My first Constellation, but need some advice :)

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Stefan Bakker

·Jan 4, 2022

Hello everybody,

New to the forum, and learning a lot!
I fell in love with the vintage pie pan Constellations from the sixties, and I will receive my first purchase today.
Bought it from Chrono 24, in a bit of an impulse, and after my purchase i dug a little deeper in the whole MOY-checks and what not.

The watch doesn't seem to check out when you apply the MOY-rule, but then again it has the more oval 'O' wich according to one of the essays of Desmond of the Constellation Collectors-forum could be an explanation. It's a 168.005, with 561 caliber, and a 23 million serial which dates back to '66-'68. Was just wondering what you guys think when you see te dial.

The ad stated it has a new crown (Omega original) and a new, not Omega original, Crystal.

Cheers,
Stefan View attachment 1345925 View attachment 1345926

 

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Passover

·Jan 4, 2022

Hi Stefan!

Welcome on board, please post the pictures directly in the thread and do not attatch them.

Cheers

 

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Stefan Bakker

·Jan 4, 2022

Thank you, and will do in the future.
As of this subject, I got some advice from Desmond himself, and he believes it to be an authentic dial and watch as far as he can judge from the pictures of course.

For anybody interested, I will share the pictures underneath (hope this time it's the correct way to do so 😀 )

 

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MtV

·Jan 4, 2022

Welcome Stefan and congrats on the purchase.

+1 on originality of the dial, not that my comment means much after Desmond has spoken. The case is a bit “soft”, eg polished. But if the price reflects this and the spotting on the dial you could’ve certainly done worse. 😀 Can’t comment on the crown until we see a picture from the side - note that these had a flat feet Omega logo originality, service replacements at some point started to come with a more modern logo. But that’s a detail that, while it’s nice to have the old, original style, wouldn’t put me off of a watch I like.

 

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pmontoyap

·Jan 4, 2022

Dial looks good, although I can see why you say the MOY rule doesn’t check but, I wouldn’t worry about it specially if Desmond has given it a positive opinion.

Those thin crowns, although a bit difficult to wind and set, I believe are the correct vintage ones. Replacement crowns (and fake repro crowns as well) are thicker so I think it should be OK.

Nice dog leg Connie

 

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Screwbacks

·Jan 4, 2022

welcome to OF. all steel piepan is a pretty good choice. i have nothing to say more than what has been said except enjoy your vintage collection.👍

 

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hoipolloi

·Jan 4, 2022·Vintage Omega Connoisseur

Are my eyes cheating on me? I don't see any black stuff on tops of 12, 6, 9 markers.
Do you guys see the same or just only me?

 

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MtV

·Jan 4, 2022

hoipolloi

Are my eyes cheating on me? I don't see any black stuff on tops of 12, 6, 9 markers.
Do you guys see the same or just only me?

Mh - on the small phone screen, it appeared like reflection to me, but you're right. Also, the 9 marker looks too short on the first pic, weirdly.

 

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hoipolloi

·Jan 4, 2022·Vintage Omega Connoisseur

Hello Stefan.
I think your watch has problems with the hour markers.
All hour markers on your watch should have "black stuff" called black onyx inserts on tops of them.
I looked carefully at the ones at 12, 6, 9 and saw nothing. They are not the same like the others.
More than that, they are a bit longer and protrude out a bit too far into the dial.
Looks like they came from another model and they tried to stick them in here.
I attached some pics from one of mine. So you can compare and see.
Keep it or return it is your decision.

Regards.

 

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Stefan Bakker

·Jan 5, 2022

Hi guys,

Thank you for your replies.
I have the watch in my posession now, and you're right, there is no onyx on the 6, 9 and 12 hour markers....
Seems like I have a decision to make, because I absolutely love the watch when I have it on my wrist.
The dial has a beautiful glow and patina and it just feels right.
I think I can get over some of the hour markers not being original, but will contact te reseller about it.

Cheers!
Stefan

 

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MtV

·Jan 5, 2022

Stefan,

I understand you like it - the pie pan dial, dog leg cased Constellations are definitely a design icon. Especially the 168.005 (with date) were produced in vast quantities, though, and finding one isn't very hard with a bit of time at hand. If this one was very cheap (~less than 1000€ I'd say) and most of all you're ok with it's flaws then by all means enjoy the hell out of it. Do know, though, that with a bit of searching through eBay and the classifieds here, examples in much better condition can be had for roughly 1200-1500€.

 

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Stefan Bakker

·Jan 7, 2022

For the people that need closure: The watch is making it's way back to the reseller, just couldn't look at the dial without mixed feelings... 😀

The search goes on!