Omega Constellation 2887-1, stunning and rare beauty back from STS

Tom Dick · Dec 22, 2016

Evening all

Well, this is quite a tale, so I will begin at the beginning. Whilst perusing eBay USA one evening I noticed a Connie up for sale, the pics where terrible, the seller credible (not for watches) and the description quite simply shocking........ of course I took a punt. I bid on the watch thinking I wouldn't win and low and behold I did.

I had some back an forth with the seller and long story short they didn't feel comfy sending to the UK so I got it shipped to my very close friend George in California. A few weeks went by and George came to the UK to collect and drop of some Megaquartz F2.4's (my fault I have made a mechanical IWC collector and Omega quartz convert) and dropped it off to STS. STS gave and great appraisal overview to me on the phone and recommended the work needed (basically clean it and don't touch the case and clean the movement)

I was planning a visit to I phoned them and begged ( I do mean begged) to do the work prior to Christmas so I could collect it, begrudgingly they agreed with the caveat that I could never ask such a ridiculous request again........ fair enough...........

When I brought the watch I thought it was a lovely old Connie, which might turn out to be a peach!

It then transpired to be not only a lovely old Connie but a very rare screw back 1958 reference 2887-1 in what I can only describe as totally unrestored condition. These watches are so special because firstly they don't appear in the database and secondly they are this specific case designs with 500 series movements but unlike all the rest of this generation they have screw back not snap backs

The movement had never been worked on, the case never refinish, the dial totally original and stunning (there is some lacquer spidering under the most extremely tungsten light at the right angel) and it is quite simply out of this world. 35mm case without crown so it wears very well!

Im delighted and wanted to share it with the forum

Here is our very own Dennis's original piece on these rare beast and a link to his special essay on them

http://omega-constellation-collecto.../omega-constellation-black-sheep-returns.html

The work STS did is as usually exemplary:

Movement overhaul
New crystal and crown (I wanted it to be wearable and waterproof but all old parts returned)
New seal
Replace second hand (the old one was shot)
Case clean but no refinish
New Matt genuine croc band and original period omega buckle

And here is my very own 2887-1

So here she is

boat2dan · Dec 22, 2016

Tom, Great And Well Deserved, Congrats!!

ConElPueblo · Dec 22, 2016

Great post! That dial looks as if it should have been on a later reference - are these a sort of transitional model between the four digit and five digit references?

Tom Dick · Dec 22, 2016

Nope, dial correct, great previous write up n these here

https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...ref-2887-a-very-uncommon-case-reference.4421/

TNTwatch · Dec 22, 2016

ConElPueblo
Great post! That dial looks as if it should have been on a later reference - are these a sort of transitional model between the four digit and five digit references?

This dial print style never shows up on any other references.

hoipolloi · Dec 22, 2016

Here it is

ulackfocus · Dec 22, 2016

Wow!

So how long until this thread is copied & pasted to the Sales Forum?

Tom Dick · Dec 22, 2016

Not one on planning on moving on I'm afraid but a nice piece and quite the find, which I felt the community would enjoy reading about.

I've got a couple recent arrival which have been funded by recent sales (such as one of my two jumbo 30T2's on the SC recently). I don't have the bottomless pockets of some forum members so when I want something new something else has to go. I will show off one in the new year which puts even the 2887 to shame but at the moment it's in for service. Here is the other, my Dennison cased 18K Deluxe, which I sold on the forum, regretted and recently brought back from the same forum member (the watch I was collecting from STS when I convinced them to do the 2887 for me)

It's interesting how my collecting habits have changed and been heavily influenced by the omega forum.

I am a real advocate of quartz watches but haven't brought one in 6 months plus (although I've converted a few die hard mechanical collectors to megaquartz'), I've been buying a lot more mechanical and really focusing in on what I really want from my collection. It has reduced from 30+ watches to 12 in a year, moved from 75% quartz to 25% quartz and I've moved away from mechanical tool watches to mechanical dress watches....... maybe I'm getting older...... ha ha ha (although I still have a nice mix of pieces, but all omega)

It's also interesting how much more detail driven I've become since joining OF. I'm an academic by trade and love the research element of our hobby (which is what got me in to it in the first place 15 years ago), great example ; the Dennison; watch is perfect, dial is perfect, just serviced at STS! Gorgeous croc band....... what more could I ask for...... research (from other forum members) showed me that it would have originally been supplied on a U.K. Omega solid 9K gold buckle, could I find one anywhere for love or money??? No. Then the community kicked in and I met a forum member for a coffee last week and noticed the exact buckle I was scouring the web for, in a heart beat he gave me the watch and said 'swap the buckle on yours for mine' I was gob smacked as mine was plated and his was solid gold, his response was 'I don't mind, you really want it and it's neither here nor there for me'

It's been a great education finding out about these, which I was bliffully unaware of until I stumbled over the watch. There is such a wealth of knowledge on the forum, which is why I love the place and contribute as much as I can. The research of people like Dennis and Andrew Romaine (Dennison expert) give so much knowledge and insight and really reminds me why I love this ridiculous hobby and why a derive so much pleasure from it and our community

ConElPueblo · Dec 23, 2016

Tom Dick
Nope, dial correct, great previous write up n these here

https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...ref-2887-a-very-uncommon-case-reference.4421/

TNTwatch
This dial print style never shows up on any other references.

I didn't mean anything by the comment other than noting how the markers and dome dial have the look of those references that came later while retaining the design traits (case, caseback, etc) of earlier Constellations 😀
I feel that there are a rather significant change in the overall design of the Constellation line between 4 and 5-digit references, which is why this ref. confuses me. Had I seen it on eBay, I guess I would have been quite sceptic!

Tom Dick
It's interesting how my collecting habits have changed and been heavily influenced by the omega forum.

True! I love this place and have met some extraordinary people here 👍

Kathmandu! · Dec 23, 2016

Congratulations for the acquisition and thanks for the great post! K.

Tom Dick · Dec 23, 2016

Troels, no worries I took no offence and I had no idea about the dial or even the rest of the watch until STS sent me the reference and I googled it and the world of information from Dennis and OF came up.

To be honest I had no clue what it was when I brought it. I'm only just getting in to connies and it looked a good honest watch from the pics supplied and that was my motivator. I bid accordingly for a watch I could wear but needed a full overhaul

This is what I now have following numerous emails with the seller, a friend bringing it for hr UK for me and STS working their magic for me prior to Christmas

JohnSteed · Dec 23, 2016

Hi Tom

Is is possible to see the before pics?

Cheers!

Tom Dick
Evening all

Well, this is quite a tale, so I will begin at the beginning. Whilst perusing eBay USA one evening I noticed a Connie up for sale, the pics where terrible, the seller credible (not for watches) and the description quite simply shocking........ of course I took a punt. I bid on the watch thinking I wouldn't win and low and behold I did.

I had some back an forth with the seller and long story short they didn't feel comfy sending to the UK so I got it shipped to my very close friend George in California. A few weeks went by and George came to the UK to collect and drop of some Megaquartz F2.4's (my fault I have made a mechanical IWC collector and Omega quartz convert) and dropped it off to STS. STS gave and great appraisal overview to me on the phone and recommended the work needed (basically clean it and don't touch the case and clean the movement)

I was planning a visit to I phoned them and begged ( I do mean begged) to do the work prior to Christmas so I could collect it, begrudgingly they agreed with the caveat that I could never ask such a ridiculous request again........ fair enough...........

When I brought the watch I thought it was a lovely old Connie, which might turn out to be a peach!

It then transpired to be not only a lovely old Connie but a very rare screw back 1958 reference 2887-1 in what I can only describe as totally unrestored condition. These watches are so special because firstly they don't appear in the database and secondly they are this specific case designs with 500 series movements but unlike all the rest of this generation they have screw back not snap backs

The movement had never been worked on, the case never refinish, the dial totally original and stunning (there is some lacquer spidering under the most extremely tungsten light at the right angel) and it is quite simply out of this world. 35mm case without crown so it wears very well!

Im delighted and wanted to share it with the forum

Here is our very own Dennis's original piece on these rare beast and a link to his special essay on them

http://omega-constellation-collecto.../omega-constellation-black-sheep-returns.html

The work STS did is as usually exemplary:

Movement overhaul
New crystal and crown (I wanted it to be wearable and waterproof but all old parts returned)
New seal
Replace second hand (the old one was shot)
Case clean but no refinish
New Matt genuine croc band and original period omega buckle

And here is my very own 2887-1

So here she is

Tom Dick · Dec 23, 2016

Sure thing, this is what I had to go on

Description was:

Vintage automatic constelllation watch, good working condition, 32mm case, shows light wear

Didn't get a bargain on it by any means (£500 plus shipping on an open auction they bid up until the bitter end) factoring I had no idea what condition the movement was in or even if it was all original but as it turned out it was indeed a peach (which one could reasonably assume would be the case based on the noticable lack of wear on the case in the two pics) but even factoring in £300ish service bill it was a good deal for a very nice and rare piece

I guess the old say is true 'he who dares.... wins'

JohnSteed · Dec 23, 2016

Many Thnx Tom

A diamond in the rough...Wow that's a great catch before year end. A great addition to your Connie collection.

Excellent work and Congrats!!!!

Tom Dick · Dec 23, 2016

Thanks John

It's a lovely thing and I'm chuffed to bits with it, I can't believe these things are still out there in this time warp condition.

Smokerjoker · Dec 23, 2016

Hello Tom,

Why a great find and thanks for sharing the details as to why this watch was special. I was glad to be of help and don't need much of an excuse to visit STS.

And thanks for your help and guidance as I navigate through the world of megaquartz 2.4 MHz watches. You have been a wealth of information.

Regards, George

TNTwatch · Dec 23, 2016

ConElPueblo
noting how the markers and dome dial have the look of those references that came later

The same dial style with stick indices actually began with ref 2852 that preceded this rare 2887.

Tom Dick · Dec 23, 2016

Thanks George and great to see you on the forum

That's quite the handle picture, having seen some better pics go your MQ2.4mhz I've got to say it's one of the best 18MK stardust I've ever seen!

Always happy to help and always happy to share my knowledge, that's what our community is all about

ConElPueblo · Dec 23, 2016

TNTwatch
The same dial style with stick indices actually began with ref 2852 that preceded this rare 2887.

I know we're still disagreeing about the finer details about some other watch ( 😜 ), but surely that top one is a redial?
I think part of what makes the 2887 seem odd to me is the onyx inlay. Never seen one like those you show in your post here either, so happy to be further educated 👍

TNTwatch · Dec 23, 2016

ConElPueblo
I know we're still disagreeing about the finer details about some other watch ( 😜 ), but surely that top one is a redial?
I think part of what makes the 2887 seem odd to me is the onyx inlay. Never seen one like those you show in your post here either, so happy to be further educated 👍

Redial surely, but it didn't affect the stick indices.

These stick indices also are on plenty of the contemporary 2943.

Omega Constellation 2887-1, stunning and rare beauty back from STS

Tom Dick

boat2dan

ConElPueblo

Tom Dick

TNTwatch

hoipolloi

ulackfocus

Tom Dick

ConElPueblo

Kathmandu!

Tom Dick

JohnSteed

Tom Dick

JohnSteed

Tom Dick

Smokerjoker

TNTwatch

Tom Dick

ConElPueblo

TNTwatch

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