Rising Demand for Vintage Omega Constellations

Over the past three years values for pie pan Omega Constellations and other notable Omega vintage watches have increased by up to fifty percent, particularly 18k gold models.  On the supply side of the equation, there is a sizeable world inventory of Constellations from the nineteen sixties, particularly in the middle to bottom ends in terms of condition, however the availability of top quality examples that meet factory specifications fully is not so fluid and big premiums are being paid for sharp examples with original case finish and dials.

Where is the demand coming from?  Certainly not the U.S. and Europe where demand for new luxury watches has fallen.  The clamour for both new and vintage Omegas is coming from the emergent Asian economies, particularly China. 

As brand awareness and support for new Omega product increases, it follows that a knock-on effect will be felt in the vintage market, and nowhere has Omega brand awareness increased more than it has in China.  In a survey published in December, the Digital Luxury group revealed that two models in the Omega stable, the Constellation and the De Ville, had achieved a whopping thirty-three percent market visibility in the luxury sector. (See pie chart below).

With that kind of market penetration it is little wonder that good quality Omega vintage stock has risen significantly in value across the board. As the Chinese middle class grows and becomes more sophisticated in its use of discretionary income, we can expect a similar love affair with both new and vintage timepieces as that seen in sophisticated economies such as Taiwan and Japan.  So, if a top condition pie pan Constellation or other iconic vintage Omega watch is your grail, don’t wait too long!  

The First Omega Constellation

It is well known that the Constellation line was developed in response to the enthusiastic take-up of the limited edition Omega Centenary 2499 and 2500 models.  Featuring high-grade chronometer movements and elegant case and dial ensembles, the Centenary models heralded a new high point in precision watchmaking.

The first Omega Constellation to be assembled was the above calibre 352 RG model in case 2648 (click on pictures for larger view).  The case, with plumped middle, lyre-shaped lugs and chamfered bezel, was identical in design to the Centenary models, the exception being the introduction of an observatory medallion on the outer case back. 

The very first examples of the Omega Constellation 2648 to come off the production line in 1952 are believed to have been 18 karat gold cased models with slightly grained silvered dials, upon which a ‘cartouche’ appeared with a printed Omega logo. This dial design was also used in some Seamaster 2520 chronometer models. However the life span of the dial design was very short in both lines, and was soon replaced with domed ivory and guilloche dials. 

Thus the above 18 karat Omega Constellation, with sharp case and dial in good condition for its age, can claim at least four firsts: first model number, first movement series (352 RG), first dial design and one of the first  examples to come off the initial production run in 1952.  A handful of firsts that make this example one of the rarest Constellations in existence.

British Denison 18K Gold Constellations

From the advent of the Bretton Woods monetary system in 1944, and indeed before, some countries required solid gold watch cases to be manufactured within their borders.   France, Argentina, Brazil and the United Kingdom are amongst a group of countries that restricted the importation and free flow of gold and required gold cases to be manufactured in-country. It wasn't until 1971 that restrictions on the importation of gold cases were eased, allowing Swiss watch manufactures to export fully assembled solid gold pieces.

Records of Omega gold cases commissioned in Switzerland are comprehensive and accessible, however little information is available about ‘national production’ cases made to order locally for Omega agents in any of the countries mentioned above, and this has led to some confusion about the authenticity of locally cased Constellations and other Omega marques.

British Dennison Omegas are a case in point. Superbly crafted, these cases varied somewhat from the Swiss lines and have a different numbering system.  Fortunately, collector Andrew Romaine has taken up the challenge to plug the information gap by researching and documenting the production of British Constellations and other lines.  He has produced an essay (here) so as to share the fruits of his labours, for which we owe Andrew a vote of thanks!

A Rarity: Black Dialled Omega Constellation 2648

Genuine black dialed vintage Omega Constellations of the nineteen-fifties and sixties are decidedly uncommon: about as uncommon as the practice of good manners on public transport systems these days.  The reason behind the scarcity of black dials is that the colour was not exactly de rigeur in those decades, being the preferred colour of Italian widows, men and women of the cloth, London city drones (known affectionately as the cigarette ash and dandruff brigade), and perhaps the odd Bohemian.

Essentially, black was reserved for death, or living death as in the case of the clergy and London city drones.  Moreover, it was the colour of choice for stiffly formal occasions, which, for many, were also closely aligned with the experience of living death.  Pardon the pun, but there was something very dark about the colour black in the fifties and sixties, and so it’s little wonder that the preferred dial colours of the day were ivory or silver.

Fashions change and these days, fueled by collector interest in the rare or unusual, the emergence of black dialed calibre 352, 354 or 505 powered Constellations in top condition will trigger salivations of Pavlovian proportions.  To mount a full assault on the salivary glands of a Constellation black dial aficionado, one would have offer a first year Constellation, model 2648, in a sharp 18 karat gold case, serial number in the 13 millions, with not only a black dial but a excellently preserved black guilloche dial.  Then, we could be assured of such an outpouring of slobber that it would probably drown the family pet!

Fortunately for family pets, this experience is not likely to occur very often. In the true spirit of Pavlov this photo-essay of an Omega Constellation 2648, 18k gold, black guilloche dial in the possession of collector Dan S of Switzerland is humbly offered.  

How Often Should You Service Your Vintage Omega Constellation?

There are basically two schools of thought in respect to servicing a vintage watch - if we eliminate the ‘Don’t Know’ or ‘Don’t Care’ contingents. The first is the ‘Wear It Until It Drops’ school, members of which can be seen arguing vociferously against regular servicing on various watch fora. The second group could be described as the ‘Preventative School’, which advocates regular service regimes in both new and vintage watches so as to prevent premature wear of watch components and thus ensure the long-term serviceability of their watches.

In some ways these two schools of thought represent extremes of personality and reflect how individuals value and appreciate objects - those who value their possessions, or at least recognise the effort it took to earn the money to acquire them (and hence a belief in “looking after” them), versus those who perhaps do not have such a deep interest or appreciation of the technical or mechanical aspects of their possessions and think “If it breaks, I’ll get it fixed or get another”

To me, the statement “I haven’t had the back of my Omega opened for fifteen years, and it’s still going strong” is one of the most gormless and naive statements that could reach my ears, but maybe that’s because I lean closer to the Preventative School than the other.  In reality, it is not so cut and dried, and there are a number of variables to consider when deciding when to service your watch.  One of the most balanced and informative essays on this topic I have seen in a long time was posted here on Watchuseek by a contributor known as ‘Archer’. 

Also, Nicholas Hacko, a well-respected Australia watchmaker, argues here that a proper understanding of watch servicing is of great importance to owners of mechanical watches.

I recommend you take a peek.

One Dangerous Step Away from Watch Collecting

I guess the Omega Constellation collecting fraternity can be divided into three main camps: those who collect timepieces for their aesthetic appeal and external design; those who collect watches for their horology and the joy of knowing just how that miniature engine on their wrists operates, and those who perhaps are motivated to collect by a bit of both. 

Of course, there are those who collect timepieces as objects, acting out strong compulsions to acquire and possess, caring little about aesthetics and horology, but we’ll leave them out of the equation because automata would hardly stoke their curiosity boilers.

My interest in automata, latent though it was for many years, was first triggered as a child spellbound by coin operated slot machine complications. I recall having to be dragged kicking and screaming away from a machine that re-enacted the Battle of Waterloo, complete with waves of lead soldiers dying in battle as the British wiped out Napoleon’s forces! 

There is something deeply entrancing, magical or even spine-chilling about high-end automata, which, essentially, is the forerunner to modern day robotics.  No matter how old you are, the ingeniousness of the clockwork mechanisms, some of which have amazing complexity, can still excite the inner child who was besotted with all things that went click and whirr.  The examples in this CBS report include the famous Maillardet automaton, housed at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

The Getty Centre in Los Angeles mounted a significant exhibition of automata some time ago, and you can take a virtual tour here

French automata, generally, is regarded to have achieved the some of highest levels of sophistication and novelty. The Musée de L'Automate in Souillac features a collection of nineteenth and twentieth century automata, focussing on the creations of Roullet & Decamps.

The Swiss have a rich history of producing automata. Pierre Jaquet-Droz and his son Henri-Lois not only produced watches, but created a beguiling array of humanoid and bird automata that can been seen at here at the Musee d'art et d'histoire, in Neuchatel , surely a must for any watch aficionado on a pilgrimage to Switzerland.

The Martin Scorcese movie, Hugo,  based on Brian Selznick's novel ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ has triggered a renewed interest in automata, and blogs, on-line shops and specialised contemporary automata web sites have blossomed. 

For those who enjoy the horological aspects of collecting watches and are mesmerised by the mechanical miracle that powers their vintage or contemporary pieces, automata is but a dangerously expensive baby step away from watch and clock collecting.

The Dressiest of the Calibre 1011 Omega Constellation Chronometers

The 168.0055 is one of the less common calibre 1011 integrated bracelet models to be produced in the earlier nineteen-seventies.  While they're not rare by anyone's definition, they're also not plentiful, and make an excellent entry-level admission into the world of collecting chronometer grade Omegas.

Powered by the calibre 1011 – see here for a review of this family of movements – the 168.0055 came in a range of dial colours and styles, including maroon and blue.  Both plain and ‘knurled’ bezels were available, depending on the metal content of the watch. The model above has a 14k solid gold knurled bezel to match the 14k gold inserts in the bracelet.

The 168.055 case has a more classic design story than the heavier integrated bracelet day-date model 368.0851 and its predecessor,  368.0845. With a case size at a little over 35mm, it is a sibling design to the 168.0061, another less common variation powered by calibre 1011.  Dial furniture is consistent with other models of the period, featuring gold hour markers framing quite thick onyx inserts on some models and pointed stick hands.  The watch is less ‘dated’ than some styles of the nineteen-seventies, the round knurled bezel adding a dressier feel.

A jewellery version of this case style was released in a limited quantity by Omega in 1980 under the model number 468.0802.  Featuring a solid gold dial, the hour markers and bezel were set with a total of 80 diamonds, a fitting accessory for the Gordon Ghekko wannabees of the heady nineteen-eighties.

Values fluctuate with metal content and dial colour, and I have seen them fetch at auction anything from USD 350.00 for a stainless model with plain bezel to much more for the two-tone examples.  A good comparative rule of thumb is to align values with what a good 368.0851 would fetch.

If you're looking for a less common and dressier version of the chronometer grade calibre 1011 collection, then this model is well worth your consideration.

David One - Goliath Nil

Lovely, if somewhat fanciful fairy story, David and Goliath. The idea that large threatening hulks of any form or character can be felled by a well-aimed projectile that strikes at its target’s most vulnerable point is food for the soul, and in some ways still informs my beliefs about justice, equity and, of course, come-uppance.

Oh, if there were just a few more slingshots and stones lying around our commercial litigation courts, what fun we might have!  For, despite the enduring presence of the Goddess Themis and her scales-holding daughter Dike in the portrayal of justice, commercial litigation systems the world over are not citadels of truth, equity and light.  Rather, those ancient scales more often tip in favour of litigants or defendants who have the capacity to throw an unlimited supply of money at whatever legal poo they find themselves standing in.

But, every now and then, despite the stench of money corrupting outcomes in our court systems, modern day Davids occasionally get a chance to fell a Golliath......and that’s what happened recently to a haughty Swiss company that has long taken an arrogant approach towards its customers. Yes, a representative of ‘Save the Time’, an Australian group that is seeking to overturn the unconscionable behaviour of Swiss watch companies towards their customers, has had a major win.  As a result, no longer can these horological harridans demand that a watch is serviced in accordance with their so-called ‘service regimes’.  They must  obey the instructions of the owner of the watch and service it in accordance with those instructions. 

While this may appear a trifle, it will have a significant influence on the relationship between watch owners and Swiss conglomerates who treat their customers like morons and assume they can gouge them for unrequired services.  Click here for the fuller story, and just in case you can’t figure who the ruling went against, think the letter R.

Current Rorts Involving Solid Gold Omega Constellations

When currencies are weak or unstable; when stock markets look as though they’re ready to collapse in their never-ending cycles of boom and bust, people flock to gold much like flies flock to jam. 

All this flocking creates upward price movement, and since 2007 the ‘value’ of gold has more than doubled.   Really smart flockers will sniff change in the air and will abandon the commodity before it inevitably drops quicker than Robert Pattinson’s face did when learning about Kristen Stewart's peccadilloes. But, those with a poor sense of mercantile smell - namely naive, greedy or dumb speculating flockers - will be left holding the baby. Financial ruin may well be the consequence, which your average Wall Street financial sociopath will explain away as “economic Darwinism in action”.  Real mature, to say nothing of empathic, eh?

What does this have to do with Omega Constellations?..... I hear you cry.  Well, the bottom feeders of a buoyant gold market - the gold scrap buyers - are having a field day. And those who flock to gold buyers in the belief that they will get rich by selling dad's or grandad’s gold Constellation as scrap are no lesser patsies than naive, greedy or dumb speculators who think the party will never end. 

I’ve documented a number of cases where the price of gold has lured unsuspecting owners of solid gold Constellations into the hands of the mostly unscrupulous gold scrap buying ‘industry’: none worse than the $700.00 paid to a Florida grandmother for an Omega Constellation 2799 de Luxe with solid gold dial.  In that instance, the scrap dealer, knowing something about the market for de Luxe Constellations, simply listed the watch on eBay and sold it for more than $3,400.00!  Currently, there is a particular scrap buyer very active in this area.

The other aspect of this sad and sordid tale of wanton destruction of vintage watch stock relates to those who, to keep the metaphor alive, feed off the bottoms of the bottom feeders.  They purchase movements and dials from scrap dealers and other sources once the watch case has gone to the knacker’s yard, find old cases that will accommodate orphan movements and dials and flog them off as genuine Constellations.

The example below is one of many that have appeared on eBay and other electronic markets over the past couple of years.  Notice how the seller, tomek719 of Suwalki in Poland, fails to mention that this solid gold dial piece has been housed in a gold filled case of unknown origin. Rather he describes the watch as being in “perfect condition”.  Shame on you!

Below are some general recommendations that may allow you to escape the clutches of the bottom, bottom feeders:

• Never sell a gold watch to a scrap buyer – you will always get a better price on the open vintage market;
• Before contemplating a sale,  seek advice on watch sites like Omega Watch    Forums and check out completed listings on eBay;
• Never buy a gold dialled Omega Constellation watch that is cased in anything other than a fully marked gold Constellation case.  Get to know the markings that identify a genuine Constellation;
• Always check case number and movement against the Omega vintage database or against this list of calibres and models;
• Remember, the words "fair", "honest", and "reputable" when associated with the nomenclature "gold scrap dealer" are a contradiction in terms.

A Bespoke Omega Constellation Box

Some time ago I wrote a review (here) of the TV dialled 368.0852 Constellation and commended it as a hell of a lot of watch for not a lot of money.  The review evoked some interest in what was a relatively forgotten or ignored in-house, pre Swiss crisis model.

Later, in August 2011, I heard from MarkB, who had collected a range of examples of the 368.0852 and was intending to commission a custom-made box in which to house and present them.   He was looking for the dimensions of the watch so as to reflect the unique lines of the watch design in the shape of the box.  

Subsequently, Mark commissioned cabinet maker, Daniel Tomlinson, to design a prototype before he committed to the final design and materials. Below is the initial prototype: 

After consultation, Mark and Daniel settled on the design and the work on the box began; a complicated process of building the box shape, layer by layer, prior to selecting wood veneers that would adorn and indeed beautify the sculptured shell.   

The lid of the box is fashioned to replicate the watch head: 

In opening the lid, one is immediately met by a representation of the Constellation medallion stars inlaid into the rich burr walnut. The inner box derives its shape from the TV dial and the bezel profile is outlined in walnut veneer. 

This beautiful bespoke piece is a wonderful creation by a true artisan. Daniel decided to document and photograph his progress and you can view the full story here. 

Uncommon Omega Constellation Monocoque Models

     

In many years of collecting, I have rarely encountered monocoque models powered by calibre 551 movements. Monocoques are two-piece cases that do not have a removable case back, and where the movement is accessed from the front of the case by removing the crystal.  While calibre 564 movements in cases 168.015 (domed dial) and 168.025 (pie pan) regularly surface, the non-calendar models 167.015 (flat dial) and 167.025 (pie pan) are hardly seen at all.

The 167.015 shown in the picture above and below is the first example of a flat dialled non-calendar monocoque I have encountered in more than eighteen months.  I could count the number of pie pan dialled 167.025 models that I have seen over my entire span of collecting to no more than a handful. 

The model pictured does not appear in the Omega database, and nor did models 168.015 and 168. 025 until I made representations to the Omega museum. This may account for the lack of interest in this watch, recently sold on eBay for the incredibly low price of around USD 320.00!

There are a number of reasons why global inventory of the 167.015 and 167.025 is small.  The first reason is that they were produced at a time when calendar watches were a fad in full swing. People generally eschewed the non-date calibre 551 in preference to calibre 561 and 564 chronometers. For example, throughout the sixties calendar Omega Constellations powered by calibres 561, 564 and 751 were produced in the hundreds of thousands (Calibre 561, for example, topping the one million mark) whereas the production of calibre 551 chronometers was a meagre 37,000 pieces in total.   

The vast majority of calibre 551 movements appeared in cases 14381, 14766, 14900 and 167.005. The bulk of production was in the early 1960s, with 20,000 pieces being part of a larger unbroken production run of 100,000 chronometer grade movements in 1960.   Simple maths tell us that overall numbers of the non-date calibre 551 in each model number are comparatively few when compared with calendar models of the period.  

Also, in 1966, model 167.005 was replaced by the ultrathin model 167.021 powered by calibre 712.  It was promoted quite heavily as a "dress" style chronometer and competed directly with models 167.015 and 167.025. The monocoques, while available, were not marketed to any great extent.

As the 60s matured, even fewer non-date models were produced and generally they needed to be ordered from national Omega agencies. That is why you will rarely encounter the 167.015 and 167.025 monocoques, most especially in 18k solid gold.  Are they rare?  Well, I would speculate that in 1966 when these models were offered only people who bucked the date and emerging day-date trend would have been interested in acquiring a non date model. Perhaps a few aesthetes with a post-modernist bent would also be attracted by the simple and comparatively minimalistic dial treatments, but production would have been quite low.  So, the answer to the question of rarity, given such a small global inventory, is, yes, they probably are.

Yet Another Omega Constellation Fake Alert!

Just when we all thought the message about fake dials and ensembles was well and truly received, up pops another collection on eBay.  Described as “NOS” and “superb NOS” the three dials and one case listed by eBay seller antqfrek are all the handiwork of Chinese counterfeiters.

Please review this essay, written some time ago to expose these low quality fakes, and compare the examples with antqfrek's listings 1, 2, 3 and 4.  It will become obvious in no time at all that they are oriental ‘confections’ deliberately designed to defraud.  The case 14900 62 SC is one of the most faked case numbers of all Omega vintage Constellations and I am surprised that a seller with more than six thousand sales of jewellery, watches and miscellanea under his belt was not aware of this.

I have communicated to the seller antqfrek and advised him of the situation.  It will be really interesting to see if the seller chooses to pull the auctions or let them run. We’ll add a postscript when the auction closes or is pulled.

POSTSCRIPT

I received this communication back from the seller:

"I appreciate you letting me know. I had no idea that they were fake. It would have never occurred to me that someone would go to the trouble to fake a watch dial! Crazy world I suppose. I am taking your word on the matter and I will be removing them as soon as I get to my computer later this morning. I appreciate you letting me know, my feedback means a great deal to me and I wouldn't care for it to become sullied by something like this."

Now, that's why antqfrek has a 100 percent positive feedback.