a bit like yours (but date version)
    perhaps different indices from memory?
     
  14. marturx May 29, 2016

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    It's nothing rare about your watch. However the black dial is found more attractive than other dial colours, as it appears.

    The strap is good for a 20 mm sport-Rolex, but it does not fit your watch IMO. Get a thinner 18 mm strap instead, and try to restore the hands and the crown.

    Wear it and enjoy it as the great heirloom it is! :thumbsup:
     
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  15. TNTwatch May 29, 2016

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    There are fewer of them, but if you look hard enough, you'd find them. This one just recently sold on eBay:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/111945727772Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
    s-l1600.jpg
     
  16. MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member May 29, 2016

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    That eBay watch looks funny to me.
     
  17. hoipolloi Vintage Omega Connoisseur May 29, 2016

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    Because it needs a bezel.
     
  18. MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member May 29, 2016

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    More than that suspicious it may be a fake.
     
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  19. TorsteinB May 29, 2016

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    Nice to see a photo of an identical one. However it does look funny to me too, knowing nothing about these watches. Isn't there there supposed to be a small dent where the illuminated material once was near the end of the hour markers?
     
  20. TorsteinB May 29, 2016

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    I've got a crocodile black strap back home that my father wore it with. I'll put that one back on when I get back home.. I just really liked the look of this brown one, but I realize it is too small ::shy::