Hi all,

Finally have my first Connie. It is a Pie Pan from 1959 and it runs pretty good as far as I can see right now. I have a few questions below for all you specialists. I assume / hope / am informed it is pretty original. The buckle is probably not fully period correct but still nice. I just hope that nobody now comes with a reaction completely ruining my dream...


OK. So far for the sharing, here my questions

If I change the time there is a small “room” between moving the crown and the reaction of the hands. Is this normal for such an old watch? I also have a 1969 Genève and I do not have this “space” on that watch. Is also not an automatic of course.

As you can see there is some corrosion on the hands. Do you think this can be restored by taking them off and lightly sand and polish?

Before I bought this I was thinking about trying to clean up the outer sides of the dial a bit. Now I have it I actually like the small imperfections. What do you guys think?

What do you think about the crown?

Thanks!

 

Can you take the photo of the crown?

 

The watch looks honest to me. It has had a life, that's clear. But I would leave it exactly like it is.

 

Great acquisition! Love these pie-pan, no-date Connies!

What's the service history of the watch? If you don't know, then its time for one.

A service would remedy the slight disconnect between the hands and the crown and the hands could be cleaned up. Personally, I'd leave the dial alone unless there is visible dust or debris to remove.

 

The only criticism: get it on a BOR

Edit: btw, no movement shot?

 

I think it's an excellent first buy, well done!

 

Crown doesn't look original to me.

 

FWIW, Omega likey still has NOS hands for these - an Omega parts account-holding watchmaker could tell you. IF you want to change them. There are mixed views on this, but I personally dislike corroded non-luminous hands. The dial has patina, but nothing too bad.

The crown is a replacement IMHO, I think the originals were thinner. If it bothers you, real ones show up on the bay pretty frequently. It's no longer made as far as I know.

 

Hi, here a photo. Cannot get it big and good quality.

 

Here there is one from the buy.

 

And new band under negotiation with myself. Want to go classic but not yet sure.

 

Welcome, as a fellow connie pie pan owner, I can say its a great first buy mine bought recently was a 168.0065 1970s connie pan pie.

As @rondeaux has mentioned, if you don't know the service history of your new/old watch, look to getting one. There's lots of advice on here including where/whom to consider sending it off to.

I wouldn't know if the crown is origional or not but if you like it, keep it.

Mine came on a leather strap and like @Lotus_Eater8815, I prefer a bracelet and have already brought one from a OF member which is on-route.

Key point, enjoy it on your wrist, I haven't stopped looking at mine all week

 

Nice one! Dial has patina and it is normal!
I would let hands as they are in order to let it homogeneous. Plus, on those connies, corrosion on hands is usually only visible in some angle. But there is no truth, it just about how you like it!

 

What if I take the hands off and keep them for any possible future owner (not planning to sell at all but still). Is there any chance that one cannot get the hands off or so?

 

New hands are unavailable and used ones are hard to find, especially the seconds hand.

 

In my point of view, still better to keep them, brand new hands will not match with the dial I guess, and you won’t find original hands that easy

 

Nice first catch, huge congrats and leave it as is.

 

It is a nice honest example, other than the crown, which you can replace if it displeases you that much. I would get it serviced but leave the hands as they are, because new ones are going to look at odds with the dial.

I like the dial and the sharpness of the case, and particularly the sharp back with a very clear observatory and the fine machining surrounding it. So often these features have been buffed to make them 'shiny' and the detail is lost. You did well to get this.

 

Beautiful Modern co-ax movements, while beautiful in their own right, have nothing on these copper-plated vintage movements IMHO.