I'm sitting away from home, working and jetlagged, and OCD on the Internet. So having failed to acquire any speedmasters, I bid on this via the telephone. ( I refuse to pay 3.6% extra to bid on line when I can just have them call me). The speedmasters were not that interesting, not worth going out on a limb for. Here is the description. Description: A RARE GENTLEMAN'S STAINLESS STEEL OMEGA MEGAQUARTZ 2400 CONSTELLATION BRACELET WATCH CIRCA 1974, REF. 196.0013 / 396.0806 D: "Tropical" Clous de Paris dial with luminous minute & hour markers, date aperture. M: Electronic movement signed Omega & numbered. C: Rectangular case, signed Omega Watch Co., Omega crown, case measures approx. 44mm by 32mm. B: Original Omega bracelet numbered 1209/202.CONDITION REPORT D: Original dial in very good "tropical" condition. M: Working at present. C: In very good condition with some scratches due to general use. S: In very good condition with some scratches. D: Dial / M: Movement / C: Case / S: Strap / B: Bracelet Estimate: 700 GBP - 900 GBP Category: Watches & Watch accessories Came in at £700 plus premium. Here is the Catalog shot. Looks a bit interesting the dial... Really not sure why but I suppose I made the tempting mistake of seeing the word "tropical" even though I know it has no place on a 1970's electric watch. I see something I like in it. I'm still away so I shipped it straight to the genius Simon Freese at STS. Sometimes I can feel his incredulity at what I have purchased. However, ever the diplomat, he said "have you seen this watch?" Er...no...I say. Here is the photo that he took: It's a bit damaged, which did not come through on the auction photo. I think I still like it. I am not a perfectionist. Without missing a beat, Simon asked: "so you obviously saw inside?" Again, er....no. "Well the good news, 'he said, "is that you don't need a new movement. I thought you were going to" he said. Tell me more....'that would have been very expensive" "It runs after I removed the rodico" he said: Removed the rodico???? So apparently some gorilla jammed in some rodico to do something we can't think of, but once removed it runs. it's filthy and needs a service, but not a new movement, (or "circuit" - not sure of the electric lingo). Anyway, let's see how it turns out after STS does their magic. I have no idea of the estimate yet. Anyone care to guess? I think it may be as much as the watch.
Cool watch! Very attractive dial IMO. I don't think you shall worry about the servicing cost, even if God knows why the dough is there.... I have seen that kind of spider web dials also on other Omega 70ies watches. Apparantly they used some kind of inferiour lacquer job at the dial factory at the time. Looks cool on this one
is it just me, or would it be very very difficult to photograph that dial without showing some of the damage without shenanigans with photo shop? Id also be livid that it was described as 'running'. It's funny, I'm sure I remember a watch collector not a million miles away warming me off auction watched as always being the ones with issues... having said all of that I still kind of like it. Distressed by what Id consider to be active misdescription.
Maybe they put that blue stuff in there to stop the battery from exploding and ruining the movement. But at that point they should have just removed the battery so I don't know
As ever, Simon Freese is the unflappable, tactful and multitalented Jeeves of the vintage Omega world.
Seems like a lot of money to me for what is essentially a project watch with a movement that could potentially need replacing rather than servicing and a damaged dial. Always a big risk when buying sight unseen that's why I always ask the auction house for more "real world" pictures before deciding whether to bid or not. Are you going to keep the dial as is?
£1200 I think that's what my 18k Stardust cost for a service and 2 year warranty. Expensive but what choice do you have ?
I'd reserve judgement on the dial unless I had it in hand. It might look amazing in person, and I've got a feeling it will. STS took it in harsh light at an angle to really show the spiderweb. The auction photo is soft light which will deemphasize the spiderweb. I'd love to see natural light shots of it.
Lovely tropical dial but with quite bad cracks on it. With the movement/circuit, can be changed but if I'm not mistaken, little can be done with cracked dials which might diminish their value quite a bit.
Lovely watches Simon/ STS can sort this easily and carry all of the spares but as others have indicated budget wise is going to require deep pockets Service : £750 + VAT motor/ circuit: 450 each + VAT Dial: Can be restored, price unknown I still think these are amongst the most awesome watches Omega have made, yet they are quartz but they really are something special