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  1. Scott D. Sep 18, 2018

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    When my Grandmother passed away two years ago, I inherited my Great Grandfathers Omega Constellation. This I though was your typical "Pie Pan" like all of the rest. It wasn't. As you can see in the picture, the name "Cartier" is underneath the star. When I first got it, I though that sometime in the 60's Omega and Cartier had collaborated on this watch design so I thought of it no more. Recently, I started looking on e-Bay and Google image search trying to find another one so I can get a round a bout value on my Omega Cartier Constellation. To no avail. I haven't found another one like this the past months that I have been looking. Not 1 picture! I even joined the Omega Owners Group and contacted Omega. They had no words and just sent me a list of all of the Omegas ever created. Mine was not on that list. So, I ask all of you Omega Men and Women out there, please share any information you have on this watch so I can get some closure. Please, this is not a fake either. My Great Grandfather was given this Omega for his dedication and hard work from the company that he worked for in the 60's Southern California oilfield.
     
    Omega Constellation Back.jpg Omega Constellation Face.jpg
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  2. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Sep 18, 2018

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    Cartier sold some gold Omega’s... but they are off the shelf models with Cartier added by Cartier. There is no list and the different Cartier boutiques ordered them by themselves, so they tend to appear randomly.

    This is gold plated...

    Hard to say if the Cartier was added later or not. Dial looks original to my eye but that doesn’t preclude Cartier being added later. There is no way to really verify this unless Omega can track which shop purchased it if you order an extract of the archive. Even with an extract its low odds to verify the Cartier.

    It’s a 65 or 66 Constellation pie pan gold plated. I’m sure someone can give you the exact modelNumber.

    I’d you can take the back off the watch without damaging it the model number is on the caseback and the movememtnserial number on the movement will give you an approximate date of mfg. but I’d guess 65-66 by the inscription. You need the serial to order an extract through an omega boutique and they run about $250 or so.

    Are you still in LA?
     
  3. Scott D. Sep 18, 2018

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    No longer in L.A. I live in Texas now. Thank you very much for the information. You are the first person to give me any insight on the watch. At least now I have another piece of the story. If I didn't get any information on here, I was going to take it to an Omega dealer here in Houston to get it cleaned and appraised. I have no interest in selling it, I just knew that it was unique due to the Cartier name and the fact that I cannot find another picture of one anywhere. I will clean it up, open it up and enjoy it in all its vintage glory for all of my years to come.
     
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  4. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Sep 18, 2018

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    I'd not have Omega service it, and dealers really cannot give you any info on it.

    Which city are you in and I am sure someone will give you a recommendation for service.
     
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  5. Scott D. Sep 18, 2018

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    Someone just messaged me and told me the same thing. I live just outside of Houston. The watch works perfectly so I won't be sending it in for repair. I will clean it up and just appreciate it, scratches and all.

    Thank you for the advice.
     
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  6. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Sep 18, 2018

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    Old watches need service... the lubricants dry up and the watch will start to take damage.

    Don’t try to polish the watch or submerge it in water.

    Remember value is in original and untouched dial and hands.


    Anyone got a Houston watchmaker?
     
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  7. sphinx77 Nov 21, 2018

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    Hi Scott
    Extremely interesting watch for sure.
    I have been doing some research on this type of specialty watch over the last few months and it's been a lot of fun finding out the details and variations on/of Connies out there.
    Here are a few notes they may help a little. The guys on the Omega Forum have been extremely helpful to me and my little adventure so I try to play it forward. Hopefully, you will receive more help from others that have way more knowledge in these areas than I.

    Constellation - Calendar CD 168.005 International collection


    Models 14900, 14902,167.005 and 168.005 were designed by Gerald Genta in the late 50s. These models above are all the same case design. 168.005 was originally powered by cal 561 until the quickset date improvement in the year 1966.

    Type: Automatic chronometer certified
    Caliber number: 561 / 564
    Cal. 561 24 jewels, created in 1958
    Cal. 564 24 jewels, created in 1965


    It should be opened to find out. Perhaps you would want to have the internals photographed for your reference and for the serial number information. You can date the movement production timing based on the serial number. Use a decent camera, not the average cell phone as Macro photographs usually don’t come out that great with cells. The macro setting on your camera will give better photographs of the watch but it takes quite a bit of practice to get stunning results.

    From inscription on the back, it would appear to date 1966. Also, the overall look to the dial is in that period. The very late fifties to sixties. The Lettering, the Logo and ‘non-quarter’ hour markers are also in that period the late 1950’s to mid-1960s.


    Functions
    Date, Chronometer
    Case 14K gold-cap on stainless steel
    Case back Screw-in Full Gold Medallion

    Dial "Pie-pan" type


    Cartier Version with hand-riveted gold hour markers, special 6,9,12 numerals on quarter hours of an ‘earlier’ design dating in the very late 1950s. On the Non-Calendar models, there would be a ‘3’ as well. These types of quarter hour markers usually had the ‘Cross Hairs’ lines as well on the dial. As this watch is a ‘Special Order’ for/from Cartier, they may not have wanted/ or did not put them on due to the date of the watch. ‘Cross Hairs’ don’t seem to be used that often by the mid-1960s. The "Dauphine" gold hands appear to be gold. Check to see if there is any lume on the hands. Also, see if there is any lume on the hour marker ends. It’s hard to see from the photograph if they are there. Hold the watch in a strong light for 20 seconds or so and see if it glows.

    CARTIER on the dial. There are versions by other jewelry retailers especially in Switzerland that had their company names on the dial. The placement location of these jewelry company names can be under the Star, over CONSTELLATION etc. These ‘special jewelry company’ names on the dials were in the similar time period, late 1960’s-70’s mostly. I have found several examples in the same period.

    Crystal -You should check for tiny OMEGA LOGO in the center of the crystal. If so, then it's original crystal.

    Bracelet Leather if OMEGA, will say on the strap. Check for OMEGA LOGO on the bracelet clasp. Maybe photograph the clasp, both sides as well and see if its gold as well.


    Crown appears original for this watch.

    Water resistance -original 30 meters. May not be water resistance now due to seals and age.

    Connie Observatory case-back that are solid gold models have Observatory brickwork pattern on the building. No brickwork pattern on the back of the watch medallion indicates not solid gold models.

    More general product information from Omega on the Net.

    Case: round (34,2mm diameter), 14K solid yellow gold cap, screw-in case back with "O-ring" gasket.
    For leather strap size 18 mm lug-size
    International Collection : 1962-1968
    Swiss retail price (1962) : CHF 980.-
    Also available in 18K solid pink or white gold (BB, CHF 980.- or BC, CHF 1'230.-), 14K solid gold (BD, CHF 880.-), 14K gold-cap on stainless steel (CD or CE, CHF 475.-) or stainless steel (ST, CHF 395.-).
    Replaced former ref. OT 14902
    Later replaced by ref. 168.015

     
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  8. sphinx77 Nov 21, 2018

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    627476-a2deb0f4fd5d52816e19fa3c18eb82a0.jpg

    I played around with your photo's to try and bring up the detail
    627484-0a0fc76b4ff079c85463388488918ea5.jpg
    I played around Digitally with your photos to try and bring up the detail a little better.
     
  9. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 21, 2018

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    A very nice memento.

    The crystal is original and so are all other parts of the watch IMO.

    As others have noted, a number of jewellery retailers had the dials produced with their brand (e.g.: Türler, Meister) so seeing one from Cartier isn't unusual.

    If you intend to wear it regularly (or at all) it's very important that it is serviced. Lubricants can degrade over time and cause significant wear to small parts that are becoming very hard to replace.
     
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  10. kingscourt15jwls Nov 21, 2018

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    Definitely seen loads of Türler, Tiffany & Co, Meister, Favre Leuba, but not Cartier yet. Won't it raise too much of a proprietary issue when the Cartier watch brand is so distinct? It is not like an alliance or JV like Favre Leuba Zenith or Tissot Omega..

    Have only seen 1 Cartier Patek Philippe before.
     
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  11. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Nov 21, 2018

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    Nope each Cartier shop operated independently and it’s well documented that they did sell Omegas at some of them periodically.
     
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  12. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 22, 2018

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    Here's a couple of Omegas for you.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Nov 22, 2018

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    A lot of effort and some good information @sphinx77
    just a small correction to the info you gave

    this was (generally) reversed in the mid sixties - whereby the brickwork observatory appeared on non-gold cases and the gold cases had plain observatories.
    but in true Omega fashion there were exceptions to the rule just to keep us on our toes.

    link to Desmond's essay on medallions if you haven't seen it:
    http://users.tpg.com.au/mondodec//Constellation medallions.pdf
     
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  14. sphinx77 Nov 22, 2018

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    Cheers
    No, I had not seen Desmond's great article, thanks very much for the link. What I like about life is I learn something new every day!
    I have a 167.005/6 14k gold/cal.551 and she has brickwork. You are so right, 'norms' in Omega are there to challenge.
     
  15. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Nov 22, 2018

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    I may be wrong but I think it was also in line with the age of the original reference.
    So those models that came out around mid 60s eg 168.010 follow the change but .004s and doglegs don’t as they originated earlier.
    But as per Desmond’s paper, there are inconsistencies even with the later models.
     
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  16. sphinx77 Nov 22, 2018

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    Makes perfect sense!
    Yeah, mine she's a dog leg hiding in the brickwork Dog House.
     
  17. gdupree Dec 11, 2018

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    What is it you want to know Julie?

    FYI, you posted this inquiry in a thread for a different watch. You will probably get a better response if you post your own thread about it, tell us what you already know about the watch, and what specifically you want to know about that you don't already. This is assuming that you have searched the site thoroughly to see what has already been answered, as it's likely that it has already been before. I believe this watch might be a reference 168.009, which might give you a place start looking.