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Opinions on this Constellation pie-pan

bellydrums
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Gold capped 168.004, 36mm case with hidden crown. Calibre 561 movement apparently, but no images inside the case. It's on for £1795, about $2400.

The caseback is pretty worn/polished and so some of the observatory star detail is lost. There are some scratches to the gold, but overall the finish still looks reasonable. Dial looks in good shape and original to me. I'm asking to see inside to check the movement etc., but let's assume it's a genuine 561 in decent condition for the sake of argument - nothing missing or obviously out-of-place, no rust etc.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts and opinions on the good/bad for this example, and perhaps the pricing.

515548870_1282908130506268_7888822005165544567_n.webp 515357345_1282908140506267_7394051143721702031_n.webp 515364661_1282908120506269_986558822602779809_n.webp 515545869_1282908143839600_8848284698764261851_n.webp 515891141_1282908127172935_2762837760747135055_n.webp 515307601_1282908123839602_7828936885234717728_n.webp
 
bellydrums
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I mean to note that there does appear to be a scratch or some similar damage to the dial or crystal between the 8 and 9 position, which you can make out in the photos.
 
TexOmega
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Ask for better pictures, the low Rez pix plus manipulation of the exposure puts me on high elert

A perfect example may/will pull that asking price, this one is not.......but dealers gotta eat.
Edited:
 
Peemacgee
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I have a particular fondness for this style of Constellation.

As @TexOmega says, a particularly good example might be worth spending almost £1800 on but this a nice but not particularly good example.

None of the pics are good enough to assess the watch properly.
However, from what we can see the dial looks to be correct.
The case facets looks pretty good and the original crown is a plus.
But there is damage to the bottom right lug and the medallion is quite soft.
The box, although Omega, is not a Constellation box and is possibly not contemporary.

Without a scratch it is perhaps a £1,200 - £1,300 watch.

Even for that money, I would be wanting to see the movement.

And if the scratch is on the dial then it’s a no-go generally.
 
Dan S
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Looks like a slightly-better-than-average example of a reference in the mid-range of Constellation desirability, the asking price is 2x-3x what I would pay for it.
 
bellydrums
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
From this listing- what do you think might be wrong with these pictures?

IMG_2748.webp IMG_2749.webp
So looking at https://chronomaddox.com/omega_serial_numbers.html, the 34xxxxxxxx serial number on the movement dates it from 1972 or so, whilst the caseback has '62 meaning the caseback is 10 years younger than the movement? Is there any way to tell whether the movement is accurate for the case, and perhaps only the caseback was switched, or whether the case and caseback go together but the movement was replaced, or whether all three are from different watches originally?
 
bellydrums
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Dan S Dan S
Looks like a slightly-better-than-average example of a reference in the mid-range of Constellation desirability, the asking price is 2x-3x what I would pay for it.
Where are you finding these for $800-$1200? The very cheapest I'm ever seeing is $1500 for poorer condition pie-pans. This is a pretty average price for these watches everywhere I've been looking - Chrono24, the usual forums, eBay etc.
 
Dan S
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bellydrums bellydrums
So looking at https://chronomaddox.com/omega_serial_numbers.html, the 34xxxxxxxx serial number on the movement dates it from 1972 or so, whilst the caseback has '62 meaning the caseback is 10 years younger than the movement? Is there any way to tell whether the movement is accurate for the case, and perhaps only the caseback was switched, or whether the case and caseback go together but the movement was replaced, or whether all three are from different watches originally?
Find the reference that you like the most and study it thoroughly. Eventually you will learn all the nuances of when particular references were produced, how features changed over time, etc. In this case, for example, you would need to know if the mid-case does indeed correspond to the 14902 reference, and if so, what years was that reference produced.
 
Dan S
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bellydrums bellydrums
Where are you finding these for $800-$1200? The very cheapest I'm ever seeing is $1500 for poorer condition pie-pans. This is a pretty average price for these watches everywhere I've been looking - Chrono24, the usual forums, eBay etc.
I'm talking about the prices that we sell these watches to each other, buy them in auctions, etc. Not asking prices from greedy unrealistic sellers, or from dealers. I'm not really a pie-pan fan, but I bought one as part of a lot a few months back and sold it on for about $800, IIRC. Not a perfect example, but nice-looking and honest.
Edited:
 
Peemacgee
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bellydrums bellydrums
So looking at https://chronomaddox.com/omega_serial_numbers.html, the 34xxxxxxxx serial number on the movement dates it from 1972 or so, whilst the caseback has '62 meaning the caseback is 10 years younger than the movement? Is there any way to tell whether the movement is accurate for the case, and perhaps only the caseback was switched, or whether the case and caseback go together but the movement was replaced, or whether all three are from different watches originally?

The latest 14902s were 62/63, after that they became 168.005.

You can get a 168.005 dogleg with a 564 (post approx ‘66) but a 31,xxx movt is late for a dogleg. (But possible)

The 14902 caseback might fit a 168.005.

The caseback does look slightly peculiar but it may be the photo.

Whatever, it is a put together watch.
 
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