Franken Update

Thanks to our wily contributors, here is a list of Frankens reported as currently listed on eBay.

In heading this post Rogues Gallery I am referring particularly to the watches. While I'm sure some of the sellers may be bona fide candidates for the honour too, others may be ignorant about the monster they seek to offload.

adir2001 listing 130038303170. This chap has in the past offered frankens shamelessly. But why put a calibre 751 movement in a solid gold case? Or is the movement really a 751?  What may not make it so? Have a look at the rotor bridge and what do you not see? The dial? Not a bad refinishing job all round, but have a look at the dial surround. Why does it not look like most piepans?  Adir wins the Klutz of the Week award because he should have waited around to find a correct calibre 561 and a better dial in which to marry to the nice case. 

ericasp1 listing 190044247533. Bad redial. But have a look at the movement. The wheel bridge says calibre 551. Is it really? Again notice the rotor bridge and the absence of the correct stamping that would signify the movement is a fully adjusted certified chronometer. Seller claims the watch is mint - a freudian slip indicating the mint he intends

on making for a genuine Frankenwatch.

jethrull92 Listing 110047077207. This is now the third time this watch has been listed by this seller. Seller claims dial is genuine. Ive never seen a Chronostop-looking dial on a Constellation, and after a search of Omega brochures released in the UK, US and Europe I have seen no illustration of a Constellation with this dial. Timezone discussion on this dial arrived at a consensus that it was probably not original. He is trying to get absolute top dollar for a supposedly rare dial - it is rare as there appears to have been only one produced, and it certainly wasnt produced at the Omega factory.

jfm_enterprise Listing 290042826795. Mildly Franken. Wrong hands, shocking re-dial and rusted case and rusted swan neck regulator - could be a real problem. This seller is often indiscriminate with his descriptions.

mayby61 Listing 170042214501.  Offered as a 100% genuine Omega Constellation. Is not. Some calibre 562 chronometers were used in Constellations but this one is a Seamaster non-certified movement. The person who reported this one described it as "rusted to buggery" . Colourful but never-the-less accurate descriptions of the case and movement. Mayby you should avoid this abomination, which, to me, looks like a very early Franken creation.

f.q.watches Listing 170041177054 . Good old Franklin Queseda is at it again. Look at the movement. Notice the shoddy engraving of the calibre 1012. Notice also that the circular decal has no refernce to adjustments to five positions, which all genuine 1012 chronometers do have. Look at the dial - what don't you see?

jdm_k20 (Private) Listing 330041177065 .Claims this case ensemble is New Old Stock. Well the dial isn't for starters. Notice the script on Constellation and the fact that the i is not dotted. I think he, or whomever put together these starter kits for Frankens, may have got his dials from here.  They are not authentic Omega factory dials. Apart from discrepancies in the script, look at the date surround and notice the lack of bevelling. Also notice the pic of the underside of the dial. The rivets are glued and not soldered. Well, at 49 dollars a pop, what can you expect.

These are only but a few of the Frankens appearing on eBay at the moment - Caveat Emptor please