Vintage Omega Constellation Help

Hello.

I am currently considering purchasing a vintage Omega 168.004 (1966/67) from a private seller on a forum.

The watch is said to have the original dial, hands and crystal and was fully serviced in late 2019. It's a 561 caliber movement.

I have a number of questions I was hoping you guys could help with:
1. In terms of a health check - does the watch (dial, case etc.) look original? Any red flags on the movement? By and large I believe the watch looks original and appears to be in fine overall condition but I am new to vintage Omegas so would be grateful for any input.
2. Are there any tips you guys could give me on points to look out for or be mindful of when purchasing a watch privately through a forum? I'm more used to purchasing watches through ADs / Chrono24 in the past. Any key rules of the road I should be following here? I've looked into the seller and all looks legitimate to me (they have solid past seller feedback to refer to).
3. Any tips or forum threads that you could share in terms of general maintenance of the watch going forward to ensure it remains in good shape? On servicing - given the watch has been serviced around 1.5 years ago - would it be worth getting it serviced again if I purchased the watch? Understand the general guidance is every 2-5 years but not sure if it might make more sense to service it on purchase (for the avoidance of any doubt).

Thank you one and all!

BB

Welcome @bb94
One important factor that you don’t mention is the asking price for the watch.

The dial looks good, with some light spotting.
original crown.
The case has seen some polishing and has lost its sharp facets but may look better than in the photos.
If the movt has been properly serviced recently (as it appears) then it shouldn’t need servicing - the servicing period should be around 5 years.

one thing, is there a ‘bur’ on the 11 o’clock lug?
It looks looks like it from the rear view.

hope that helps.

hi
i think the watch looks quite good, nothing major to be concerned about.
i completely agree with Peemacgee
the unknown factor here is of course the price if its decent i think you should go for it

Thanks @Peemacgee - appreciate your feedback.

Asking price is approx. $1,000, so broadly in line with expected market value from what I can tell.

Could you clarify what you mean by a 'bur'? Is this something worth investigating with the seller?

Thx

I cant see a case back gasket in these photos - so ask the seller if one is present

As in a previous post. the bevel on these later .004 is more on the outer edge, and this one is still there - i’ve highlighted the bevel on one if my 004s

For service, 2 years would be faster than it should usually need service, unless you're in doubt about the competence of the previous service or there has been some sign of difficulty or unusual wear and tear. I've usually heard 4-5 years between service. Did the seller send you a copy of the receipt for its last service? Does the watchmaker have a reputation you can check on - a business presence at least, preferrably Omega authorized service so they could easily replace worn parts?

You’re welcome.
by bur, I mean a piece of metal sticking out of the lug, possibly from an impact.
There is definitely something there, so worth asking for a pic of that lug.

if there is no damage, then $1000 for a serviced .004 seems a reasonable deal nowadays.