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Is this Connie a good buy?

onlyomega94
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Hi,

I'm looking at this pie pan dog legs Connie and wondering if it should be the first Constellation in my collection. Apart from the obvious drawbacks on the dial it looks like an original dial to me. Case is polished but still has some definition and all stars are clearly visible. Crown is a later incorrect replacement.

Priced at around 950 euro I don't think its that bad (it also includes a buckle). What do you think? And also, is there a way to tell if the case is solid gold or gold filled without having picks of the inside of the caseback and/or hallmarks? If it is solid gold it is obviously a good purchase. Pictures are, I'm afraid, not that good.

Thanks
Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.47.28.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.12.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.06.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.00.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.41.57.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.41.53.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.37.53.png
 
Noddyman
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There’s something not right here.
The dial is genuine enough but I’ve never seen a 168.005 with a case like this before. For a start the case back is press-fit when it should be screw-in. Also on solid gold cases the medallion should have brickwork effect and the lugs should be hallmarked. Maybe an obscure case manufacturer but not something I’ve seen before. Others may shed more light!

Edit to add: looking side on the medallion protrudes from the case back when it should be recessed and flush finish.
Edited:
 
arkman
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Caseback is wrong. Crown is incorrect. It is hard to comment on the dial given the photos and the crystal, but it looks like the marker at 7:00 is damaged. There are far better examples out there for your first Connie (but you will likely need to pay more than 950 euro).
 
Privateday7
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Fake.....the easy tell is the brick in the observation dome. No brick = fake

This model is the most faked vintage Connie gold out there.
 
Privateday7
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onlyomega94 onlyomega94
Hi,

I'm looking at this pie pan dog legs Connie and wondering if it should be the first Constellation in my collection. Apart from the obvious drawbacks on the dial it looks like an original dial to me. Case is polished but still has some definition and all stars are clearly visible. Crown is a later incorrect replacement.

Priced at around 950 euro I don't think its that bad (it also includes a buckle). What do you think? And also, is there a way to tell if the case is solid gold or gold filled without having picks of the inside of the caseback and/or hallmarks? If it is solid gold it is obviously a good purchase. Pictures are, I'm afraid, not that good.

Thanks
Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.47.28.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.12.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.06.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.42.00.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.41.57.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.41.53.png Skærmbillede 2021-01-25 kl. 23.37.53.png

https://omegaforums.net/threads/urgent-help-60s-constellation-gold-buy-decision.3033/

You can read my thread from 2012. I almost bought similar gold connie......
 
ConElPueblo
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It is most likely a French case. These have the protruding medallion and snap-back case construction. Can't remember if the bezel is correct though.
 
eternalover
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Seems to me “bargains” often have bad pictures as others have said. . Seller history and other items is always interesting. Trouble is I get so paranoid I am frightened to buy.lucky we have help here, but there are often opposing views.
 
onlyomega94
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First of all thank you to everyone who has commented. I personally don’t mind a bit of a gamble on bad pictures and have had luck in the past but it of course has to be within reason. I think I will pass on this example. I do, however, have a question.

One user suggests that the observatory will always have brick work (or else it is a fake) whilst another states that only solid gold examples have this engraving. What should be the guideline for me going forward?
 
ConElPueblo
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Will someone please read my previous post? It's not a fake case. The dial is fine.
 
iamvr
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onlyomega94 onlyomega94
One user suggests that the observatory will always have brick work (or else it is a fake) whilst another states that only solid gold examples have this engraving. What should be the guideline for me going forward?

At some point Omega also added brick work to SS models, but don't know when it started. My SS 168.005 doesn't have the brick work, my SS 168.010 does.
 
Peemacgee
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onlyomega94 onlyomega94
I do, however, have a question.
One user suggests that the observatory will always have brick work (or else it is a fake) whilst another states that only solid gold examples have this engraving. What should be the guideline for me going forward?

This relates to Swiss made Constellation cases

Originally, only solid gold Connies had the brickwork observatories.
Gold cap and SS connies had plain observatories

Sometime around the mid 60's Omega decided, for reasons only known to them, to confuse everybody by reversing this rule, so that gold cap and SS cases had brickwork observatories and solid gold cases had plain observatories.
However, in true Omega style, they didn't apply this to all solid gold cases, so some also have brickwork observatories.
Edit:
and some SS/gold cap cases have plain observatories.


Here is a useful essay by Desmond on medallions
http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2008/03/constellation-medallions.html
Edited:
 
eternalover
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Con EL P is an expert - just look back on the site history, and gives a clear opinion on this and others.
I do think the case and medallion look nasty, but that doesn’t mean fake the case back inside would be really good to see.
 
eternalover
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Tks Peemacgee now I feel a bit better about being confused about this stuff
 
Peemacgee
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eternalover eternalover
Tks Peemacgee now I feel a bit better about being confused about this stuff

It is somewhat confusing

For clarity, the change in medallions was intended to be applied to the post mid-60s references
E.g. 168.010, C-cases, 168.015/25, 168.016/18 etc.
Desmond refers to watches housing cal 564 movements (but .010s began production around '66 with cal 561s inside, so it would be interesting to look at the case back of an early .010)

However, again this isn't absolutely consistent, as I have a (very) late SS 168.004 which has a brickwork medallion (but it does unusually house a 564)
I don't remember seeing a SS/gold cap dogleg with a brickwork medallion but I'm sure someone will correct me if they have one.
 
STANDY
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Everything above aside, the bad pictures mask the scratch on the dial. 😗

Better pictures are needed.......
 
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