I'm totally new to vintage watches, and I've been following a number of eBay auctions for late 60's constellations. I thought I had got a pretty good idea of prices. But then two stainless steel w/ white gold bezel (one cal 751 and the other 564) sold for ~£300 ($430). This seems absurdly cheap to me, but to my eye nothing seems wrong with the watches.

So to your trained eyes, can you tell me what (if anything) made these two watches sell for so cheap?
(NB: I didn't actually buy them, I'm just interested for future reference).

Watch One: https://bit.ly/2JIUqOP Sold for £303.
Watch Two: https://bit.ly/2IOVy1Q Sold for £316

Cheers for the help.

 

They're both C-Case (Cushion) types, which are slightly more modern. Collecting tends to focus on the earlier round type with Pie Pan dials, usually with a crosshair and the 50x/55x models.

These are still relatively well priced as a result. The bracelet on the first looks suspect.

 

Educate yourself! http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/

 

I'm sure the OP can take 30 seconds to find it.

 

True on the claspcondition... VERY polished as well as the rest of the bracelet - and the case looked to have had a trip to the sand blaster's as well. The dial doesn't look particularly well either; some heavy spotting in the top part. Not a watch I'd throw money at.

The second one is much better

https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-c-cased-constellation-thread.72308/

 

You lot are making me regret not jumping on the 2nd one now

Always next time though!

 

I would have jumped on the second one myself. $500 (US) is a really good deal. The bracelet alone is worth $75 to $100 if it's a period correct Ω piece (which I think it is despite not seeing the clasp).

 

Watch #1 is a good talking piece because of its unique applied omega logo placement on the lower dial portion.

 

Hardly unique, do you think?

 

It might actually make it a franken: according to Desmond’s essay (page 8) those dials were used on the last versions of the C-case, ref 168.005x with the 1000 series calibres. He talks about transitional dials, but if I understand correctly the layout stayed the same and only the Constellation font changed.

 

I always liked the weirdness of rotating the day, but having the quickset numeral. It was part of the charm of those 75x day/date calibers. It's a tough call whether these C-Case Constellations or the 168.023 Seamasters were the better watches to have a chronometer 751 inside.

 

my way of appreciating the dial having owned the same watch myself for quite a while. with that kind of omega logo placement compared to other omegas, indeed it is unique.

 

no reason to believe it's franken dial or layout. ive not heard nor read of desmond's though. im a lazy reader.

 

i dont have any idea either if another ebay post of the same model which shows $2k is the prevailing price. (not sharing the link)

 

bought mine for just $200 (non fluted bezel). other feature that also attracted me to this watch is that the color of the dial was designed to match the greyish color of the steelcase.

 

No, there are others. It might be uncommon, but unique it isn't...

Where did you pick this up?

$200 was a fantastic price!

 

thanks. just lucky to be early bird, most of my omegas, from a collector friend. i dont buy any watch on line.

 

im a little bit conspicuous on some details when i compared to white, gold, blue or black dialed omegas.