Constellation quiz

[Peemacgee]

We've had a couple of new members looking for Constellations recently and as we haven't had a 'spot the difference' for a Constellation for a while, I thought I'd post this one - up for auction at a well known UK auction house at the end of the month.

First of all here's the auction-house description
"Omega - a Constellation wrist watch. Stainless steel case. Case width 34mm. Reference 14900 62 SC. Signed automatic calibre 551, numbered 19378038. Silvered dial with baton hour markers. On a green teju strap with gold plated pin buckle, signed Raymond Weil."

Estimate £400-600

And here are the pics- the watch has been 'messed around with' and there are a couple of problems, one obvious, the other major one needs more of an experienced eye -can you spot them?
(if long-standing members could hold back for a little while as its always better to allow newer members to exercise their little grey cells before jumping in)

 

[GarethS]

Here's my starter for 10 and in no particular order
1. Polished case (wot no facets?)
2. Wrong hands - much too short
3. Wrong crown - looks like much later variety
4. Suspect redial - pix are not great quality but writing seems heavy

 

[KeithP]

Constellations aren’t something I’ve purposefully researched, so let’s see how much I might have absorbed from all the great knowledge that gets exchanged here:

- I’ll firstly agree with Gareth that the handset doesn’t match the dial, as hands seem too short. Also might I have expected to see a T mark on the dial if the hands are lumed (or is this a red herring for this reference)?
- Also, perhaps a stretch, but is this dial type actually also wrong for the case style?

Thanks for taking the time to post this quiz!

 

[Peemacgee]

GarethS

Here's my starter for 10 and in no particular order
1. Polished case (wot no facets?)
very true
2. Wrong hands - much too short
true - wrong style, too short and also gold on an otherwise entirely SS watch
3. Wrong crown - looks like much later variety
true - not even a correct replacement crown
4. Suspect redial - pix are not great quality but writing seems heavy
Dial is grubby but I don't think it is a redial

 

[Peemacgee]

KeithP

Constellations aren’t something I’ve purposefully researched, so let’s see how much I might have absorbed from all the great knowledge that gets exchanged here:

- I’ll firstly agree with Gareth that the handset doesn’t match the dial, as hands seem too short.
true - also the colour and style
Also might I have expected to see a T mark on the dial if the hands are lumed (or is this a red herring for this reference)?
Its a 1962/63 watch so pre-Ts on the dial but there are also traces of lume at the ends of some indices
- Also, perhaps a stretch, but is this dial type actually also wrong for the case style?
Getting warm but you're going to have to expand upon why you think it's an incorrect dial (tip- it's not just that it is a dome dial as that is quite ok)

Thanks for taking the time to post this quiz!

 

[Zman4eva]

It's always weird to me to see "Officially Certified" on a 14900. I know they exists on later serial numbers but still weird.

 

[Peemacgee]

Zman4eva

It's always weird to me to see "Officially Certified" on a 14900. I know they exists on later serial numbers but still weird.

well, while your right - they do exist, but there is a picture building here….😉

 

[hoipolloi]

Zman4eva

It's always weird to me to see "Officially Certified" on a 14900. I know they exists on later serial numbers but still weird.

Because that dial doesn't belong to that case and movement We can see hour markers with black painted tops which only seen on later references (167.005) with movements 24 mil serial number and higher.

 

[gbesq]

hoipolloi

Because that dial doesn't belong to that case and movement We can see hour markers with black painted tops which only seen on later references (167.005) with movements 24 mil serial number and higher.

+1. Along with everything else, that brutally overexposed case back photo would have put me on alert right away.

 

[Peemacgee]

hoipolloi

Because that dial doesn't belong to that case and movement We can see hour markers with black painted tops which only seen on later references (167.005) with movements 24 mil serial number and higher.

that’s the ticket. 👍

I suspect that what is left of the lume at the end of the indices was added when the (incorrect) hands were added - otherwise the later dial would have had Ts.
Although I don’t recall seeing painted indices with lume ( unlike the onyx insert/lume combination seen on some late 60s Constellations)

It all just goes to show that you have to know what you are looking at when buying vintage - even when the watch is being offered for sale by a reputable auction house.

 

[Peemacgee]

For clarity, this is the telling image - there is no depth to the black ‘inserts’ and this style of dial didn’t arrive until around 5 years after the 14900 case and 19,m movement were released.

 

[Zman4eva]

Love it! I learn something new every day on this forum.

 

[KeithP]

Thanks, that’s been a really informative little exercise, every day a school day!

 

[PatinaPete]

As a connie owner, and a guy with a sister named Connie,
wrong hands
wrong crown

 

[Peemacgee]

PatinaPete

As a connie owner, and a guy with a sister named Connie,
wrong hands
wrong crown

yeah - but has she had a face lift?

 

[GarethS]

Everyday's a school day!