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Why isn't the Genève as collectable as the Constellation / Seamaster?

D
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Apologies in advance for the newbie question.

I'm looking to buy a late 60s / early 70s Omega or Longines which will be my first vintage watch. I've trawled eBay, Chrono24 and similar places to see what's out there (as well as picking up some great advice from this forum). It seems that the best value Omegas on the market are the Genève models. It seems like you can pick one up in great condition for under £700 here in the UK, whereas a Constellation or Seamaster of similar age and condition would be upwards of £1,000.

So my question is what is the difference between them? I've seen the Genève described as an "entry-level" Omega but they seem to have the same automatic movements as the other models and, to my mind, the plain dial and simple baton hour markers are quite elegant. Are there any major differences I should be aware of before going ahead and buying one?
 
omegastar
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If you are ready to spend £700 on an Omega Genève, I think you should read and learn a lot more before buying your first vintage watch.
The idea in the first place was to get a cool watch for peanuts and then show it to friends or wait for a compliment...
Trust me, try to find a nice watch for £50 and you will learn a lot.
Good luck.
Mounir
 
omegastar
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What I am trying to say is that knowledge is the key not money. If you figure that out then the world is yours.
 
D
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Thanks. I didn't mean to suggest I would go ahead and spend £700 on a Genève, I was just trying to find out what the differences are between the (less expensive) Genève and the (more expensive) Constellation and Seamaster. To someone new to this they appear very similar, so it would be nice to know what the differences are and what to look out for before spending any money at all.

I definitely agree that knowledge is more important that money, hence joining this forum. And any suggestions of where to find a nice watch for £50 would be gratefully received!
 
ConElPueblo
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D danielbird193
I was just trying to find out what the differences are between the (less expensive) Genève and the (more expensive) Constellation and Seamaster. To someone new to this they appear very similar, so it would be nice to know what the differences are and what to look out for before spending any money at all.

Part of it is due to material choice, the sophistication of the facetted indices and whatever and part of it is due to the marketing and position of the various lines of the day. Fast forward 50 years, and a lot more Genèves have survived the last half decade than Constellations due to higher sales figures.
 
padders
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Since you are looking at late 60s early 1970s pieces then yes the Geneve badged models can be considered Omegas entry level, though there are literally hundreds of models badged as such covering sports watches to dress to divers to hummers. Man wind, auto and electronic. On the other hand, were you looking at 1950s/early 60s pieces then that would not be the case. At that point the Geneve branding was reserved for dress pieces second only in quality to Constellations, and not remotely entry level. The Omega Geneva facility closed in around 1967 and after that the label was pretty meaningless since there was in fact no Geneva content in the pieces.

Which Geneve model are you looking at? Something like the 166.041, or 166.070 perhaps?
Edited:
 
D
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Fast forward 50 years, and a lot more Genèves have survived the last half decade than Constellations due to higher sales figures.

More of them available hence lower prices, that makes sense to me.

padders padders
The Omega Geneva facility closed in around 1967 and after that the label was pretty meaningless since there was in fact no Geneva content in the pieces.

Which Geneve model are you looking at? Something like the 166.041, or 166.070 perhaps?

Thanks, that's helpful to know. Yes, the 166.041 looks great. There seem to be a couple in excellent condition on Chrono24. I also saw a similar one with reference 165.041 on eBay which was less "mint" but much cheaper.
 
Edward53
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The mid-late 60s Geneves are excellent watches powered by the same movements as the Seamaster range, so there is no compromise on timekeeping. The 166.041, which is pretty much the identical case to all Geneves of the period except the Dynamic range, is a fairly plain brushed steel case with simple lines and no facets. The dials and hands have a similar basic, utilitarian look. Put one next to a Seamaster or Constellation of the same or slightly earlier era and the difference in build quality is obvious. The polished, faceted steel cases, the elegant appearance of the hands and dials and the generally more "designer" look of these models easily outclasses the Geneves, which were basically a cheaper way to get the same movement quality as the Seamaster range. Some people prefer the simpler Geneve look. I like them both, but as I write this I am wearing a particularly nice 1965 Seamaster 165.003 with the luxury gold and onyx markers, and if I had to choose between it and my Geneve there'd be no contest.
 
padders
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D danielbird193
More of them available hence lower prices, that makes sense to me.



Thanks, that's helpful to know. Yes, the 166.041 looks great. There seem to be a couple in excellent condition on Chrono24. I also saw a similar one with reference 165.041 on eBay which was less "mint" but much cheaper.
A good starter model. Just so you know the 165.041/166.041 difference is whether or not it has a date function There are tables explaining what the 3 digit codes mean if you search. I like those but do your homework as it is easy to over pay, they are available pretty cheaply so don't jump on the first you see, wait for a good one as there is always another along. Don't forget to allow for the expense of servicing, that can double your outlay on a lower end model like these.
 
Gary Johnston
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omegastar omegastar
What I am trying to say is that knowledge is the key not money. If you figure that out then the world is yours.
GAZAMUNDO - my timepiece is a 9 c t GOLD VINTAGE CALIBRE 601 OMEGA GENEVE and I love it because it makes me an OMEGA gentleman
omegastar omegastar
What I am trying to say is that knowledge is the key not money. If you figure that out then the world is yours.
 
Gary Johnston
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Gary Johnston Gary Johnston
GAZAMUNDO - my timepiece is a 9 c t GOLD VINTAGE CALIBRE 601 OMEGA GENEVE and I love it because it makes me an OMEGA gentleman
And I am learning more about how to be a true gentleman 😀
 
Gary Johnston
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D danielbird193
Apologies in advance for the newbie question.

I'm looking to buy a late 60s / early 70s Omega or Longines which will be my first vintage watch. I've trawled eBay, Chrono24 and similar places to see what's out there (as well as picking up some great advice from this forum). It seems that the best value Omegas on the market are the Genève models. It seems like you can pick one up in great condition for under £700 here in the UK, whereas a Constellation or Seamaster of similar age and condition would be upwards of £1,000.

So my question is what is the difference between them? I've seen the Genève described as an "entry-level" Omega but they seem to have the same automatic movements as the other models and, to my mind, the plain dial and simple baton hour markers are quite elegant. Are there any major differences I should be aware of before going ahead and buying one?
An OMEGA GENEVE is the best first OMEGA
 
Gary Johnston
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Gary Johnston Gary Johnston
GAZAMUNDO - my timepiece is a 9 c t GOLD VINTAGE CALIBRE 601 OMEGA GENEVE and I love it because it makes me an OMEGA gentleman
It looks authentic with the champagne dial
1731183317939191233941437844908.webp
 
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