My beautiful new pie-pan Constellation arrived today and it is Beautiful!
Thanks Hoipolloi for the expert guidance steering me around the lemons on ebay .

now my question: it has the 564 movement, but the date change feature doesn't seem to work.
definite double pull clearly felt on the crown. 1st stage adjusts time. 2nd stage....nothing.
I seem to recall something about adjusting between 9:00 pm and midnight only?
didn't make a difference. Do you turn it clockwise or counterclockwise ?
i don't want to keep playing with it in case it's operator difficulty.

Any ideas?
and before you I know pictures, but I have to have date correct 1st .

 

Don't keep toying with it! The watch needs to be serviced, which usually straightens out any problem with the push-pull date change mechanism.

And yes….. pictures or no more advice!

 

This is the instruction for the 564





If the quick set function is not working, use the 561 instruction

 

I am afraid you are correct. Seems very stiff to turn, but have nothing to compare it with. Kinda like turning through molasses.

 

Thanks Hoi (may I call you Hoi?), but neither of the directions worked. When following the 561 instructions it wouldn't change again at midnight after rolling it back, but doing the 561 procedure would cause the date to pop forward (564style) when moved to the third position.
but only some of the times
are they normally hard to wind? This one doesn't feel right.

 

Cannot help you there, I have to have it in my hands to tell you right or wrong. Your best bet is a vintage watchmaker in your area.

Is it ticking ?

 

Yes it's ticking and seems to keep perfect time over the course of 3 hours

 

And OF member Time Exposure had recommended a vintage repair man that's only a couple of hours from me.

 

The last three of my watches he had were Omega's. He's real good with them. But he'll take a long time to finish (talk about molasses!) I suppose if you give him a deadline and paid his pri$e, the repair would go faster (but I'm a cheapskate!).

 

...duh
Congrats on a beauty of a first Omega!

 

Thanks TE! So if I take this to him along with that heirloom Nivada Grenchen what's a ballpark $ I should expect to pay?

 

In my area, prices differ to a large extent. The cheapest watchmaker requests EUR 85 for a service of my cal. 564, whereas the most expensive one requests EUR 215.. You might want to have a look around before getting your precious watch serviced. Obviously, check for reviews of the watchmakers before you turn over your watch. You'll not be the first one to end up with re-lumed hands as part of the 'service'..

 

Can't say the price. I don't think I have paid the same twice for what I thought was the same work. He is sensitive to your wants as a collector, too. If you don't want something done, tell him.
He might give you a ballpark on a phone call but probably will insist on seeing it first. I'm guessing a 56x with cleaning only (no parts, no machining) runs around $120?

 

that sounds reasonable.
having never taken a watch in (anywhere) before, what do I need to tell them to do...and more importantly what not to do.

 

Ask them to clean, oil and regulate the watch and let them contact you in case they want to replace parts or do something in addition.

 

Thanks J86! Do they calibrate the time typically or is that something you guys adjust yourselves?
I think its gained a minute in 7 hours, but I am still "watching" it.
Is there a special tool for the screw on back?

 

Any good watchmaker will regulate your watch, it's part of the service.

The special tool is a wrench, but there's usually some risk of damaging the caseback. Best thing is to ask your watchmaker to take a couple of shots for you.