This is What a Franken-Fake 14900 Omega Constellation Looks Like

The watch pictured here and currently listed here on eBay by seller seamaster147 is a franken-fake. This may or may not come as a surprise to the seller, so let's all get an education in respect to this piece.

Described as a "rare vintage gents Omega constellation pie pan chronometer watch in stunning condition", the watch is anything but.   The dial is a complete fake with appalling dial furniture....can you speculate why? The case is highly suspect....for what reasons? The movement doesn't belong in this case....how come?

Feel free to post your comments on what makes this ersatz Connie such a dog. There is plenty of evidence on this site for comparisons. Pass the alert on, because unsuspecting bidders have already bid this piece up to USD 900 plus and there are seven days before the auction closes.

POSTSCRIPT:

I have received a number of 'vexatious' posts under the cloak of anonymity by an individual whom I suspect is the eBay seller of the above watch, some of which I moderated through and appear below. Clearly this correspondent is aiming to punish the messenger instead of engaging in  a little self-reflection on the morality of putting together such a dud and trying to pass it off as a genuine Constellation. In psychology we have a name for this: denial and displacement.  The latest diatribe contained a threat to bandy together with other sellers (I can only assume it would be others who have been exposed on this blog as selling fakes and frankens) to "stop" me.    My answer is this - facts and truth are a defence, and I will continue to occasionally post critiques of fakes and frankens as a means of warning innocent buyers of the tricks and ruses of frankenmeisters and fraudsters.
 

Commentary on the Omega Constellation Market (2012)

While the past four years have been plagued by prophesies of impending financial doom, the market in quality vintage Omega watches has remained buoyant.  Prices continue to rise for authentic Omega models in a range of different lines.  So as to remain faithful to the theme of this website, we will, however, focus on Omega Constellations.

The vintage watch market can be divided into four markets: Global Internet (on-line auctions, sales forums and specialist on-line auctions run by auction houses); Internet retail (on-line vintage dealerships with stock at fixed prices); High-End Auction Events (such as Christies, Antiquorum, Patrizzi, Doctor Crotts and Sothebys) and Bricks & Mortar Retail (geographically located dealerships).  Generally, prices realised within the Global Internet market are the cheapest and it is a source for inventory for both Internet Retail and Brick & Mortar establishments. Risks are higher and due diligence is essential. As a rule, Bricks and Mortar Dealerships and High-End Auctioneers (particularly when an event is hyped up) are the most expensive sources for collectors. Risk at B&M establishments can be seen as the lowest in most instances.Global Internet prices are used in this review.

Increasing gold prices have had an effect on all quality Constellation stock, prices for guilloche dialled model 2648 calibre 354/352 RG examples in good condition, for example, having averaged between USD 3,100 and 3,500 over the past year.  In general, caution needs to be exercised when buying 18k gold watches, because of the potential downward fluctuation in the price of gold.  As a rule of thumb, a 1952 – 1965 vintage Constellation watch head will contain between 1,400 to 1,600 USD worth of gold based on a global gold price of USD 1,700 per troy ounce. Astute collectors calculate the premium they wish to pay above the base gold value by assessing case sharpness; dial originality, style, colour and quality; movement status and condition; compliance with factory specifications; aesthetic value and perceived demand for specific models. White gold examples in all models up to and including the Omega C-Shape Constellation have achieved a premium of at least 50% above their red gold and yellow gold contemporaries.

The most sought-after Constellation models in terms of appearance are guilloche dialled models in 352 RG, 354 and 501/505 calibres; Deluxe models 2699 and 2700 are also eagerly sought-after; pie pan dials in all models are in high demand; deluxe execution pie pan models with solid gold dials up to model 168.006 attract strong interest (the differential between gold value and market price for calibre 354 and 501/505 Deluxe pie pan Constellations has increased to over double the 18k content of those pieces); authentic black dials in all models are quickly snapped up and Omega ‘Globemaster’, or ‘No-Name’, Constellations attract strong demand particularly from the U.S.

While, generally, there is plenty of inventory available across the various digital and physical markets, an increasing premium is being paid for the top end or best quality/condition stock. For example, a stainless steel, authentic 168.005 pie pan model with a sharp case, excellent original dial, original decagonal crown and pristine movement commanding around USD900.00 two years ago now fetches in the vicinity of USD1400.00, or more, depending on the level of demand generated. Six years ago, I purchased a pristine 168.005 stainless pie pan for less than USD600.00. The rise in values of top condition Constellation models is also impacting on medium quality stock, the price of which has risen commensurately.

As supply of quality, top end Constellations comes under pressure because of demand and attrition, current trends indicate prices will continue to rise.  Curiously, there is an emerging market for Constellations that exhibit interesting and even patterns of dial patina. Dial degradation is a fact of life for any nineteen-fifties or sixties watch that has been worn and not coddled, and there is a growing body of collectors who enjoy even, but attractive patterns of patina. Black Constellation dials printed over copper plate and showing copper flecks that look like stars in a night sky; ivory dials that present a marbleized effect and other interesting and even displays of age do well in the middle part of the market as long as the pieces meet factory specifications.

There is real interest in Constellation C-Shapes of all metals, particularly 18k models with Milanese bracelets, and a growing interest can be seen in the chunkier integrated bracelet models. Prices for mid-500 series powered models (including calibre 751) have increased over 30% for quality examples in the past three years.

As values increase for well preserved Constellations especially those powered by the classic calibres, so do the opportunities for the fakers and frankenmeisters to turn a profit. Fake gold Constellations and stainless versions of dog leg lugged models continue to circulate as do ‘put-together’ or franken versions of more popular models.  With the substantial investment now required even for a good stainless steel model, I strongly urge you not to buy until you know exactly what you are buying.  Front-end research is imperative, and the resources on this site, if used properly, can mean the difference between a pleasant acquisition experience and a nightmare.

The Gender-Bending Omega Constellation 153.001

This men’s Omega Constellation of the nineteen-sixties has long suffered the ignominy of confused gender identity and has generally been regarded as a bit of a sissy. Often described as, heaven forbid, a ‘unisex’ watch or a ‘larger ladies’ piece, the 153.001 men’s chronometer languishes in a horological sub-culture that few males dare to enter.

But when one scrutinises its aesthetics, its design story on the whole is redolent of some fairly pungent male pheromones. For example, the proportions of the watch are bold: a wide, brushed finish bezel that accounts, overall, for around thirty percent of the design surface; a polished crystal recess that accentuates the contours of the bezel; beefy quarter hour applied markers with applied onyx baguettes in-between and minimalist stick hands. Hardly any oestrogen present at all!

It ain’t dainty that’s for sure, but in today’s fashion milieu where cases sizes often outstrip the land mass of Malta, this 33mm rounded square men’s dress watch produced only in eighteen karat white and yellow gold is snubbed by mainstream occidental collectors. So, it’s a little small, but so are Kalahari bushmen, and you wouldn’t call them sissies or milksops, would you?

Perhaps it’s the automatic calibre 672 sitting under the dial that has scared men away? Regarded as a “ladies” calibre, the bullet proof 67X series was produced at Omega’s Rayville factory, formerly the home of Blancpain, and acquired by Omega because of the factory’s capacity to produce small movements. It’s a mighty little machine, and most undeserving of chauvinistic scorn.

The 153.001 was manufactured for a limited time in the late sixties, and few rather than many came off the assembly line, competing as they did with calibre 712 dress watches. Adjusted to five positions and temperatures, I think this 33mm men’s chronometer is a perfect collectible for Oriental males: it’s a Constellation; it’s uncommon, particularly in white gold, and it fits snugly around the styloideus ulnae of the smaller Asian wrist.  

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The Omega Constellation 168.001 Jumbo

The Omega Constellation Jumbo model 168.001 is mostly seen in oriental markets and few make their way to globalised electronic auction sites. But for those who wish to don their tropical whites, throw on a wolseley pattern Pith and go on safari to the far-ish east, you may well encounter a Jumbo in its natural environment.

Click here for a short essay

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Gérald Genta Dies at 80

 Gérald Genta, designer of two of the Omega Constellation collection’s most iconic watch designs, the 168.005 and the 168.009/17 C-Shape, died on August 16th aged 80.

Born of Italian parentage in Geneva in 1931, Genta became the first true watch designer at the age of 21. From 1952, Gérald designed jewellery as well as watches and watch parts such as cases, dials and bracelets for many workshops and suppliers. He gradually built up his reputation and ended up working with all of the most important Swiss watch companies.

Genta has more iconic watch designs to his name than any other Swiss designer. They include the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus and Golden Elipse, IWC Ingenieur, Cartier Pasha, Bulgari Bulgari, the magnificent Universal Polerouter collection and the Omega Louis Brandt collection.

I was indeed fortunate several years ago to be introduced to Gérald’s wife Evelyn who was Monaco’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and, with Evelyn as intermediary, was able to definitively identify the designs Genta did for Omega.

Another great horological luminary has passed over to the clockwork universe and we are poorer for his passing. Click here for an essay on Genta’s Omega designs.

Omega Synchrobeat - Myths and Realities

The Omega Synchrobeat is shrouded in myth and mystery, and is one of the most controversial of all Omega post-war productions.

Prices for Synchrobeats have ranged from the astronomical 35,000 CHF to the more reasonable 5100 USD, but what is the intrinsic value of these pieces?  What are the real fundamentals of the collectability of this series and can claims of rarity be sustained?

Click here for a survey of the Synchrobeat and a more sober assessment of this, the most significant, post WW2 horological failure of an Omega movement series

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Omega Constellation Dress Watches of the 60s and 70s

Strangely, nothing of substance appears to have been written about the Omega Constellation dress watch collections of the nineteen sixties and seventies.  Omega, a Journey Through Time pays scant attention to what was at the time, in terms of model variety, one of the largest single collections of the Omega stable; Kreutzer hardly mentions them at all in Omega Designs; Hampfel affords only a paragraph to the calibre series in Automatic Wristwatches of Switzerland, and the Omega Vintage Database grossly under-represents the collection in its listings.

It’s always appeared to me as curious why this expensive and extensive collection of men’s dress and jewellery watches has received so little attention. Perhaps it is because ultra-thin watches are so different to the gargantuan wrist hardware of the last decade, or maybe some well established, but never-the-less untrue, scuttlebutt has caused them to be overlooked?

This essay seeks to shine a little light on the Omega Constellation contribution to ‘Montre Bijoux’ in the sixties and seventies..  It is a living document and I welcome picture contributions of models not featured.

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Fake Omega Constellations Surface Again

Even some of the better eBay sellers, so it seems, cannot be relied upon to offer only genuine Omega Constellations for sale.  (1) Link to this eBay listing by Californian seller jjw2838 and (2) download this essay on fake Omega dials and cases, and begin to make some comparisons.  A cursory exercise in contrastive analysis will reveal to you that jjw2838 is offering a home to a poor, forlorn calibre 561 in a fake case and giving it a Constellation personality with a fake dial!!!!

 It challenges my sense of credulity that a seller who has serviced and sold many, many Omega Constellations over the years cannot be aware of these Chinese/Vietnamese fake case and dial ensembles. It further stretches belief that jjw2838 is not aware that a calibre 561 should not be housed in a case (fake though it is) stamped with the model number 167.005, for it is common knowledge that calibre 551 Constellations were awarded this case number.  And, surely, a perfunctory examination of the dial and dial underside should, for any experienced watch mechanic, raise serious questions about the dial. 

Given the above facts, I will leave you to make a conclusion about the seller’s intentions, save to say that these fake dial and case ensembles have been sullying online and geographical vintage watch markets for more than five years.

Every now and then, this seller seems to go off the rails and compromise his reputation by offering suspect or franken watches on eBay. For another example click here

Some of the more sagacious vintage watch collectors proclaim that one must “buy the seller and not the watch”, but I would suggest that this statement reflects a pre-internet value system that has little relevance in today’s global markets.  Yes, one must evaluate a seller to ensure that s/he is not a linear descendant of a horse thief, but then, one must examine closely the watch for sale to ensure that it is genuine and that it meets factory standards.   In a global market, the phrase, “a seller, no matter who, is only as good as the watch s/he is selling now” would appear to be a much better principle by which to abide. 

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Omega Constellation Grand Luxe Price Commentary

Over the past few months I have received numerous emails from collectors and neophytes asking me to comment on the prices asked for various Omega Constellation Grand Luxe models offered by on-line sellers, the occasional bricks and mortar retailer and, of course, the usual range of electronic auction marketeers on the web.

In this short post, I am going to offer some comments on the values of Omega Constellation Grand Luxes, and make the occasional snide remark at the audacity of some merchants in asking thoroughly indefensible prices for the over-hyped pieces they're trying to offload. Frankly, I have never seen such overt examples of avarice than that displayed by sellers who acquire GLs into stock: visual representations of dollar signs seemingly hijack their rational minds when confronted with even the least impressive example of a Grand Luxe. It’s almost like their brains have been invaded by nano-robots programmed to trigger millions of synoptic explosions that evoke the robber baron mentality.

The first counsel I would like to offer is PLEASE IGNORE THE 2007 OMEGAMANIA AUCTION and treat it as you would the pre-crash US housing phantasm, the Dutch Tulip Scandal, the South Sea Bubble, or pre-1987 stock prices. This was a mega-hyped ‘event’ designed to serve the purposes of both Omega and the auctioneer, and bears no relationship to the general reality of the vintage watch market. Forget the prices realised: they were artificial and simply reflected contrived mass hysteria.

I would like you to consider the following points, drawn from years of observing the supply and demand trends of  GLs, researching various models and gathering data on off-line auction prices realised:

Generally speaking, the Omega Constellation Grand Luxe is not rare. They were sold in numbers, although far fewer than the mainstream models. They are about as common as the earlier Rolex Presidents.  Some models  in red and yellow gold are about as common as each other, whereas in other models they are not. White gold models are uncommon and only platinum jewelry models could be considered 'rare'; 

The movements in Grand Luxe models were no different to those in standard Omega Constellation models. They were not ‘luxury finished’ or more special than 'ordinary' Omega Constellations;  

The gold content in a 7.5 inch wrist size grand luxe with solid gold bracelet of any model is worth from between 3400 USD to 3900 USD depending on weight, as at 2011;

Using a base gold value of 3900.00 USD for a braceleted GL, the premium on a domed dial model with either a 50x and 56x calibre movement should be around 1500 – 2000 USD, allowing for fewer numbers, gold dial and quality chronometer movement: so the base line worth of a Grand Luxe is roughly USD 5400 - 5900. Add 200 USD for a calibre 354 model; Add USD 500 for a pie pan model; Add another USD 500 for a stepped pie pan dial.  This means that the worth of, say, a calibre 354 stepped pie pan model with solid gold dial is around the 6400 - 7100 USD mark, but this needs to be discounted for dial patina, bracelet stretch, bracelet finish, excessive case wear or movement appearance and quality;

Models with original silver or patched leather boxes and papers clearly are more valuable, and market forces will dictate the premium; 

Don’t pay more than USD 3600 for a GL with a leather strap; 

Reduce the valuations of various models as gold prices recede (if they do) from historically high prices. 

I have seen dealerships and eBay sellers asking up to 30,000 USD for Grand Luxe models. I recommend that you view such instances charitably, but incredulously. Perhaps such outrageous demands on your pocketbook and belief in humanity are simply disguised appeals to subsidise their children’s orthodontic work, a unique way in which to solicit contributions to fatten their early retirement funds, a means to pick up the tab for their spouse's rehab, or to feed their cravings for excessive profit?  Because, assuredly, the prices asked do not reflect market forces.

In the real world of 2011, use the yardstick of 5500 to 7000 USD as a fair price for an Omega Grand Luxe. and discount for wear, stretch and condition.

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The Omega Seamaster 166.042 Compressor

This little wallflower has languished in the shadows for years as its more showy and striking contemporaries received most of the attention from vintage collectors.
 
But as time and tastes move on, it may be appropriate that less well-known, but never-the-less attractive,  members of Omega’s vintage family are given an opportunity to show themselves.   Click here for a full reveal.

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Omega Constellation Boxes

Original box and papers can add collectability and value to a vintage Omega Constellation. If they are missing, one option is to source a genuine box from the period to house the watch and seek an Omega ‘Extract from Archives’ to establish its provenance.

Sounds simple, but it is a little more complicated than that. To make a ‘definitive’ pronouncement on Omega Constellation boxes of the nineteen-fifties and sixties one would need to have the certitude of a fundamentalist and the courage of a fool. Sadly, I have not yet reached such lofty heights of enlightenment or idiocy, and, so, until I receive a personal revelation or suffer the destruction of a zillion brain cells, we’re going to have to do with some reasonable generalisations about ‘correct’ boxes shown here.

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Omega Constellation 368.0852 - A Good Buy for 2012

 Good Buys come and go, and yesterdays good buys often become tomorrow’s not-so-bargain-basement acquisitions. As in real estate, where land prices of suburbs surrounding more desirable suburbs eventually succumb to market pressure from those buyers whose budgets do not extend to the premium-priced real estate, vintage Omega Constellations attract a similar phenomenon.

For example, because the price of a really good quality stainless steel pie pan model 168.005 has now broken through the premium barrier, there has been strong upward pressure on prices of the ’cheaper’ calibre 561/564 models and integrated bracelet calibre 751 versions. The next ‘suburbs’ away from the C-Case and Integrated collections are Constellations powered by the calibre 1011/1021 fast beat series.

Thanks to the rehabilitation of the reputation of the calibre 1011/1021 series, the general consensus now is that well-preserved examples of this series are worth collecting. As long as you source a watch that has not been neglected, frankened or overly refurbished, you can reasonably assume that, with regular service, it will serve you well and increase in collectability.

So what 1011/1021 models are the best of the good buys?

I would like to nominate the “TV” dialed stainless steel 368.0852 (stamped 168.059 on the inner case back) as an excellent candidate for a good value entry-level vintage Constellation. Described in Omega literature as the “rounded square” dialed integrated bracelet models, a 368.0852 in good condition can be purchased for $300 - $400, the price at which C-Shapes with brickwork bracelets commanded a couple of years ago.

The rounded-square dial in the stainless steel version reflected the trend away from circular dials. A brushed silver dial surface echoed the case finish and the armoured hesalite crystal was flush with the case, creating the illusion of dial and case being of one piece. Faceted markers with large black onyx inserts offered good contrast, and stick hands paid homage to minimalist tastes of the time.  Various dial designs were available,  but my favourite is the design that does not have the minute index.

Overall, the 368.0852 is a little less chunky than its predecessors. It has a nice, uncluttered design story, and at 33mm by 39.5mm makes an excellent bracelet watch.  The 18 karat gold version below showcases its clean lines and understated elegance.

In sourcing an example of this model, there are a few checks that you would be well-advised to make. Firstly, ensure that the movement is a chronometer rated calibre 1011. This can be confirmed by examination of the decal on the train bridge (shown below) which will have printed around the perimeter "Adjusted to five positions and temperature". Secondly, the case is a key-bolt compressor type where case body and case back are secured with four screws.  Some dealers are loathe to open the case back because they don't know how, but its very important that you have large clear pictures of both the case back and movement so you can check identification marks and the condition of the movement.

Thirdly, inspect the movement for tell-tale wear on the rotor (the copper/beryllium coating may be worn after coming into contact with the case back). Look for consistency of colour in the coating, check for scratches and damage on the rotor and bridges, and look for overly burred screws and for rust on case clamps and the steel components of the movement.  You can afford to be discriminating when evaluating these models because tens of thousands were produced and thus you can exercise patience until a good example surfaces.

Fourthly, the numbers stamped on the inner case back will read 168.059 and not the model number 368.0852.  This check is important to ensure than a calibre 1011 has not been placed into a 168.057 case that looks identical (reflecting a somewhat common practice of substituting the discredited calibre 1001 with its successor). Finally, look carefully at the finish of the case and ensure you hold out for an example that has its original brushed finish, as why would you want anything less than original when there are so many of these watches around?

Over time, I've seen these models priced in 'Buy It Now' listings on electronic auction sites from $200 to a very fanciful $950.  Expect to pay from between $300 to $400 for an example in good condition. At that price you're getting a hell of a lot of watch for your money.

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