Hunting a 18k rose pie pan Connie for mom's birthday

samweldspoorly · Oct 25, 2023

Hello everyone! Currently trying to find a rose gold pie pan Constellation for mom, her birthday is coming up in January. She loves vintage and art deco design and the love and warmth from a patina dial so the vintage pie pan ticks all these boxes. She has a skin allergy to nickel based alloys so we're going with solid gold; preference is 18k rose gold. Budget is <5,000usd. I have been scouring C24 and eBay for examples. I like the look of white dials on dog leg cases but am open to all Connie references. The biggest things I have been scrutinizing is correct dials (no redials or repainted), correct movements, correct decagonal crowns, not over polished observatory medallions. I don't care about the band because I'm planning on having a custom suede band made. Bonus would be getting a matching 18k rose buckle from one of these. I have a few links below of my top three and would love feedback on if you're keen. Thanks!
-Sam

#1: 14381. 551. Full text, mixed Ms, shark tooth indices, no date, lyre lug, thin decagonal crown. 1959 (by SN). Listed at $4,119usd. Cant see medallion in photos unfortunately.
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/omega-constellation-ref143812-rose-gold--id30433892.htm

#2: 168.005. 564. Full text, matched Ms, stick/onyx indices, date, dog leg, thin decagonal crown. 1966 (by SN) Listed at $4,500usd
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225799967631

#3: 2652. 354 bumper. Full text, matched Ms, Arrowhead indices, no date, curvy leg, thick decagonal crown. 1955 (per ad) Listed at $4,462usd
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/omeg...-18k-rose-gold-2652-from-1955--id28454376.htm

noelekal · Oct 25, 2023

Hmmm...

The dials are all somewhat weak though all three dials appear to be original. To my eye the first one presents best of the three. The last one possesses the styling features that I admire most, particularly the case and lug styling as well as the arrowhead markers. All three cases have been polished. The center case appears to be most heavily polished hence contours are altered, in my opinion.

In my opinion I weld more poorly than you. I've only ever made two attempts and both looked dismal.

Welcome to the Forum by the way.

samweldspoorly · Oct 25, 2023

@Peemacgee thanks for your input on Vanilla's Connie post. Sorry I highjacked it. To your comments, I found a VERY similar 14381 pie pan a couple hundred serial numbers apart with an identical dial (shark tooth, full text, mixed Ms.) Is it coincidence? Or do you suspect these arent original dials?
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/cons...k--with-orginal-boxes-and-tag--id26107921.htm

calalum · Oct 25, 2023

I agree. I feel like at that budget you can get a much better dial and maybe a better case. GLWTS and sounds like a great idea.

samweldspoorly · Oct 25, 2023

Just realized that third one I posted isnt even a pie pan lol. The search continues.

Davidt · Oct 25, 2023

I’d expect much better condition for $4500. Here’s a sales listing from earlier this year as a comparison.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...e-pan-dial-in-18k-rose-gold-box-2500€.150263/

theluckyluke · Oct 25, 2023

Not sure how familiar you are with searching for vintage watches, but two months is pretty short. Your budget is high, but these references are not necessarily simple to find in neat condition.

Bottom line is: you might want to broaden the search a bit from the beginning. Does it have to be pie pan? Can it be a two tone dial? Etc.

You could have a look at the omega enthusiast website for inspiration, there are lots of references in very strong condition. Just be aware that you pay a hefty premium on this site, but it might some arbitrage you have to do on any platform to get something in you’re happy with within that timeframe.

samweldspoorly · Oct 25, 2023

Davidt
I’d expect much better condition for $4500. Here’s a sales listing from earlier this year as a comparison./

Oh wow. Yeah, the quality is night and day with the options I shared. Good looking out. cheers

samweldspoorly · Oct 25, 2023

theluckyluke
Not sure how familiar you are with searching for vintage watches, but two months is pretty short. Your budget is high, but these references are not necessarily simple to find in neat condition.

Bottom line is: you might want to broaden the search a bit from the beginning. Does it have to be pie pan? Can it be a two tone dial? Etc.

You could have a look at the omega enthusiast website for inspiration, there are lots of references in very strong condition. Just be aware that you pay a hefty premium on this site, but it might some arbitrage you have to do on any platform to get something in you’re happy with within that timeframe.

I appreciate the insight. I have only recently gotten into wristwatches nicer than Swatch throwaways. I JUST got my first real timepiece two months ago as an 10yr anniversary gift, a new Breitling Premier B09 pistachio.

I have JUST started learning and researching the vintage world in an effort to buy my mom something nice. Talking with my dad and showing him some options, we kinda "arrived" at a gold Connie pie pan as being a good option, so no, it doesn't NEED to be a pie pan. Really anything gold and vintage would check most boxes. I LOVE OmegaEnthusiastLTD and follow him on IG. I think you're right. Good advice.

Maybe I should readjust my expectations and be more patient on the hunt. It doesn't have to be THIS birthday either. This project actually started with me enlisting my mom to help me find a watch for dad for his 70th next year and I thought I would be hunting a pre-moon speedy/Ed White for him until I found out Omegas did nothing for him haha. He's a Breitling guy apparently and doesn't like vintage. womp womp.

I definitely appreciate this community and have been lurking it for months. Thanks everyone. 😀

Peemacgee · Oct 25, 2023

samweldspoorly
@Peemacgee thanks for your input on Vanilla's Connie post. Sorry I highjacked it. To your comments, I found a VERY similar 14381 pie pan a couple hundred serial numbers apart with an identical dial (shark tooth, full text, mixed Ms.) Is it coincidence? Or do you suspect these arent original dials?
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/cons...k--with-orginal-boxes-and-tag--id26107921.htm

Interesting.
The serial are only 200 apart -so evidently watches from a very closely grouped batch.
The case makers appear to be the same too
The dials look ok - so it is the classic case of "with Omega, never say never"

Bruce235 · Oct 26, 2023

Does it have to be rose gold? Yellow gold is more common, but white gold is super rare.

MtV · Oct 26, 2023

Bruce235
Does it have to be rose gold? Yellow gold is more common, but white gold is super rare.

Unless you multiply the budget and prepare for a lengthy waiting time (quite possibly years), WG will be out of the question for a pie pan dial Constellation.

samweldspoorly · Oct 26, 2023

Got a private message back from the seller for the first option I posted about that was missing a photo of the medallion. Medallion looks OK IMO. Any comments?
What do you think this one is worth? What would you offer?
ad link: https://www.chrono24.com/omega/omega-constellation-ref143812-rose-gold--id30433892.htm

Peemacgee · Oct 26, 2023

I'm afraid I still don't think that this is a $4119 watch
My original estimate of around $2,500 still stands.

(on top of the $217 P+P, I assume that you will also have import taxes to pay, bringing it from Italy, both of which will bump the price up considerably)

Here are a couple images of my 14382 (deluxe dome dial) for case comparisons

samweldspoorly · Oct 26, 2023

Peemacgee
I'm afraid I still don't think that this is a $4119 watch
My original estimate of around $2,500 still stands.

(on top of the $217 P+P, I assume that you will also have import taxes to pay, bringing it from Italy, both of which will bump the price up considerably)

Awesome, I appreciate it man! Thank you!

samweldspoorly · Dec 30, 2023

Good news! I found a 14393 on my recent trip to Japan. I am blown away by the amount of vintage shops with awesome selection peppered all over Tokyo. Picked up this 18kyg MEISTER signed pie pan at watchCTI in Ginza for 398,000yen or about $2,600usd (tax removed). It is an unpolished case, original signed crystal, goofy (but correct OE) crown. (referenced https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-curious-case-of-controversial-constellation-crowns.54568/ and Desmond's essays). Watch has probably only been serviced once since it was made. Pumped to give this to mom. Also picked up a couple vintage red boxes to gift with. The smaller MEISTER signed box is too small for a 34mm watch but Ill throw a spare strap in it for her. ABSOLUTELY in love with this patina. I know mom will love it too. Thanks for the guidance friends!