First post: Advice on a Vintage Omega Constellation ref 168.010

kanye_mouse · Jul 23, 2020

Welcome, and congrats on your first (potential) purchase and doing the proper due diligence. Without service papers, the claim of recent service isn't worth much. Ask for documentation of the service, if he doesn't have it you have your door to open a price negotiation. Dial looks rather clean, but the case leaves a little to be desired, as others have said.

Peemacgee · Jul 23, 2020

TexOmega
these are semi- hidden crown models, correct?

maybe I missed a re-characterization of this reference.

I understand that there are two crowns (Now) listed for the .010, one with a domed finish.
However, I’ve seen very (Very) few with the domed version and (IMHO) the ‘hidden’ version as @Shabbaz shows is correct.

Sherbie · Jul 23, 2020

kanye_mouse
Welcome, and congrats on your first (potential) purchase and doing the proper due diligence. Without service papers, the claim of recent service isn't worth much. Ask for documentation of the service, if he doesn't have it you have your door to open a price negotiation. Dial looks rather clean, but the case leaves a little to be desired, as others have said.

You could ask the seller this question: “if its been serviced, why hasnt a seal (gasket) been installed?”

as others have said, seller needs to prove conclusively that the watch has been serviced

Peemacgee · Jul 23, 2020

Shabbaz
@Peemacgee I have the upmost respect for your knowledge regarding connies but this is not a $ 500 watch. The things you mention are totally right but if you put up this watch for sale on chrono for let's say $ 800 it will be gone within one week (ok, make it two). But I understand for you personally the watch is worth less. But most people dont care about the polish and yhe crown they dont know. I would value this watch between EUR 750 and EUR 1000.

I appreciate your courtesy
ok, I am particularly picky about condition and may have been a bit harsh by suggesting $500

I can’t disagree that the watch might sell for €700-€1000 but the OP was asking our opinion regarding quality and price.

If it was retail and mint, you couldn’t really quibble at $1200 but it’s not and I thought the OP should know this, so that they can make an informed decision about the watch.

TexOmega · Jul 23, 2020

Peemacgee
I understand that there are two crowns (Now) listed for the .010, one with a domed finish.
However, I’ve seen very (Very) few with the domed version and (IMHO) the ‘hidden’ version as @Shabbaz shows is correct.

Thank you for a learning moment for me ( and all to follow)

Is this example correct on mine?

Peemacgee · Jul 23, 2020

TexOmega
Thank you for a learning moment for me ( and all to follow)

Is this example correct on mine?

looks good to me.👍
Interesting that you show the (Flat) case back and medallion - classic .010
The OP’s case back looks like the .004 case back but is undeniably engraved .010 inside.

TexOmega · Jul 23, 2020

Peemacgee
looks good to me.👍
Interesting that you show the (Flat) case back and medallion - classic .010
The OP’s case back looks like the .004 case back but is undeniably engraved .010 inside.

Well, this will freak you out........

inside case back with no ref numbers.JPG

Peemacgee · Jul 23, 2020

TexOmega
Well, this will freak you out........

😵‍💫
that’s very odd - never seen that before.
From the outside it looks completely correct.

TexOmega · Jul 23, 2020

Peemacgee
😵‍💫
that’s very odd - never seen that before.
From the outside it looks completely correct.

When I first posted this watch 5-6 years ago, the consensus was "Omega Sub Contractor Anomaly"

ConElPueblo · Jul 23, 2020

The price discussion between @Shabbaz and @Peemacgee is a classic 'seller vs buyer' discussion.

Will it sell at €1000+? Probably.
Could a similar one be found at €5-600? Probably.

Unless there was some sort of incentive for paying premium, a seasoned buyer would hold off at the price quoted while the seasoned seller knows that if he is willing to wait, someone will bite at that price.

I like these too and find them to be a welcome break from the increasing prices of more sought-after variants.
I don't have a whole lot of experience with these markers, but isn't the lume in both hands and indices rather pale?

fshoukry · Jul 23, 2020

This has been an incredibly informative discussion! Really appreciate the information everyone. I did end up buying it at that price and I may have been able to take it down a notch (truth is this has been already negotiated down quite a bit so I am glad I did that). Lots of room for me to learn but I will call it a decent start since it wasn't too far off. I have asked for service details and will see what they can provide and I will likely take it to a local watch repair shop when it arrives.

For my own knowledge for the future I wanted to ask:
1) What do you look for to check if the piece has been serviced?
2) There seems to be some comments by @Peemacgee regarding the case being heavily polished, what are the signs of this and what does that normally do to the value of the watch?

Once again, really appreciate everyone's input, it's very helpful.

TexOmega · Jul 23, 2020

I wouldn't say the case was heavily polished, BASED ON THESE FUZZY AND MANIPULATED PIX.

Digital photos when expanded/cropped from a substandard camera can do weird things to the resulting pictures.

And I could be wrong......but your pix are the only thing we have to go on till you have it in hand and can take decent, un-manipulated and hi-res pix and post them here.

I can't wait to see them.

Your WM can tell, but he/she must dismantle it so might as well just get it serviced. Then you will know and have both a great looking gift, and one working optimally. It is a survivor and a collectible.

Polished cases significantly lower value.

kkt · Jul 23, 2020

There's little you can do as a buyer to check if it's been serviced, if the seller can't or won't provide documentation. In the absence of a receipt for service, the safest thing is to assume any watch you buy needs service. Most watch owners won't pay for servicing a watch they're thinking of selling - and if they do they'd keep the receipt.

Sherbie · Jul 23, 2020

But the lesson is you should have asked and received proof of service BEFORE you purchased the watch - and if they cant provide proof, use that as leverage to reduce the price

and when you say “ take it to a local watch repair shop”, please dont take it to the mall guy - they know diddly squat

Benbradstock · Jul 23, 2020

Nice example, but the price was rather high. A few months ago I sold a similar condition dogleg piepan for $1350. Bottom line, if you like the watch, get it serviced and enjoy it. The price won’t be much six months from now.

Shabbaz · Jul 23, 2020

[QUOTE="TexOmega, post: 1557314, member: 9040"Polished cases significantly lower value.[/QUOTE]

For collectors...😁 Again, I dont have hard data but I think the collector community only represent 1% of the total omega buyer community. I never, never had somebody asked me on chrono if the watch was polished. On the contrary, I had some buyers who asked me to polish the case. I explained them that you dont do this to a unpolished omega.

TexOmega · Jul 24, 2020

Shabbaz
[QUOTE="TexOmega, post: 1557314, member: 9040"Polished cases significantly lower value.

For collectors...😁 Again, I dont have hard data but I think the collector community only represent 1% of the total omega buyer community. I never, never had somebody asked me on chrono if the watch was polished. On the contrary, I had some buyers who asked me to polish the case. I explained them that you dont do this to a unpolished omega.[/QUOTE]

Well, since the OP joined and posted to a Collectors Forum, I assumed he wanted a Collectors' opinion.

My fault for not qualifying my answer. ::facepalm1::

Collectors are different. And we smell funny, too.

So, my amended statement is, if you are part of the 1%, get help now.....if not, polish the hell out of your watches and make 'em shine like new money so you can impress the 99%. 😁

Peemacgee · Jul 24, 2020

F fshoukry
.

For my own knowledge for the future I wanted to ask:
2) There seems to be some comments by @Peemacgee regarding the case being heavily polished, what are the signs of this .

it may well be that the photographs are hiding the real profile of the lugs but vintage watches were often polished as part of the watchmakers service.

I don’t have a decent pic of a SS .010 to hand but here is a lug and bezel comparison with a gold cap version (bearing in mind that gold cap cases were always less sharp than stainless steel from the outset. )
Note the chamfers (or facets) on the lugs.

I hope it is just poor photography and will also be interested to see new pics when you get the watch.
Either way, nothing should stop you from enjoying your watch.

Peemacgee · Jul 24, 2020

ConElPueblo
I don't have a whole lot of experience with these markers, but isn't the lume in both hands and indices rather pale?

Whilst they do pop up on occasion, these fully lumed inserts aren’t really all that common.
As I mentioned, I would expect to see them on the earlier 168.004 rather than the .010 but IIRC they are found on doglegs as well.

The lume colour is often slightly ‘pepper- minty’ on these watches, which you can see on some of the indices.
I don’t have an issue with the colour, in either the indices or the hands, as it closely matches my dogleg from around the same time. (Which is also very pale - especially in photos)

Passover · Jul 24, 2020

I hadn't had time to intensivly look at the OP but when I saw the fist pictures I thought: A nice one!

Second thought was

"You can't judged such a watch case profile with only straigth on pictures from above, side views are also needed
(other pictures provided only show the case from below)

Thanks to @Peemacgee for his comparison with a good case: Even from straight on you can see 'no facets'

I must admit I'm not very familiar with this reference otherwise this may have been more obvious to me.

For me this one is (would have been) a pass but that is just my personal view

First post: Advice on a Vintage Omega Constellation ref 168.010

kanye_mouse

Peemacgee

Sherbie

Peemacgee

TexOmega

Peemacgee

TexOmega

Peemacgee

TexOmega

ConElPueblo

fshoukry

TexOmega

kkt

Sherbie

Benbradstock

Shabbaz

TexOmega

Peemacgee

Peemacgee

Passover

Similar threads

Help Wanted! Advice on a vintage Omega Railmaster

Your opinion on a vintage Omega chronograph

Pls Help! Broken crystal on a vintage Omega for women!

Fair offer on a vintage (1963) Omega constellation?

Looking for details on a vintage omega seamaster watch

1967 Omega Constellation ref. 168.010 Cal. 564 - $950