The future of the Constellation

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Aroxx

·Mar 29, 2023

I was perusing the Omega website and couldn't help but feel let down and confused by the Constellation line. I'm sure this isn't surprising news. When was the last time you saw someone posting that they just bought a brand new Constellation? Or saw a wrist shot of one in WRUW? Or really saw anything at all about them in the watch publications? Yet, how often are we talking about the vintage 50s-60s Constellations? The modern Constellation has become an afterthought at best.

I don't understand why Omega has taken arguably the worst Constellation design and stuck with it for 40 years. The first Manhattan came out in 1982 and here we are today in 2023 with essentially the same case, bracelet, faux claws, and numerals around the bezel. The Constellations from the 1950s-60s we all fawn over are all so much better than this. Yes, they came out with the Globemaster with a Pie Pan dial and those are very nice. But the flagship Constellation line has just languished and fallen into obscurity.

I think they need to completely redesign the Constellation. As soon as possible. Get rid of every single Manhattan design queue. No pie pan either (sorry guys). Make a drop dead gorgeous watch that people would actually be excited about buying. They have almost 500 variations of the watch available. Reduce that number drastically. Completely reboot the line.

I thought this would be a good subject and I'm interested in others thoughts. Am I off base? What do you think about the current Constellation and where Omega should take it? Does it deserve a spot with the big dogs?

1982

2023

 

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Dan S

·Mar 29, 2023

I never see someone wearing one, but maybe they are popular in other parts of the world? I can't believe they would keep making them if nobody was buying them.

 

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wagudc

·Mar 29, 2023

I agree the Manhattan style is no good. I think they should move the Constellation line to be more along the lines of the Globemaster. The 39mm makes sense for a man that wants to make a statement with a bigger dressy watch, but I would love to see some smaller ones as well.

 

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Dsloan

·Mar 29, 2023

Dan S

I never see someone wearing one, but maybe they are popular in other parts of the world? I can't believe they would keep making them if nobody was buying them.

Someone may correct me, but I believe they have been more popular in Asian markets over the years.

 

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STANDY

·Mar 29, 2023

The modern constellation is seen on hundreds of Chinese wrists (male and female) all day every day at the airport when I work there.....
Biggest selling line for Omega.... 😉

 

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Dsloan

·Mar 29, 2023

STANDY

The modern constellation is seen on hundreds of Chinese wrists (male and female) all day every day at the airport when I work there.....
Biggest selling line for Omega.... 😉

Somewhere in China, someone is blogging about how weird the Aqua Terra is and how Omega should go all in on more Manhattan variations instead.

I personally find the design... inelegant... But taste is not universal, it would seem.

Edit: I would definitely love it if Omega reissued a pie pan Connie with a modern movement though. Give it the sort of treatment as the trilogy watches or the Ed White reissue.

 

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Scooterino36

·Mar 29, 2023

Certainly not one of my favorite Omega lines. But this particular reference I would absolutely wear/own if I found it preowned and the price was right:

 

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noelekal

·Mar 29, 2023·Home For Wayward Watches

I never cared for the Constellations having the hour markings on the bezels along with those bezel claws.

 

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TIMElyBehaviour

·Mar 29, 2023

The globe master appeals to me even if the Connie doesn’t.
It has the bezel and handed from the early 70’s c shape, the pie pan from the 50’s. What’s not to love.
We all like the Connie’s of old but China is where the $ are. They are keeping the claw alive and as long as it’s a cash cow, omega will keep it. Why wouldn’t they. they gave us the globe master so I guess they are trying to please both markets.

 

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TIMElyBehaviour

·Mar 29, 2023

Scooterino36

Certainly not one of my favorite Omega lines. But this particular reference I would absolutely wear/own if I found it preowned and the price was right:

Best claw Connie I have seen yet.

 

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ErichPryde

·Mar 29, 2023

Scooterino36

Certainly not one of my favorite Omega lines. But this particular reference I would absolutely wear/own if I found it preowned and the price was right:

Agreed. Really like this dial.

 

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DoctorEvil

·Mar 30, 2023

Everyone here seems to think that China or the Asian market is keeping the modern Connie alive. Can any members from these parts of the world verify this? Personally, I've not seen anyone (male or female) wear one of these. And that's including when I travel to Southeast Asia, which I do almost annually.

 

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RI Omega Fan

·Mar 30, 2023

DoctorEvil

Everyone here seems to think that China or the Asian market is keeping the modern Connie alive. Can any members from these parts of the world verify this? Personally, I've not seen anyone (male or female) wear one of these. And that's including when I travel to Southeast Asia, which I do almost annually.

Right. Show me the data.

 

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Pastorbottle

·Mar 30, 2023

I confess to not only owning a Connie of the Manhattan line, but also quite liking it, is it a fave……no, I don’t even wear it often ( the same goes with all my dressie watches, I’m not a suit sorta bloke. In fact haven’t worn a suit n tie for over 30 yrs and in no hurry do so again.
But have a bit an in your face manner and style, so a subtle classic dress watch is largely invisible on me, but the Connie is distinctive enough for me without a whole lotta sparkling shit hanging off it.

 

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STANDY

·Mar 30, 2023

DoctorEvil

Everyone here seems to think that China or the Asian market is keeping the modern Connie alive. Can any members from these parts of the world verify this? Personally, I've not seen anyone (male or female) wear one of these. And that's including when I travel to Southeast Asia, which I do almost annually.

RI Omega Fan

Right. Show me the data.

Work at an international airport regularly. When in Sydney you would see them over represented on male and female wrists on nearly every Chinese flight.
Don’t get many direct China flights where I am now but still see them on several.
Oddly they are a very common ladies watch for all nationalities.

Being a watch guy I notice what’s on people’s wrists.

Common 18-25yo old watch I have noticed a lot of lately is gold Nixon watches on guys….Not Apple Watches

 

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vintage hab

·Mar 30, 2023

DoctorEvil

Everyone here seems to think that China or the Asian market is keeping the modern Connie alive. Can any members from these parts of the world verify this? Personally, I've not seen anyone (male or female) wear one of these. And that's including when I travel to Southeast Asia, which I do almost annually.

I asked this very question to my local OB about 3 weeks ago, and he confirmed that the Connie is their most popular watch in Asian markets.

 

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spacemission

·Mar 30, 2023

Don't worry, it's guaranteed.

 

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pdxleaf

·Mar 30, 2023·"I cut it TWICE and it's still short!"

Gene Cernan wore one.

Even though it was cheap and a moonwalker's watch, I couldn't talk myself into bidding on it because of how it looks.

 

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Aroxx

·Mar 30, 2023

STANDY

Biggest selling line for Omega.... 😉

Now this is something I’d like to see the data for. It makes sense, even a lot of the vintage Constellations are in Japan. I wonder where they were most popular back in the day.

vintage hab

I asked this very question to my local OB about 3 weeks ago, and he confirmed that the Connie is their most popular watch in Asian markets.

I suppose that was the smarter approach to go right to the source!

 

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gbesq

·Mar 30, 2023

I wish for a return of the styling of the 50's and early 60's Constellations but with updated technology (and owning several Connies from that period, I can definitely say that the old technology is pretty damn good). Other than the Globemaster, the modern Constellations do absolutely nothing for me and I think that the DeVille Prestige and Hour Vision lines are SO much more attractive. The modern day Constellations just serve to remind me of when Omega went off the rails during the quartz crisis. It seems like the Constellation line never recovered. Hard for me to believe that they sell so well in other parts of the world, but anything is possible.