I'm in the market looking for my first Omega vintage watch and I'm looking on Ebay for Connies 551, 561 and 564. I could need some help in identifying a genuine from a franken one as I'm new to this. In this particular 551 (eBay link below), the seller advertised it as having a refinished dial. I presume he means the watch still has the original dial but just refinished and not coming from another watch. Can you please help validate that? Also, it is advertised as having an 18K gold bezel. Was there a model of this watch with a 14k gold bezel? Any other thoughts and inputs on this particular watch regarding its desirability or lack of it (from buying perspective) are highly appreciated. http://www.ebay.com/itm/380554996619?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network Roel
Hi, and welcome. Yes, it means it is the original dial that has been repainted. From a collecting perspective, that dramatically reduces its value, and most people here won't buy refinished dials. 'Franken' refers to when the watch has been put together from pieces of other watches - imagine putting a nice BMW logo on the front of a Ford. This watch is model 14381 (see the inside caseback), which should have a cal 551 (which your ebay one does, so 'tick', but it is one of those checks you need to do). On the bezel issue, no idea. It wouldn't change value much, as it is a stainless steel watch, just with a gold bezel. From Omega Vintage Databse: Gents' leather strap Reference CK 14381 International collection 1959 Movement Type: Automatic chronometer certified Caliber number: 551 Created in 1958 24 jewels Central sweep-second hand Case Stainless steel Case back Screw-in Dial "De luxe", "pie-pan" type, luminous (radium), with hand-rivetted gold hour markers and gold "Dauphine" hands. Crystal Armoured hesalite Bracelet Leather Water resistance 30 meters In my view, it is a fairly good redial though, the issues being: - some of the minute markers are too thick - the "constellation" font is too thick - the minute track markers are sometimes right on the pie pan edge, and sometimes move away a bit