This month's Star of the Month is remarkable, not only by a range of rare features coming together in one watch, but also because of its sharp and pristine condition.

Click here to view this magnificent solid gold piece.

If you own a rare, interesting or remarkable Connie, I would love to feature it on these pages.

Constellation Medallions

One of the most confusing and frustrating aspects of establishing factory specification on various models of the Omega Constellation family is that of the observatory medallion on the case back.

If you're looking for definitive answers on medallion style for solid gold, gold capped and stainless steel models, the news is not good.

However, the are some reasonably reliable rules (forgive the alliteration) of thumb that can be applied in determining whether the mediallion on specific models is correct.

Please click here for an essay on this, the most vexing of issues.

Forewarned is...........

I'm run off my feet at the moment and haven't much time to post to this site, but this I couldn't resist.

It warms the cockles of my heart to hear that a Connie enthusiast has done his research before buying and discovered yet another variation of a fake 18k Constellation. Here's a transcript of an email from collector 'HA'.

"Hello,

I’ve been a frequent reader of your blog/site, and downloaded all your very well written articles on Omega Constellations, since I am myself a big fan of watches, and (although quite recently) of Omegas in particular. While browsing my local trading site “Tradera” (now owned by eBay), I recently found this watch:

http://www.tradera.com/auction/auction.aspx?aid=59333012

It was the watch that really fuelled my own research , since I REALLY want to find a nice solid gold Pie Pan. I am glad to say, that before the auction ended I had discerned it was a fake, and I owe much of it to your brilliant site. Just wanted to thank you and let you know that your work really helped this watch lover

However, I am sad to say someone fell for the fake and paid about 1000 dollars for it. The seller did not reply to my e-mails, and my report of the auction happened late and no actions were taken by Tradera."

While it's a bittersweet story: bitter for the buyer but sweet to the above correspondent, it makes the effort that it takes to maintain this site all worthwhile.

Click here for my essay All that's Gold if you wish to see a gallery of these fakes.

Now Wait a Mo My Good Man

With an Ebay handle titled 'goodmansandsons' one could imagine that the seller has a lot to live up to. Well, this good man - although I use that honorific with some hestitation - or indeed one of his offspring, is well on his way to being nominated for our Dr Franken Hall of Fame.

I'll leave it up to you to decide whether Goodman, or his sons, are worthy of such illustrious nomenclature after you check out this listing.

It screams Franken watch! Does it not?

So, I decided to advise diplomatically Goodman of the status of this piece of Connie crud. But before we go into email quotes, here is the description offered by this good man or one of his good sons:

"Original 1960s Gents Omega Chronometer Officially Certified automatic "Constellation"S/S, Case size without Crown 33mm.Pertfect working order you can only expect this to keep good time. "Collectors Item""

Yes, I agree, because we can only expect that and nothing else!

Well, now, now, My Good Man or Sons, keeping good time is the least of our worries. As to your claim of "Collector's Item" I can only say that the piece of rubbish that you are touting in listing 330216836681 is collectible only by those who are masochistic enough to need to buy a lemon so as to self-flaggelate with barbed wire after they disovered they had won a Frankenwatch!

Below is an exchange of communications between Goodman, or his sons, and myself. First the query I sent him (or one of his sons)

Me:"Hi, This is an interesting watch. It should have either a cal 561 or 564 movement and yet the train bridge is showing cal 751 which is the day-date version of the watch. It looks as though either a 751 train bridge has replaced an original bridge or a 751 has been modified to show only date. Either way it may be problematic. I Thought I'd let you know"

Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? Well let's see how this Good Man or one of his Sons responded:

"Hello, If you know so much as a horologist you should not ask this Question. Thank you"

Well, I must admit, it's nice to receive a thankyou, but, I'm just a tad concerned that you chose not to respond to the points I put, Mr Goodman or one of your sons.

The fact that you have allowed this listing of a Frankenwatch to continue places in serious doubt as to whether you are indeed a 'Good Man'.

The lesson here is buy the seller and the watch. With only 24 positive feedbacks, the canny eBay buyer will avoid this seller like the plague. But, with such obvious pique at being disovered to be selling such a piece of crud, I would upgrade one's avoidance strategies to that of eschewing the Ebola virus.

POSTSCRIPT: I'm pleased to say that this auction was terminated early.