Early bumper auto chronometer 14311 Constellation questions.

Hello all! New member and fairly new to watches. First off, I reviewed the vintage omega posting guide and appreciate the help! I own this watch via a family member and am not invested in its monetary value but have a few questions about its specifics- this seemed like a good place to start.

As i'm not a serious collector and the watch has sentimental value, I'm hoping to learn a bit and not get lit up too much on the condition 😉



I was left this watch nearly a decade ago by my Grandfather. I've been told that it was a wedding gift in 1955, and the otherwise plain exterior of the caseback has his initials and the date. I wore it a few times and put it away in a drawer until recently, when I had it serviced to get it cleaned up and running reasonably accurately.



The watchmaker informed me that it was an early bumper automatic, had been redialed, had a replacement crystal, and had gotten pretty wet at some point, so the chronometer rating was no longer within the realm of expectation. Some googling also indicated that the movement probably dates from a few years before 1955. I snagged the caseback and movement photos while it was on the bench.



My questions- When was the actual date of manufacture? What do the model numbers and serial indicate about its features? Are the engraved lines on the front of the case original? I tried to show the lugs and as many details as possible but realize that the caliber number is probably hidden behind the rotor.

I'm aware that the redial has some issues, but how would it rate and what are my options (if any) as far as getting this thing back to a more original state?

If anyone has any photos of what the original dial would've looked like, that would be fantastic, and thanks all for any info. A ballpark on the value wouldn't hurt either, as it may influence what I do or don't put in to restoration.

I think you are dead right to see if you can find a donor watch with a (much) better dial. Hopefully one of the experts here will help you out with the right reference to look for.

With a decent dial, it would be a nice watch and match a nice appearance to the sentimental value.

Good luck with it.

As for meeting chronometer specifications, all you need is a watchmaker willing to do the work and the money to pay for it. Because of sentimental value, that might be possible. For a random watch, it likely wouldn't be worth the money.

Thanks for the photo! That's a beautiful watch and I think that's the closest I've seen to a watch resembling what I have. I appreciate everyone's input. I've also never seen another one with a florentine bezel- the line work extends on to the lugs a little bit as well.

I'm pretty sure my grandfather wore this almost daily in his later years as I don't recall seeing him without it.

There's something enjoyable about the bumper movements, I find myself moving it around to feel it working. I'd love to find a basic stainless steel example with a similar caliber, maybe a military watch from the era, that would be better suited to more regular wear.

If anyone has any more info, feel free to chime in. If nothing else, Im grateful for this piece as an introduction to the world of mechanical watches.

I’ve worn this a few times since posting and have run into an issue- the bezel and crystal have popped off. I’m unsure of the cause as it wasn’t due to impact, and it happened once while the watch was stored in a drawer near a cold window.

Anyone have a suggestion? Are these crystals just press-fit or are they glued?

Armored with a retaining ring, no glue. That bezel might not have been properly seated the last time it was off.

A very good watchmaker will make it right.