Maybe it’s the photos but it looks like two different crowns? One looks scalloped and more rounded compared to the other.

 

I noticed that too, but I think its just a camera focus issue, focus was on the observatory.

 

The photos on this post can be misleading and like noless says, on most of the shots, de camera is focusing not on the crown. The quality of those photos don't help either, as they are basically a snip of the actual photo in the auction. I guess, I will have to wait until the watch arrives and I am able to inspect it closely.

For now this is as close as I can get when I zoom in the auction pictures and take a photo from my computer screen. I do see the crown having a little bulge at the Omega logo portion. Below the photos:

 

A gold coated 1175 on a C-Case, really want one of these in steel yet they are tricky to find undiscovered

Endlinks are 78 instead of 77

 

Breaking news! Seller will ship my C-Shape tomorrow

 

I found this video on youtube which around minute 2:27 talks about the crowns. I believe the crown my C-Shape has is the one on the right. I should receive the watch sometime this week and will verify.



For those interested here is the link to the video:

I don't know how well versed on the C-Shape is the youtuber that produced it... but I'll share it anyway.

 

He doesn't mention anything about how many watches will have service crowns which are a slightly different shape.

Its a matter of taste as to how much that matters to you though. Personally I will take a crown that actually seals over the correct but no longer sealing crown...

 

Fair thought! worth considering...

 

I believe that bracelet ref. number is 1172

 

The bricks bracelet looks great on these, but that beads of rice pairing is a nice change of pace. Is that an Omega 1037 with 570 end links?

Edit: now I see that’s a 1068/620 for the 19mm lugs.

 

On a Forstner bracelet until the arrival of the 1172-515...

 

We discuss the ladies C-cases here too, I am actually currently looking for parts to repair a linen dial with the WG bezel ladies c-case myself.
I guess I do see the sunburst ones more often, but I never really thought of the linen dials as rare.

 

Hi all, having become recently obsessed with these I've gone through all 58 pages of this thread to begin my homework. Figured I'd share my notes so far to help compile a lot of this information in one spot. Maybe I'll put some of this stuff on my website one day. It would be nice to have it with images but I'd have to get permission from folks before doing anything like that.

I want to thank @kaplan who has shared so much information here. All I've done is compile some links and tidbits. I did not even attempt to compile info on dial and case material variations. Please let me know if anything below is incorrect so I can fix it.

I also want to thank Desmond who runs the invaluable Omega Constellation Collectors website. I know he's a member here but sorry I don't know his username.

Thanks all for the resource!

## C-Case Constellation

Approximate Dates of Production: 1965 - 1978
Dimensions: 35mm diameter; 11mm thickness
Lugs: 19mm
Lug-to-Lug: ??? I think I saw 49mm somewhere.
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Material Codes: BA is solid gold, CD is yellow gold capped, CE is pink gold capped, ST is steel

### Serial Number Ranges for Approximate Dates of Production

1965: 22,000,000 – 22,999,999
1966: 23,000,000 – 23,999,999
1966: 24,000,000 – 24,999,999
1967: 25,000,000 – 25,999,999
1968: 26,000,000 – 26,999,999
1968: 27,000,000 – 27,999,999
1969: 28,000,000 – 31,999,999
1970: 32,000,000 – 32,999,999
1971: 33,000,000 – 33,999,999
1972: 34,000,000 – 34,999,999
1972: 35,000,000 – 35,999,999
1973: 36,000,000 – 36,999,999
1973: 37,000,000 – 37,999,999
1974: 38,000,000 – 38,999,999
1975: 39,000,000 – 39,999,999
1977: 40,000,000 – 40,999,999
1978: 41,000,000 – 41,999,999

Source - MillenaryWatches.com

### Reference Numbers

#### December 1964 through Mid-1966

- 168.008 cal. 561: Date only - Can't find much specifically about this reference.
- 168.009 cal. 561: Date only - smooth steel bezel. Sometimes double stamped with 168.017. First reference of the c-case that probably only has a smooth bezel and caliber 561. - OVA - 1966 - BA 168.0009=168.017 / Omega Vintage Archives - 1967 - ST 168.0009=168.0017

#### Mid-1966 through ???

- 168.017 cal. 564: Date only - smooth steel bezel - Omega Vintage Archives - 1967 - ST 168.0017
- 168.027 cal. 564: Date only - fluted/knurled bezel (sometimes white gold bezel, steel bezel examples tend to show rust). - Omega Vintage Archives - 1966 - ST 168.0027

#### Late 1967 - 1972

Later "transitional" examples of the 751 introduced the new "Constellation" script lettering with straight a "n" as opposed to previous curly "n".

- 168.019 cal. 751: Calendar(Day)/Date - smooth bezel - Omega Vintage Archives - 1966 - BA 168.0019 / Omega Vintage Archives - 1966 - ST 168.0019
- 168.029 cal. 751: Calendar(Day)/Date - fluted/knurled bezel- Omega Vintage Archives - 1967 - CD 168.0029 / Omega Vintage Archives - 1967 - ST 168.0029

#### 1972 - 1978

Dial script changed considerably. Applied Omega lettering moved to 6 o'clock position. New bezel introduced.

- 168.0056 cal. 1011: Calendar(Day)/Date - Omega Vintage Archives - 1972 - ST 168.0056
- 168.0057 cal. 1021: Calendar(Day)/Date - Omega Vintage Archives - 1972 - ST 168.0057

Note: The Omega Vintage Archives are allegedly known to contain inaccurate information.
BA is solid gold, CD is yellow gold capped, CE is pink gold capped, ST is steel

### Calibers

- Omega 561: automatic, 24 jewels, date, chronometer - circa 1958-1967
- Omega 564: automatic, 24 jewels, quickset date, chronometer - circa 1966-1969
- Omega 751: automatic, 24 jewels, day, quickset date, chronometer - circa 1967-1970
- Omega 1011: automatic, hacking, 23 jewels, quickset date, chronometer - circa 1972-1984
- Omega 1021: automatic, hacking, 23 jewels, quickset day and date, chronometer - circa 1972-1984

### Bracelet

Standard OEM bracelet is a 1040 brickwork style with 518 end-links. It's probably worth paying a bit more to get a watch with the bracelet and end-links included instead of finding them separate.

"Honest advice: Don't buy 3rd party bracelets or go after makeshift end-links, it's a money pit - in the long run just buying the 1040's make sense no matter how much you pay." - Kaplan

1040 fits 518, 593, 539 end-links, and maybe more. Very few bracelets only fit a single end-link type.

Here's an example of 3011/518 on my 168.029. I like this design, it's very comfortable and the look is more "up market" than 1040. I like 1040 too, don't get me wrong. New 3011/518 is 450€ according to my OSC, so in line with the £390 quote.

### Random Tidbits

I believe all of the below remarks are from the esteemed Kaplan but a couple may have been from others.

(August 2022) "It's the best time to buy one, but 168.019 and 168.027's are much much less common, so if you want gold, 168.029 is an easy target, the sanest option is Closer (ebay seller) from Japan and paying around $1000 - keep in mind that they declare the full value, so it's like +20%" - Kaplan

"You can find a 168.017 in 1-2 months, but you'll likely spend 1-2 years for a 168.027" - Kaplan

"You can get a 168.029 around $500-700."

SpiralWinder offers aftermarket display casebacks.
Sapphire Exhibition Caseback for 1960s Vintage Seamasters and Constellations
Sapphire Exhibition Caseback for 1970s Vintage Seamasters and Constellations

### Sources

The C-Cased Constellation Thread at OmegaForums.net
The Constellation C-Shape Watch: Omega's Child of the Sixties
It's All About MOY, Except When it Isn't
Omega Enthusiast YouTube Video - C-Case 101

 

A couple of curiosities I've noticed along the way. Everyone refers to 168.017/029 etc. but the Omega database has them listed as 168.0017/0029. Yet, folks keep the double zero when referring to the 168.0056/0057. I'm a tad confused by that but no big deal.

The Omega Vintage Archive lists a 168.0039 cal.564 from 1971 (https://www.omegawatches.com/watch-omega-constellation-c-st-168-0039) C-case that I haven't seen anyone talking about. The image on the website has the "9" drawn on with a sharpie or something. Will have to dig more on this but found it strange.

The Omega Vintage website has "ST", "CD", and "BA" designations on the references. I'm assuming ST is for steel cases and the others refer to gold/gold-capped. Anyone know what they are?

 

Hi, thanks for your kind words, to be honest I neglected my contributions a bit, I got enough stuff to write a book on C-Case's, but after seeing the awesome work others did on other models, decided to just make a website instead that I can later on convert to a book once it's almost perfect and I've spent more years on research - after your motivation I'll try to rush the initial version a bit, for example there are around 10 different bracelets that I'm very excited about sharing

BA is solid gold, CD is yellow gold capped, CE is pink gold capped, ST is steel

You've picked the best time to be interested, it's a really good time to buy Omega's, there are many C-Case deals lately and some of them are in incredible condition. I especially feel bad about letting go off a CD 168.029 on eBay recently that sold for $500 to an offer, it was a brushed dial too like the one I shared a few pages back - When I first started collecting, a $850 168.029 was a once a month deal that you could get by only stalking everything, recently values really tanked.

If the 168.0039 actually exists, it would be a grail watch for me, says it's a press in case, looks like an April fools page that someone forgot to bring down

I actually only opened 25% of my watches, recently started testing and documenting them, so far I don't think there'll be any strict serial ranges for special models like older Speedmaster models - C-Case's seem like a rule breaker line to me, the serials also break rules

I don't really have funds to spare at the moment, but when I do, I'll order some extracts to document whether these rule breakers are actually valid rule breakers

 

This sub-forum is getting better and more interesting by the minute. Keep it coming!

 

Installed the 1172/515 bracelet that arrived this week...

 

Great example, it looks fantastic! Nice pickup!