here's a Connie up for auction soon in the UK

Thought it might be a good example for new Constellation-devotees to practice their sleuthing skills on
Any takers?

 

Dial is in bad shape, plus appears to be a redial. Case is way over-polished. I believe a 167.005 should be a caliber 551, not a 561. Just my opinions of course.

 

I'll agree that the dial isn't kosher because of the askew star, the non-MOYness, and the lack of Swiss Made. The crown also looks wrong to me. Lastly, shouldn't there be some sort of inner ring between the crystal and the dial?

 

all spot on -give the man a coconut
the wrong movement/dial in a 167.005 case is the first major howler
I asked the auction house if it was a typo -but was confirmed in the pictures

 

the dial is pretty crappy and the crown is a replacement
I think the ring is there -just the wrong colour

 

anything else not quite right?

 

The hands look too long, too, and they have differing inserts.

 

Quite right
Which One might be right?
Discounting the length issues

 

Anything about the movement?

 

Hour marker might be right.
Cal has too many colors: it might (just might...) be a combination of different watches-parts. Apart from the fact that it needs a thorough clean an some lube....
Rotor must have touched the ('any) back-case, looking at the wear on the higher rim

Edit: crown seems not correct: the 8-sided one seems more appropriate

My2Ksh
W

 

Movement has certainly had a hard life and there are different colours - and rotor and case show rubbing
apart from the rubbing - Anything specific about the rotor for this cal?

 

Ha! The rotor has a slightly different form: the 'half circles' are smaller (approx 45% of a circle) than usual (which might be approx 55% of a circle)
Edit: and there is an 'O' in the middle, which is absent in the reference material.
Pfff

 

So the cal is made-together from other parts?

 

I suspect that, except for the rotor, the movement pieces started off together -if only because the outer oxidation/damage to all parts is consistent
the rotor is the later version with the 'circular' central rotor pivot as opposed to the earlier flared-end pivot section
(but I like your description better )
the 'O' does appear on both earlier style and later rotors -no idea what that signifies (a particular supplier perhaps? -anybody?)

it should have a ten-sided crown

both hands are too long
-the indices look like they may have had lume at one time but difficult to tell what original hands might look like

 

all in all -this is one sorry Constellation

a bit of a mongrel - and most definitely 'ruff!'

 

Thanks! Want more stuff like this one thread!!

 

Just trying to 'pay a bit back'

 

Normally I like mutt better than a purebred... But in this case....