Forums Latest Members
  1. ConElPueblo Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    9,587
    Likes
    26,961
    A month or so ago I found an interesting Constellation on eBay:


    s-l1600-29.jpg

    This was one of the better pictures... The description was:

    How could anyone resist that? :D

    I could tell from the pictures that it was most likely a cal. 50X-type Constellation, but the dial with its missing "Officially Certified" looked like something off the 14.XXX-series. I reasoned that it probably was correct, seeing that you'd have to butcher the dial off a 14.381 to make it fit on a 2852 or whatever was on the inside of the caseback, but it could be a service dial...

    I got it today and got the lid of - it was a 2852-16! The movement (cal. 505) looks as if it has never been touched, which is both good and bad; I am certain it is original, but there are signs of rotor wear and a bit of dirt under the bonnet as well.


    The gasket looked nice, sealing the watch properly:

    WP_20180606_11_47_00_Pro.jpg


    ...Until you realise that it has turned into a tar-like goop due to age ::facepalm2::

    WP_20180606_11_47_59_Pro.jpg


    Anyway, I got the watch taken apart, the smashed crystal popped out and the case parts given a good, long bath. This was one of the dirtiest watches I've ever handled - dirt was everywhere.

    The broken crystal posed a problem, but luckily I had one (1!) spare crystal lying around which had been returned along with a newly serviced watch at some point, and YES - it was a fit!

    The end result:

    WP_20180606_19_48_12_Pro.jpg

    As you can see it isn't a 10/10 watch, but I am delighted to have a very nice dial in a reasonable case - IMO the 2852 often look abused and worn (especially the bezel is prone to looking flat and overpolished), but this one just look honest and well-worn.

    After learning about the reference number, I had a look around the web to see if I could solve the mystery of the dial. Where do you think I found another example?


    :rolleyes:


    On OF naturally!

    A similar model was sold by @X350 XJR last year, a listing that I no doubt saw myself...

    [​IMG]

    At 205 numbers apart, I am pretty certain that it isn't a service dial, but instead a transition into the Constellation text that is normally associated with ref. 14.XXX, lacking the "Officially Certified".



    Thanks to @mondodec and @Peemacgee for advice before pulling the trigger and to @Andy K for assisting in getting it to me :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
    Zapatta, MtV, sphinx77 and 72 others like this.
  2. Dan S Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    18,588
    Likes
    42,858
    That cleaned up beautifully. Congrats! Did it need a new battery? ;-)
     
    Spruce, noelekal, kkt and 6 others like this.
  3. ConElPueblo Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    9,587
    Likes
    26,961
    Surprisingly, yes! :eek: :D
     
  4. Kapka Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    568
    Likes
    2,414
    That is a lovely piece there! It's exactly how I like to find them. I hope you didn't forget to ask the seller if he had more of these "quartz" constellations laying around :D.
    The crown looks very sharp. Usually they are replaced or in quite bad shape. Good catch! :thumbsup:
     
  5. BenBagbag Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    2,820
    Likes
    8,983
    That is really awesome. It is so cool to see these watches that have served as the bridge to innovation within Omega at the time. Thanks for sharing!
     
    geektasticdave and ConElPueblo like this.
  6. ulackfocus Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Nice to see a little of the chamfer / facet on the edge of those lugs. Turned out to be a good gamble.
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  7. Nathan1967 Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,413
    Likes
    2,836
    Man alive! Top skills Troels! :thumbsup:
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  8. ClarendonVintage Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    702
    Likes
    713
    Interesting that the hands and dial aged differently, but that is a perfect looking dial.
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  9. ulackfocus Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    That happens often enough not to be a surprise. Sometimes, even the second hand ages more rapidly than the other two hands.
     
  10. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    5,124
    Likes
    7,822
    Great score Troels congratulations.
    What a difference a crystal makes - lovely dial.
    Just goes to show “fortune favours the brave”
     
  11. Draven Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    328
    Likes
    745
    You are a magician :thumbsup: Great job and lovely watch.
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  12. Noddyman Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,116
    Likes
    1,771
    Nice catch, congrats!
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  13. marturx Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    2,266
    Likes
    4,214
    Any moisture inside the watch raises, due to the heat from the wrist, to the inside of the crystal, which makes the hands, especially the secong hand, to degrade/ corrode/ stain before the dial does. According to my theory......
     
  14. ulackfocus Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    It's as good a theory as I've heard. Mine involved aliens and platypuses.
     
    ConElPueblo and merchandiser like this.
  15. chronoboy64 Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,441
    Likes
    11,944
    Great catch, huge congrats and wear in good health :thumbsup:
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  16. eugeneandresson 'I used a hammer, a chisel, and my fingers' Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    5,000
    Likes
    14,589
    unolackfocus master watch jedi :thumbsup:
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  17. wsfarrell Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    2,440
    Likes
    4,129
    And the second hand ages more quickly because it's moving so much faster? :)
     
    airansun, Dan S, ConElPueblo and 2 others like this.
  18. Andy K Dreaming about winning an OFfie one day. Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,819
    Likes
    5,884
    I cannot get over how clean that dial is! Well done. :) Send it back to my house when you have a chance....
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  19. Passover Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,854
    Likes
    2,528
    Fascinating story :thumbsup:
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  20. merchandiser Jun 6, 2018

    Posts
    594
    Likes
    2,111
    nice score, congratulations!
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.