ETA's 2824 and 2892 Take On All Comers

Who said watch timing competitions are a thing of the past. While there has been little activity for 30 years, interest in horological competitions has been stirred again by an event staged by the Chateau des Monts horological museum in Le Locle.

The Swatch Group's ETA 2824 and 2892 have been entered by Tissot and Doxa respectively, and wouldn't it be a big embarrassment if they were to wipe the hauteur of the the faces of the doyers of Haute Horlogerie.

Alan Downing reviews this David and Goliath contest (you choose who's who) between the 'Tracteurs' and the Tourbillons in this article for the Revolution Press,

Stars of the Month

Star quality is a precious commodity, and this series of Stars of the Month is necessarily ad-hoc, because true stars in the Constellation line surface irregularly.

I'm pleased to report that two stars fell from the heavens this month, courtesy of collectors EvanM and MikeN.

Click here for a photo-essay of two early model Constellations, both special in their own ways and both something to set your collecting sights on.

Omega Seamaster Memomatic Watches

The Omega Memomatic collection from the early 1970s is notable in a numbers of ways: superb case design, ground-breaking functional features and amazing dials that remain appealing to the contemporary eye.

Only 35,000 pieces were produced over four models, and Memomatics have risen steeply in value over the last couple of years. An original and well-preserved model I acquired four years ago for USD $600.00 would, today, be likely to fetch in the vicinity of $2000.00, or considerably more in a brick and mortar vintage dealership.

The calibre 980 movement that powers the Memomatic was a technological triumph in its day, and this, combined with the overall aesthetics of the watch is what is fuelling increased interest today. Click here for an essay that surveys all of the models in the collection

Fake Watches, Google, and Organised Crime

This site, as you'll notice, features Google advertising, the proceeds of which pay for the costs of content production and off-site server and hosting imposts for the numerous essays I've made available to subscribers. I think Google advertising is a good thing and it provides options to many people who chance upon this site while searching for internet deals on both new and vintage Omega watches.

Ever since I signed on to Adsense I have had a running battle with Google over the advertising of fake watches. If you call them replicas or homage watches, you're deluding yourself. They're out and out fakes, largely produced by the Chinese, and are a parasitic by-product of the hard marketing and promotional yards put in over the years by the manufacturers of authentic brands.

There is overwhelming evidence of organised crime involvement in both the production and distribution of fake watches. Chinese triads have cornered the production end and so-called reputable Chinese manufacturers knowingly supply these criminal groups with their movements. Organised crime in the U.S., Europe and other major centres take care of the distribution, mainly through on-line sites that constantly change their URLs and marketing platforms.

There is also evidence that the fake watch 'industry' is not as benign as people would like to kid themselves it is. Where big money is involved, the next thing to happen is for the low-life that control the industry to hire 'muscle' to protect their interests. This is particularly so at the distribution end where private investigators specialising in tracking the principals of these operations on behalf of brand owners have been threatened, beaten and in several cases murdered.

Now, let's get one thing straight. The selling and marketing of fake watches is illegal in most civilised countries that operate under the rule of law. The activities of criminal gangs - from the fraudulent customs inventories used to conceal bulk imports of fake watches to the money laundering that occurs to conceal the massive profits made from this activity - it's all illegal. If you buy a fake watch, you are supporting, and indeed an accessory to, all of the above. Same thing goes for Google.

By allowing a preponderance of text ads that advertise 'replica' watches in the text, Google becomes an accessory to all of the illegal activities sustaining the fake watch trade. I have contacted Google many times (and believe me its not easy at all to have any human to human contact with this organisation) to demand it does something about advertisements offering pirated and illegal product. Not a word in response have I heard from this so-called good corporate citizen. So I block every ad appearing on this site that advertises fake watches. But, because Google advertises in geographic regions, I don't get to see ads targeted to countries outside my own region.

There are two things I can do. (1) Pursue other options to fund the costs of running this site so as to move away from dependence on Google advertising and (2) subscribe to international campaigns that attempt to disrupt the distribution end of this sordid trade: hence my support of the "Fake watches are for fake people" campaign. If, in the meantime, an ad gets through please accept my apologies.

According to a recent world-wide survey (SEE POSTING BELOW), more than 66.4% of all searches for fake watches come from Google's home country, the U.S.A. The market is huge for this illegal activity in the U.S. Is that why Google won't act to use it's massive computer and software engineering power to filter these ads out? Is advertising revenue clouding Google's moral judgement and does the company somehow attempt to delude itself by preferring to view the massive distrubtion of fake watches as a victimless crime? Believe me, it aint!

A Fake Omega 18K Constellation Watch Slips Through at Antiquorum Auction

Many collectors and neophytes gravitate towards large prestigious watch auction houses because of an expectation that a filtering system exists between seller and buyer to ensure that the house doesn’t allow fakes and seriously suspect pieces to come to market under their banner.

As in the world of art, Auction houses like Sothebys, Antiquorum, Bonhams, Christies and others have experts on hand to review the watches submitted for sale, as much to protect their reputations as reliable and astute sources of quality collectibles as to protect unsuspecting buyers.

Imagine my surprise then when a Frankenfake ‘gold’ Omega Constellation appeared in Antiquorum’s June 11 New York catalogue. This auction was billed as an "Important Collectors' Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks Sale”, and according to the advertising hype “An exciting selection of watches owned by 20th century icons, including two watches owned by Steve McQueen (the Heuer Monaco worn in the movie ‘Le Mans’, and a Rolex Submariner, Ref. 5512), Franklin D. Roosevelt's Tiffany & Co.-branded Movado triple-date calendar, and an 18 karat yellow gold Cartier Pasha given to Sammy Davis Jr. by Frank Sinatra.”

Amongst this “exciting selection of watches” at the July 11 auction was Lot 158 describing, and I quote, a “Yellow Gold Constellation Omega, Automatic, Chronometer, Officially Certified, No. 33087860, Ref. 091919. Made in the 1970s. Fine, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with date and a gold Omega buckle”. The listing (click here) went on to describe the technical features of the watch and identified the movement as a calibre 565.

Without looking at the watch itself, any expert worth his or her salt should have smelled a rat immediately simply by reviewing the description. It is common knowledge amongst experts in vintage watches that the reference 091919 is a Vietnamese faked case purporting to look like an Omega Constellation case number 168.005. A number of these 091919 cases have been tested and have shown little gold content at all, and in this instance the unusual tarnishing and surface condition of the watch case should have alerted the ‘expert’ who examined this watch that something was decidedly wrong. The expert would have also noticed upon examining the inner case that something was awry and that the hermetic sealing system at the crown was non-existent.

In the written expert’s “Overall Opinion” the watch was described as “Good”. My question is, good for what? Had the so-called expert consulted readily available data on Omega Constellations of the period he would have discovered that calibre 565 never powered Omega Constellations. Had he looked at the inner case back (see example above) of this watch he would have discovered crude stampings of responsibility marks and purity declarations. He would have further discovered that the coarse rendition of the Helvetia stamp did not include the assay office code at the base of the mark, and he would have discovered that the case makers mark indicated a maker’s code that never produced cases for Omega.

Had the so-called expert looked closely at the dial, he would have noticed that it was a fake dial, and not manufactured by Omega. He would have spotted: (1) the lack of correct facets on the applied chronometer star,(2) incorrect styling of the date surround, (3) the poorly cast Omega symbol and logo, (4) the wrongly labelled ‘T Swiss T’ printing at the base of the dial which indicates that both markers and hands should be luminescent, (5) the incorrect upper-case poorly printed lettering lacking in serifs that fails the standard MOY test, (6) the incorrect rendition of the ‘Constellation’ lettering, (7) the wrong hands (the minute hand is too short) despite the ‘expert’s claim that they were “original” and (8) incorrect arrowhead markers that were phased out by Omega in around 1960 on a watch that had a serial number that indicated movement production in 1971.

The real tragedy arising from this seemingly negligent, or at least gormless, appraisal as it appeared in the Antiquorum catalogue description is that someone believed it and paid US$ 3,600.00 including buyer’s premium. All the expert had to do was a contrastive analysis with a real gold Constellation in lot 155 of the same auction and this embarrassment would have been avoided!

The argument that signficiant details of the watch were revealed in the listing that would allow an expert to determine that it was a Frankenfake doesn’t even hold water on eBay and most certainly should never be offered in mitigation by a well-known auction house, so let’s hope we don’t hear that excuse trotted out.

This watch should never have appeared in an “important collectors” Antiquorum catalogue. It is not even a clever fake, with at least 15 flags to its non-authenticity. The so-called ‘expert’ who appraised this watch and described it as good overall should be pensioned off because s/he has compromised the fragile integrity under which all auction houses operate.

I have emailed Antiquorum in New York advising them of my intention to post a critique of Lot 158 and offering the organisation the opportunity to respond to the points made. It is customary for reputable auction houses, such as Antiquorum, upon discovering having sold a fake during an auction to approach the buyer and offer a full refund. I hope to hear from them that they have done just that.

For a comprehensive essay on authenticating solid gold Omega Constellations please click here

POSTSCRIPT

I received an email from Julian Scharer at Antiquorum, offering thanks for pointing out the status of the watch and advising that the sale has been cancelled and the watch returned to the consignor.

This is a good result and Antiquorum deserves praise for its quick resolution to the issue. Now, about that expert? :)

Nicolas Hayek - One of Switzerland's Living Treasures

Nicholas Hayek is, indisputably, one of Switzerland’s most colourful and dynamic living treasures. He is revered as a saviour of Swiss watch manufacturing and reviled by some purists who advocate just the kind of approach to watchmaking that brought the Swiss to their knees in the first place. But adore him or condemn him, no one can take away his great achievements in helping resuscitate the dinosaur at death’s door that represented the Swiss watch industry in the late 1970s.

I wrote an essay in 2006 on Hayek and two of his major ‘collaborateurs’ , Pierre Arnold and Ernst Thomke, who through insight and sheer force of personality transformed the industry into the robust and healthy entity it is today. Click here to read that essay.

Hayek, represents a grand lesson in what could be termed principle-centred entrepreneurialism. His philosophy was, and is, based on creation and growth, of a world of potential abundance instead of scarcity, and a fundamental understanding of some of the most powerful and intrinsic levers that motivate human acquisitiveness. He also personifies a hard-headed mercantilism that has its roots as much in the bazaars of Beirut than it does in the boardrooms of Bienne.

Omega aficionados owe him a great debt, for had he not taken up the challenge and convinced a group of conservative bankers that the dinosaur still had a heart beat and could be nursed back into rude health, our beloved Omega brand may not exist today.

Hayek is entering his golden years and, fortunately, theTimeTV has recorded for posterity a variety of interviews that document this amazing man’s endeavours during the darkest hours of Swiss horology.

In this short video, Hayek explains how he came to be involved in the rescue of some of Switzerland’s greatest brands.

Click here for a short piece on how the swatch phenomenon was born.

In this 1990s video, Hayek shares prophetic insights into some of the very issues that contributed to the current malaise in western economies.

Omega Seamaster Magic!

For those who are interested in how the Ancient Order of Frankenmeisters practice their Evil Magic, view this eBay listing. It’s a true exemplar of the work of a high priest of this subterranean world of playing God with lonely, loose parts looking around for a warm balance cock to make their life complete.

This monster has been listed by eBay seller jjw2838 who, surprisingly, still clings on to 100% feedback (but perhaps not for long). While I am neither suggesting he knows, or doesn’t know, that this watch is an unholy union of different Omega watch models, I am suggesting that someone behind jjw2838’s electronic store front does!

Notice that jjw2838 sells a lot of parts and bitsa Rolexes, and so it can be assumed that parts know their way around him. Perhaps the magnetic fields on some of them are so powerful that they attract each other into fully functioning movements? After all, we are talking “bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble” here!

So, which body parts were exhumed to produce this Seamaster abomination? Well, Lets start with the case, which does indeed look like the case shape of a model 165.002, as indicated by the inner case back. So, we can extrapolate that our Frankenmeister first stole into some watch graveyard and dug up a case 165.002.

As any good mortician would do, our Frankenmeister then proceeded to remove all (or most) of case 165.002’s vital organs. We know this, because case 165.002 should have innards upon which are stamped the calibre number 552! (Check the Omega database for the reference 165.0002)

We also know from birth records at Omega that calibre 552 came into this world blind, and, yet, the high priest behind jjw2838’s Seamaster has given it one eye, through which we can view the days of the month!!!! Cross yourselves and smother your bodies with Garlic – QUICKLY!

In looking at the very clean, almost new looking, calibre 562 that now sits in the body of the formerly deceased case 165.002, we notice that the rotor bridge is stamped “Adjusted to five (5) positions and temperature”. Now, some would assume that fully a certified calibre 562 (there were some) was simply removed from its worn out body and placed in 165.002’s lifeless carcass. But, is that really likely?

Could we believe that a Frankmeister would be so stupid as to swap the complete innards from a chronometer graded watch without making sure that the Frankenmonster’s face depicted that a chronometer was beating within? Surely it would be too great a temptation? No, another trip to the graveyard is a more likely scenario, where some newly interred wretch of a chronometer was relieved of its rotor bridge and rotor.

Finally we arrive at the complexion of the dial. One may chance upon slightly swarthy Seamasters of this vintage, but remember these models were produced in grey, dreary Western Switzerland and had a pallor similar to that on blades of grass completely deprived of sunlight. Their faces do not have the rich, dark colour tones of deepest Africa or widows who have retired to Southern Florida. They are decidedly pallid! So, this not-so-smart, but highly competent, Frankenmeister has produced an effect similar to that of putting the head of Robert Mugabe on to the body of Ana Ivanović!

It’s all such a pity really, because the person behind this truly hideous creation could, with the appropriate epiphany, use his not inconsiderable skills in restoring watches as close to the factory specifications as possible. Funny how some people are attracted to the dark side in spite of an easier path, isn’t it?

Great Moments in Omega Constellation History

As Ryan Rooney noted here in his blog, it’s generally acknowledged that the Omega mid-500 series chronometer calibres (551, 561, 564 and 751) were the finest family of production movements ever made. He also identified the movement serial numbers that were part of one of the most famous events in production watch history – the straight run of one hundred thousand certified chronometers.

Click here for a follow-up on Ryan’s post and a definitive list, pictures of the official BO certificates and serial numbers of the three ‘great moments’ in Omega’s production history – straight runs of 1,000, 20,000 and 100,000 certified chronometers. The file is large and may take some moments to download.

Omega - World's Top Brand on the Internet

If you ever doubted the power of the Omega brand, here is evidence revealing that Omega is the King of Brands on the Internet.

The World Watch Report, published by IC-Agency, an online marketing consulting firm based in Europe (Switzerland) and North America (Canada), reveals that Omega is the highest ranked searched-for Brand on the Internet with 17% of watch searches. Seamaster (7.8%) and Speedmaster (4.7%) account for the lion share. This compares with Rolex's biggest on-line magnet, the Daytona, at 4.3%.  

Based on over 300 million searches globally, the World Watch Report highlights the opportunities of 25 prestigious brands in 7 key exportable markets.

Europe as an entity commands the largest number of searches with 44.2%. However the U.S. is the singlemost important market for prestigious Swiss watch brands with 42.8% of total searches. The United Kingdom remains an important player with 14.6% of all searches while Germany (12.1%),Italy (9.6%) and France (7.7%) continue to have a significant interest in Swiss watches.

There is an emerging cadre of brand junkies in China, representing 7.4% of the total searches for Swiss brands. 77% of those searches were for brands rather than models. Japanese interest in Swiss brands has shrunk to 5.8% of searches.

The survey also reviewed searches for fakes and the U.S. won hands down, registering 66.4% of all searches for fakes of renowned Swiss brands. It doesn't appear that the current campaign of the Swiss Industry - "Fake watches are for Fake People" -  is having much impact in the U.S.

What does all this mean for Omega collectors? Three thoughts come to mind. Firstly, Omega, at least in the minds of the on-line community, has made up much ground over the past few years, inching steadily towards the recognition and reputation it had during the halcyon days of the mechanical watch in the fifties and sixties. Secondly, this is good news for collectors of Omega vintage watches, because brand visibility impacts on collectibility and values. Thirdly, the Rolex crown is looking shakier, maybe because it's greatest devotees are taking a hiding for bringing the world financial system to its knees!

Beware! A New Batch of 14K Fake Omega Constellation Cases Surface

It can become tiresome writing, and I’m sure reading, about fake gold Omega cases all the time, however, when a new batch begins to show up in faux 14K gold, it’s in the interests of Connie aficionados to know exactly how to spot them.

Click on this listing and see if you can determine why it can be asserted that this is a fake cased pie pan Constellation.

I raised the issue with the seller, Alex, from sound_of_time. Below is the response I received back from him:

“Hi Desmond, I'm not an expert for Omega watches. I bought this watch as all-authentic and paid pretty big money for that. The case has been tested, and it is solid gold. The difference in hue of the movement parts is a common thing for omega movements, the rotor and the bridges almost always has a little bit different color even in NOS watches, because were coming from different lines of manufacture. Anyway thanks for your notice and willing to help. Alex”

While I am not suggesting that Alex knowingly listed a fake gold-cased Constellation, I am asserting that the case was not sourced by Omega, was not assayed by the Swiss assay office and was not manufactured by any known case manufacturer associated with Omega.

I do assert however that Alex should have cancelled the listing and looked further into this matter when he was alerted to the fact that it may be fake.  

Alex’s explanation above is not sufficient to convince us that the watch is genuine. His remarks about different copper hues of parts is totally incorrect. Omega went to great lengths to ensure that parts lots making up chronometers were kept together and electroplated together in specific batches of copper/beryllium so as to ensure that its movements contained parts all of the same hue. So, it is a reasonable conclusion that parts not original to the movement have been employed.

I do not see any evidence of proper gold testing having taken place. There are no tell-tale tiny drill sample marks on the case or specific sample scratchings and so I can only conclude that if Alex had the watch tested, it was probably with a non-invasive portable tester that employs an electromagnetic molecular process using electrically charged metal plates. Unfortunately such methods would not accurately reveal if the watch case was solid gold. For that you would need X-ray fluorescence or traditional sampling and testing methods. So, I am sticking with my assumption that the case contains minimal traces of gold until proven otherwise. 

In the interests of providing an educational review of this watch, I have taken pictures of parts of the published listing by eBay. Click here for an analysis of this watch

Omega Constellation Diagnostics

The movement in your vintage Omega Constellation is an engine - a micro-mechanical marvel of amazing design and precision that operates under very fine tolerances. As soon as something interferes with the fine margins under which your movement performs, it will tell you by misbehaving in some way.

Unlike in children, or indeed adults, signs of misbehaviour in watches aren’t necessarily a bad thing, because this is the way a watch ‘communicates’ and tells you that it is in need of some attention. In this series of ad-hoc essays on interpreting the language of misbehaving movements, we will first explore those which give you the hurry-up.

Click here for the essay on potential causes of a fast running movement.

FrankenFake Omega Constellation Calibre 561

Picture above from eBay used for education purposes

It seems that fate has determined that I experience a minor obsession with fakes and frankens this month. I’ve received numerous emails from subscribers asking me about the autheticity of Constellation pie pans on and off eBay.

Take a look at this little trickster offered by UK eBay seller newbiggen that was more likely to have been hatched somewhere in Lincolnshire than in Bienne. All I can say newbiggen is that your photographs conceal as much as they reveal.

For the purposes of demonstrating how I arrived at the conclusion that this watch is a franken at best and fake case and dial at worst, I'll run through the process I went through to evaluate it.

Firstly, the 17 million serial number. There is a table on the Omega database under the title 'How old is my watch?" which shows serial numbers and dates.....I have my own table, but the table shows the watch movement was made sometime in 1959.

Next (although because I know these models so well I picked this straight up) is to access the Omega vintage database and key in 167.005. The most important thing the database tells us is that the watch case (case number stamped on the inner case back) should house a calibre 551 and not a 561!!! So newbiggen appears to be advertently or inadvertently telling us quite a biggen about the origins of this watch.

This database also reveals that this case was released as part of the Omega international collection of 1962. I know this to be correct as the case numbers for the dog leg lugged earlier models were 14900 and 14902 for calibre 551 and 561 models respectively. Incidentally, I have never seen a 17 million movement in a case 167.005 or a 168.005.

And so we discover newbiggen’s second biggen - a three year gap between movement manufacture and the date of release. This is far too excessive a lag time, because we know that Omega was run off its feet producing movements for its super popular pie pan models and there was very little lag between completion and casing of movements in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Two major inconsistencies are enough for us to conclude that theres a real problem with this watch. Combine an incorrect movement with the case number 167.005 engraved on the inner case back, together with dodgy serial number for this case number and we can conclude that this is at least a franken watch. But let’s continue.

Take a look at the watch dial – what do you see? Firstly, you will note that T SWISS T appears at six o'clock. This means that we should see luminous material on the base of each hour marker and also on the hands. There is no lume on the markers or hands (The markers do not have the appropriate recesses to house the lume) and so we can conclude one of two things: (a) the dial has been refinished or (b) the dial is a fake dial.

To further explore we must look closely at the markers themselves. In genuine markers, there is a small strip of black onyx seated in each marker, and in fakes there is usually a recess that is painted black. Looking at the dial it appears that the recess is PAINTED black - not a good sign.

Then we look at the script and compare it with a genuine dial. We discover that while the lettering is quite a good copy, the word Constellation has a number of variations compared with a real Constellation. The letter Ns are wrong as is the T, and the lettering is not serif but sans serif! The uppercase lettering shows a number of discrepancies including incorrect Rs and lack of serif font. Also the printing is not as sharp as a real dial and the applied Omega logo is abominably cast. Therefore we can conclude that the dial is likely a fake until proven otherwise: an improvement on the previous fake dials sold by Jensen Dinh, but still a fake.

I also have serious concerns about the case: it doesn’t appear to have a bevel in the space between the bezel and the main watch body and there are finish inconsistencies on the case back. I would need more revealing pictures to make an accurate call on whether the case was a fake, but it’s sure looking that way.

But potentially fake dial and incorrect case number for this movement is enough for me to describe the watch as a frankenfake.

I would strongly recommend that you use the resources on this site and undertake a similar process when evaluating stainless steel Constellations. From time to time there are some fantastic Connies on eBay amongst the many fakes and frankens....the trick is to be able to build up enough knowledge and expertise to tell the difference.

POSTSCRIPT:

It was good to see that this seller pulled the listing. He wrote to me saying,amongst other things, "First off, it has been pulled from auction until I can check the veracity of this information as I NO WAY wish to sell something that is NOT RIGHT."

Good, and you confirmed that by pulling the listing.

He goes on, "Secondly, the description, from inception, declared that the dial was 'restored' - So please STOP making erroneous remarks that have NO justification."

May be, but unless you speak English as a second language, you will notice that the direction of my argument was leading towards the dial potentially being a fake rather than refinished.

"Thirdly," newbiggen says that he attempted to email me and that I have a fake email. Strange but, how come I receive literally tens and tens of emails per week from blog subscribers on that email address?

Newbiggen continues, "(A)lso it may have been common courtesy for this person (that's me) to inform me of his assumptions and also to clear copyright on my photography - neither of which he did"

I do not have an obligation to you to do assessments on the watches you sell. My obligation is to the readers of this blog who seek to to build their knowledge about Omega Constellations. And, there are some riders on copyright, such as using a limited portion of a resource for educational purposes - in this case to assist in the education of novice buyers, so they dont get landed with the franken watch you listed as A++, when it wasnt A++ at all.

Newbiggen added "This blogger's snide and arrogant assertions are exactly that and are designed, I suspect to massage his own overbearing ego"

Nice little ad homimen side-attack, but it doesn't detract readers'attentions away from the fact that you listed a dog that does NOT fit factory specifications for this model, and, as such, is only worth what it could fetch for parts. Everyone has an ego, otherwise humans wouldnt survive, but, in this case, it isn't ego that drives me - it's empathy for those poor devils who fall for such listings and then discover they have something that isn't collectible.

More from newbiggen, "Also, I described the watch in exact detail; if I were trying to hide anything knowingly I do not believe I would have gone down that route - I repeat, nothing contained within the description was revised other than I noted that I am away on business and would not be able to post the watch until the Wednesday following the auction"

First note my "advertently or inadvertently" rider. But, the above comments get to the nitty gritty of a common modus operandi on eBay - throw up the pics, describe 'literally' what's on offer, thus placing the entire onus to determine the authenticity of the watch on the buyer. Well, even U.K. consumer law does not overlook this practice of 'ommission' and requires a seller to 'accurately' describe the merchandise they are selling. Under U.K. law you would be required to refund the purchase price of this watch because it is INACCURATELY described.

An ACCURATE description of this watch would have included remarks about it not fitting the specifications for a calibre 561 powered watch and would have noted, actually, that the movement should probably be sitting in a case with a caseback number 14902.

Finally newbiggen says, "I don't expect an apology, I suspect I'd have to wait an awful long time."

My response is, I am happy to live up to your expectations!

Lolo-dealer - How Low Can You Go?

It's a long time since a fake 14K Constellation case has surfaced and this one is one of the most crude, rednecked examples I've yet to see.Powered by a cobbled together calibre 561 with parts of various hues, this is one of many examples of the Asian 'Slight of Horological Hand' industry.

Movements from old Seamasters and other lower shelf brands are removed and inserted into these poorly made cases. Most of them emanate from Vietnam and China.There are just too many things wrong with this case and fake dial to itemise in this post. But, for those who are interested, check out my essay about fake gold cases and down load this essay on dials and then make some comparisons.

Ebay seller lolo-dealer claims that the case condition is "(F)rom very good to mint". Well you got that right lolo-dealer as its not long out of a cheap casting factory! Lolo-dealer goes on to proclaim that the case is "(S)howing all the stars of the observatory". Yep, so it does, but it just has the wrong obervatory roof, and the stars, well, they aint configured correctly for a solid gold Constellation.

I don't know if lolo-dealer knows s/he's selling a dud, but if s/he does then the name lolo-dealer is apt, because you can't get much lower that trying to flog a fake gold watch to some poor unsuspecting neophyte, can you?Ive reported this as a fake, so let's see what happens.

Click here for a peek at this abomination.

The Famous 1000 Certified Omega Chronometers

Recently a scan of a 1949 Omega advertisement was forwarded to me by a collecting colleague during an email exchange about a recent acquisition he had made of an early calibre 352 RG Chronometer. (Click on the scan above for an enlarged image of the advertisement.) The dial on his acquisition (see second pic – thanks Evan) was the same style as in the advertisement and he wished to know if his Omega was one of the batch mentioned in the advertisement.

Translated from French, the ad basically proclaims that, “A series of 1000 production line chronometers with consecutive serial numbers was submitted to the testing laboratory, Bureaux officiels de contrôle de la marche des montres” (the fore-runner to the modern COSC labs in Switzerland). The ad continues,” For the first time in the history of watchmaking, all without exception, receive the official certificate for timing (chronometer certification).” “Further, all are honoured with a special mention of particularly good results.” The ad goes on to say something to the effect that at the very moment the government authority demonstrated that this series of 1000 chronometers was such an exception, it could be inferred that virtually all Omega wrist chronometers rolling off the production line exceed such high thresholds of precision.

When one considers that in 1949 Omega had only been producing automatic chronometers for six years, it is a remarkable feat of manufacturing and quality control to achieve such precision in a production watch.

We know that this series of 1000 chronometers was submitted to the testing bureau between June 27th and September 22nd 1949. But how would one know if the watch in Evan’s possession belonged to this record-breaking batch? As the serial numbers were consecutive, the solving of this mystery hinged on whether Omega had a record of the serial numbers.

I contacted John Diethelm at the Omega Museum. John has always been very generous in sharing his extensive knowledge of Omega history and accessing the archives for unpublished information, and he replied that the museum did have a record of the serial numbers. So, mystery solved! All of the automatic chronometers were 28.10 RA SC RG calibre 352s and the series started with serial number 11’418’001 and finished at serial number 11’419’000. So, if you have a movement with a serial number within that range, know that apart from being a very fine instrument, it’s also part of history.

I have been collecting pictures and data on these early Omega chronometers – from 1943 to 1949 – with the intention of composing a larger essay about them. If you have pictures or information to share, I would love to hear from you.

Did my collecting friend’s Omega Chronometer have a serial number within the famous 1000? Well, sadly, no, but he is happy enough in the knowledge that he acquired an excellent model 2517 at a bargain basement price!

Please Let the Omega Constellation Die a Dignified Death

The space above this post was reserved for pics of the so-called "updated Omega Constellation" promised in various scribblings in watch trade magazines of recent times. This piece of news led some to speculate wildly about what was in store at Baselworld. 

Perhaps the unveiling of a completely re-designed model drawing on some of the iconography of the past? A contemporary version of the Pie Pan dial? A radical new design that exuded precision, artistry and design circa 2009, and, wait for it, maybe with the excellent calibre 8500 under the bonnet? Well, at least some models got the 8500 series, but no such luck with the rest of the dream....just same old, same old with a few tweaks.

The Manhattan heritage continues to be the main reference point for these new Connie iterations launched at Baselworld. No-one could deny that the Manhattan reflected both functional and aesthetic brilliance when it was launched in 1982. This Carol Didisheim design captured the essence of the eighties and became one of the most recognisable designs of the decade.

Twenty years before in 1962, the C-Shape Constellation set the design agenda for the beginnning of the decade, as did Pierre Moinat's amazing integrated bracelet models for the later 1960s. To me, that is what the name Constellation represents. But, more than 20 years has passed since Didisheim's works of art burst on to the market and no new name has emerged from the Omega design office to astonish us with with a revolutionary concept for the Noughties. It appears the pattern has been broken.
 
While the new dial styles offer some hope, the latest crop of Omega Constellations look to me dated, unimaginative and downright disappointing. Any number of encrustations with diamonds and other precious and semi precious stones does little to disguise the fact that the updated design is about as innovative and stylish as Gordon Brown's hairdo.  

It appears that the company doesn't wish the Constellation range to rub off any of the marketing lustre of the Omega DeVille - the marque that usurped the Constellation as Omega's high-value offering to those sophisticates who didnt want to wear a watch on their wrists the size and weight of a small landing craft. 

So, unless there is a stirring of corporate conscience and a realisation that there's more potential profit waiting to be scooped up by paying homage to the Constellation's heritage of revolutionary design, we will continue to see the Constellation languish as a big seller in the Oriental small-wrist market and remain as a shadow of its former self. Perhaps it would be best if Omega cut off the Connie's life support system and let her die with dignity, instead of this long slide into nothingness.

Because, dazzling the devotees of conspicuous consumption with enough bling to light up a small city is no substitute for design intelligence, and that is something that seems to be in short supply in the Omega design office these days. A revival of Omega's glorious 1970s portait of brutalism, the Ploprof (which did indeed create excitement amongst tool watch collectors), and flogging the latest evolutions of the Speedie by inundating Baselworld with a container load of septuagenarian astronauts and moon walkers is one thing, but where are the exciting and imaginative designs that reflect, or dare I say it, lead, the cutting edge of design today? Nowhere in sight, I'm afraid.

Fortunately, for those of us who are still thrilled and mesmerised by the marques produced during Omega's heyday of the 1950s and 60s, we still have much to find comfort in.

Click here for the OMega Baselworld Press Kit

A Rare 143.11 Globemaster Surfaces

Recently I was approached by Stef, a gold buyer who amongst other things purchases old gold cases for scrap. He had acquired a calibre 352 RG powered watch that had the word Constellation on the dial, and he suspected that he had something special. He sent me some pictures of the watch: those appearing in this post. 

This was not an easy watch to evaluate. The movement was made in around 1951, which would be correct for an early calibre 352 RG powered Connie, but the Omega database had no record of case 14311 SC (SC stands for Secondes Centre). The case markings on the inner case back were however, in my opinion, authentic. The proper Helvetia mark appears, and another stamp - a key with the number 4 impressed - indicated that the case was made by a known Omega case maker of the period, Antoine Gerlach SA of Geneva. 

I had seen a 14311 with a very interesting lug shape some years ago and noted it as an authentic model in my records after having contacted the Omega museum for confirmation. When Marco Richon’s “Omega, a Journey through Time” was published, further confirmation was available because, on page 363, a picture appeared of this very case showing a ‘Globemaster’ dial. ‘Journey’ confirms that case OT 143.11 was one of the first Constellation models ever produced and notes that the word Constellation was omitted from the dial because the name was owned by Lockheed. The full story of these ‘no-name Constellations appears in an article I posted a couple of years ago here.

In assessing this watch, I came to the conclusion that case and movement were most likely to have been together since production, but the dial was a different matter. Close scrutiny of the dial reveals, in my opinion, an early re-finishing effort. While the upper case script is passable and the lower case Constellation script leaves a little to be desired, there is no star above the six o’clock marker. Further, some of the indices on the chapter ring do not match up perfectly with the centre of some of the applied hour markers and so it can be reasonably concluded that the dial is not original.

I believe that there are two plausible explanations for the missing star. (1) Somehow the star went missing on this dial during the refinishing process, or (2) Another dial was used to replace the original. One way in which to determine if the star was on the dial is to remove the dial from the movement and examine the back of the dial to see if there is evidence of a rivet once having been set above six o’clock.  

Now, to the dilemma experienced by many collectors who have unearthed a rarer but incomplete early Constellation. Is it worth collecting? Well, certainly a calibre 352 RG movement in an authentic case is very collectible as the numbers were quite limited, and given attrition over the years, it could be said that 352 RG Connies are uncommon. Unfortunately there is some damage to the balance cock and the movement shows some corrosion of the copper/beryllium plate, but still the movement is collectible. 

The two rarest cases in the early ‘bumper’ series of Constellations are OT 2737 and OT 143.11 and so the combination of calibre 352 RG with an OT 143.11 case is a highly desirable collection proposition, notwithstanding that the unusual case lugs are somewhat worn. But, the absence of the correct dial complicates the matter somewhat. 

So what are the options? Refinishing the dial to the correct standard and re-applying the missing star above six o’clock is one option. An old unusable Constellation dial with star intact would solve the dilemma of locating a star. Another option would be to purchase, say, a stainless correctly marked original ‘no-name’ Connie/Globemaster and swap dials. While never being able to lay claim to factory originally, the owner of such a watch could be confident he had a watch that met factory specifications.  

Whatever the case, I most certainly hope that this rare 143.11 does not suffer the fate of being melted down for its gold content. I trust Stef will offer it to the collecting community in the belief that someone has the resources available to restore this most uncommon of Connies to her former glory.

A Sows' Ear is Always a Sow's Ear

Well, aint this the purdiest l'il piglet you ever did see?  

Only problem is that no amount of talking up this feat of magic from the fakir's hand will transform it into a real Connie.

eBay seller Jeweleryagain, after having sold more than 9000 items on this auction platform, should know better than to offer what is obviously a very poor fake and claim it as the real thing.

Take a look at the auction here and see how many features of this piece scream Pretender! 

POSTSCRIPT: I'm pleased to say that this listing has now been removed from eBay

A Cavalcade of Vintage Omega Watches

Why is collecting Omega vintage watches an ever-growing phenomenon? Well, It's not surprising when you consider the breadth and quality of Omega's output, particularly during the halcyon post-war decades when mechanical watches ruled supreme.

To give you an idea of the amazing body of work produced by the Omega factory during the heyday of the mechanical watch, click on the video below. It offers a truly eye-gasmic experience! The video extracts pictures from John Goldberger's 'Omega Watches' book which is featured in the right-hand column of this blog.

It's All About MOY, Except When it Isn't

The MOY test is a standard first test to determine authenticity of Omega Constellation dials. But, is there enough consistency in the manufacture of vintage Constellation dials for it to be reliable?

The answer to that question is no. While it could be argued that MOY is the standard, there are some deviations from the norm in some Constellation dials.

Click here for an essay on the usefulness of the MOY test when appraising Connie dials for authenticity.

The Art of Watch Dial Enamelling

In the years 1946 to 1956, Omega offered a range of enamelled dials, both as part of particular collections and also as a customising service for those who wished to have their coats of arms or other decorative imagery fashioned into their dials.

During this decade of Omega extraordinary dial designs, a range of abstract and beautifully coloured filigree designs, maltese crosses, maps of Brazil and Saudi Arabia, heraldic designs and abstract florals were offered to the discerning buyer. Perhaps the two most desirable and collectible designs, apart from custom made one-offs, are the King Neptune Seamaster and the Observatory enamelled dials.

As you can see with the example above, the blending of colours in the Observatory dial is exquisite. Gold wire star shapes filled witth enamel and solid gold stars glow in the enamelled night sky.

Occasionally, Omega will burst forth with a limited edition collection with enamel dials. Such was the case in 1995 with the BA 368.1201 Observatory dial Constellation that referenced the earlier observatory design.

Enamelling is an exacting and delicate form of high art, and fortunately it is not a lost one. A new generation of enamellers in Switzerland offers continuity of a long-practiced craft. Little in technique has changed over the decades as this video produced by Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is Switzerland demonstrates.