Hey guys,

Sorry for posting yet another thread. But I need to find a watch for my father before his birthday, and so far I haven't found one I'm 100 % confident in. This time, I've found a '66 Constellation C-shape, cal. 564, ref. 168.017.
I like the watch, but as I'm very, very new to vintage watches, I'd like your opinion on a few things.

First of all, I'd like to be sure that the dial(and the rest of the watch for that matter) is original. I've been searching quite a bit, and I've found a few dials that look very much like, but not quite like it. Is it an original dial? And do the stars in the Constellation logo on the back seem right?

Otherwise, I'd like to hear your opinions about the condition of the watch, as I'm really not qualified to this myself. He's asking about $475 for it - does that seem like a fair price for a watch of that kind and in that condition?
The seller tells my that it runs +/- 16 seconds. Sorry for the bad pics - but that's the ones the seller provided.

Thanks in advance!

Chiphs

 

It's a shame that your close-up photo is so dark that it is dificult to see much of the dial

My gut feel is that it looks fine and everything is as it should be. The case and bezel looks to have the original brushing and the bevels are still reasonable. I think the price is fine, too

 

crappy pics - so hard to be certain - and not really my area as I don't follow C-cases closely - so sorry to disagree
it's a '69 from the movement
but I think even a '69 564 C-case should have the traditional font with curly n's
the upper text looks a bit awkward too

better pictures and we can be sure

BTW - I thought you wanted a gold watch for your father?

 

Unless I'm mistaken, the case back shows signs of rotor rub.

 

Agree, something is strange with the text on the dial, as Peemacgee writes, and MOY fails as well.
But who really knows, with those pictures

 

Looks like dial damage between 11 and 12, and the bevels look very narrow... but that could just be the bad pictures.

 

Thanks for all the response. It seems to be more challenging than I thought to find a vintage Omega for around $500 without more or less serious flaws. Maybe you have to cough up a bit more than $500. Sorry for the bad pictures once again - these are the ones the seller provided. Maybe I should just check it out first hand.

@Peemacgee I think you must've mistaken me for someone else. I'm actually preferably looking for one in stainless steel.

@Vicke What does MOY stand for?

@efauser What do you mean by rotor rub? The ring surrounding the stamps in the middle? Is that the mechanics' work?

Sorry for all the rookie question.

 

http://omega-constellation-collecto...ts-all-about-moy-except-when-it-isnt.html?m=1

Here's an explanation of MOY.
And while your at it, there's lots to learn from Desmond's blog.

 

I'm at a better screen now and will probably have to retract what I said earlier on. There are lots of nice things to be said about the watch, but that dial looks odd.

Here's my previous 168.017 (1968):

 

Reference (dial-wise): my 168.029 from approx 1969

 

You have to interpret this most literally: the rotor (the moving half-disc that winds the calibre) actually touches or 'rubs' the back of the watch, resulting in a circular mark on the inside of that same backside, as you can tell.
Since that is not the way it should be, there might ('will') be something not 100% ok with the way the cal sits in the case or some other malfunction.

 

Oops
someone else was looking for a Connie for there fathers birthday just recently -but wanted gold cap - mixed up the posts

 

Lume on the hands and Lume dots at the hour markers but the dial says "Swiss Made", it should read "T Swiss Made T". See @ConElPueblo last post by comparison.

Pass

 

The pics aren't that great but my first impression is that the dial has been redone.
The tops of the "A"s in automatic appear to be pointed. They should not be.
It definitely does not pass MOY test.
The last "n" in Constellation doesn't look right either. It should curl in more than the first "n" in Constellation (which is covered by the minute hand).

Desmond's blog is all you need. Well, that and practice. If you're trying to find something in a hurry, you're more apt to make a mistake.

 

Hi again,

Thanks a lot for all the replies! It's really helpful. Unfortunately(or probably fortunately), I'm going to have to stay away from this one as well and keep looking a bit - probably have to fork out a bit more as prices seem a bit steeper here in Denmark - and I prefer to buy from someone face to face.

 

Very much so!

That will also make clear that the 'curled in' 'n' in Constellation does not always 'curle in', depending on the year and model of the Constellation.
So, not all (!) legit and original Connies have the same script....



http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.co.ke/2007/08/dial-update.html

My2Ksh

 

Mmm, not so sure;



Anyhow, without high res pics it still is a guess....

 

Feel free to write to me if you'd like something assessed, I'm Danish too.

Best of luck with your search