Hi guys

I would very much appreciate your advice on a recent purchase that I made. I saw an Omega Constellation Calendar 18ct advertised locally. What was perhaps most appealing was the price, approx £1000. However I’m not used to forking out this kind of money everyday on my watches, so I went through some checks with the owner via mail to ensure the watch was OK, including the question “is the dial damaged?” to which I received a positive no, it is only the glass that is scratched.
However, upon receiving the watch (you guessed it!), the dial is damaged, a small scratch between the 10 and 12, definitely on the dial.
Now I’m thinking that my £1000 is the correct price for a watch of this type with a scratch on the dial?
So half of me says to keep it, it was an OK deal, and the other half says send it back and get a refund as you’ll always look at the watch and regret the scratch.
The scratch is only visible from certain angles and I’ve enclosed a couple of pictures for you to view. The first picture with the scratch visible between the 10 marker and the omega symbol. The second picture straight in where the scratch doesn’t show.

I realise the crown is not original and I have a replacement for that.

I have the option to return the watch.

I’ve bought it as a watch for myself with no intention of selling it but I appreciate that the resell value will be affected.

So, return or keep?


Thanks for your advice.

Chris

 

....and a picture of the case back.

 

If you have the option to return it I would do that asap. Apart from the scratched dial the watch case is a mess, over polished in the extreme and with some letters/numbers scratched into the back. Yuk. Wrong crown too. I think it was sold at 1k for a reason...

 

Hi @Biezmez
Firstly, it looks like you have a 14394 Deluxe Calendar, I.e. with a gold dial.
I’m sure you are aware that the lugs are more than a little soft and so £1,000 is an okay price IMHO - I have its no-date cousin and these are heavy watches.
(In perfect nick you might pay up to three times as much)
As the dial is gold, it is likely that it is the lacquer that is scratched and the gold is ‘grinning’ through.
You may be able to have a dial specialist prepare and carefully flood the scratch locally.
It will never be perfect but much better than it is.

As I was replying, you posted the caseback - not sure what to say about that.
(To paraphrase @cristos71 - yukity yuk)

 

Yeh I saw that, but I’m happy to live with them in the condition they are in.

[/QUOTE]
As the dial is gold, it is likely that it is the lacquer that is scratched and the gold is ‘grinning’ through.
You may be able to have a dial specialist prepare and carefully flood the scratch locally.
It will never be perfect but much better than it is.
[/QUOTE]

Many thanks for the tip, but I’m not sure I would want to go down that path though

Much appreciate the relevant and honest feedback.

Regards
Chris

 

Thanks for the clear and honest reply, much appreciated.

 

I would keep it and use it as a casual dress watch.

 

Thanks for your input Hoi. Much appreciated.

Here’s a picture of the dial I got from my watch repairer.


It also turns out that the movement number is 17 2xx xxx that puts it at approx 1960.

 

Well you can’t return it now

 

Hi @new_heuer why can’t it be returned? Because My watch repairer took the dial out to check it?
Regards
Chris

 

Yes.

 

OK, personally it’s never been a problem for other purchases I’ve made, but that’s my experience.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
Regards
Chris.

 

Wrong
Edit. Ofc depends on where you are located. In EU it’s definetly not a problem.