Hello,

I’m sure variations on this question have been asked a million times here, so apologies for repetitiveness, but my short question is: Does there exist anything like a Kelly Blue Book for watches? If so, where might I find it? If not, any way to get a idea of the value other than hit-miss search on the web?

Here’s bit longer version of the question. So like 30 years ago, I was having beers with a guy, and I looked at his watch and said: That looks really cool, what is it? It was an Omega Constellation with the claws on it. He said he’d gone way out of character for himself and bought it 20 years previous to that, spending way more than he normally would for a watch, but he said he’d been wearing it constantly since then had gotten attached to it. It was out of my price range, but it stuck in my head.

So recently, I - hopefully - made it through a bout of illness (the big C) and was thinking that I should reward myself with something, and I still remember the watch from that encounter. I don’t have the money for a new Constellation, and I actually kind of like the old style claws (that’s what I saw when I first saw it), so I’ve been looking at used ones on the web (E-bay, CL, and other stuff that pops up through a web search). Just looking at basic stainless, automatic, but I have no idea what is or isn’t a good price, and I can’t seem to find any reference site either. Just wondering of something like that exists out there.

Thanks.

PS: by the way, as I said, I like the look of the older ones, but – in mucking around on that web – I saw some reviews that said this more-recent “co-axial” movement is really great. I know with cars, for instance, sometimes people will say something like : “avoid the 2012 model because they had major problems with the fuel injection” or something. Are the non-co-axial models still considered OK, or are they kind of duds? Thanks for any advice.

 

Very good news about your health, and welcome to the forum. Unfortunately there is no easy way to put value on vintage watches, in fact it takes significant knowledge and experience because the value is so closely tied to condition and originality. A blue-book would even really help since you'd need a lot of experience to evaluate the watch correctly for condition and originality. Seemingly small things can make a huge difference in value.

So you can either take the time to develop knowledge by reading, reading, reading (a lifetime of vintage Constellation knowledge is here:http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com), or pay a premium to buy from a solid dealer. You can also keep an eye on the classified listings on this site, and ask questions by PM when you see something that appeals to you.

I'm not sure, but by "claw" you may mean "dogleg lugs". It's important to get the terminology right or you won't be able to search effectively.

 

If @gopher38 means the claws on the bezel at 3 and 9 of the "Manhattan" style Constellations, the years are probably a bit off, as that is a early eighties design. The claws were carried on to the present models, albeit now with no practical function.

 

Thanks for that explanation, I was apparently going in the wrong direction, but when I did the math from the OP (a 20-year-old watch, 30 years ago), I figured we were talking about late 60s or early 70s watches. This is why photos are so important.

 

Hi. Thanks for your replies. I think the claws are called "griffes". They used to look like four grains of rice, but now they seem to be flatter and wider. I guess you're right that my dates are a little off. I saw it in the mid-nineties, so probably around 25 years ago, and maybe his dates were off slightly too. Anyway, sounds like this is the "Manhattan" style? That's good to know.
Thanks for the confirmation about the lack of a KBB. Kind of what I imagined, given how many different styles there are. Given my situation, the advise about buying from a "solid dealer" might be wise. Unfortunately, not sure which dealers are solid either, but I'll start digging around. I'm pretty sure what I see on Craig's List doesn't qualify.

 

If you could please post a photo showing the watch you are interested in, I think that members could be more helpful. It's still not clear to me. If you are interested in the vintage Constellation Manhattan, that might make things easier, since they aren't really in the same category as the more collectible vintage Constellations that I was talking about earlier.

 

So this is what they look like now:

And this is what they used to look like:


So I was looking for something like this, but no gold.

 

Well, I haven't seen these discussed much on this forum, which tends to focus more on earlier models from Omega's "golden age". But the good news is that since they are not in great demand, you can probably find them relatively cheaply, and people won't have tampered with them very much, if that matters to you. I suggest using the eBay advanced search feature to find recent SOLD items, and I suspect you will soon get a sense of the appropriate price.

 

I'm new to all this as well but I believe those are referred to as "griffin claws" and I think I read that these are what originally gave the watch it's water resistance. Now they are just for style. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.

 

Hey @gopher38, first congrats on being in remission and your recovery.

Here is an article published some years ago on Fratello Watches discussing the evolution of that period Constellation Manhattan. It might help you isolate a specific model or reference (automatic vs. quartz, etc.) as there are many options to choose from.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/25-years-of-manhattan/

Good luck in your search!