tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303292462012-02-09T19:09:38.566+08:00A Community for Omega Constellation watch aficionados to share information on design, horology and restoration.Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.comBlogger2011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-74896946709634807562012-01-15T19:35:00.001+08:002012-02-03T07:57:37.097+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-3806641632982859902012-01-12T09:28:00.002+08:002012-01-12T11:23:48.092+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-71646823050284520952011-09-11T09:42:00.005+08:002011-09-11T09:52:45.463+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-10463508253298783312011-09-06T15:08:00.002+08:002011-09-11T15:54:45.410+08:00

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 Return to Home Page 

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-48176773481719668162011-08-20T18:08:00.003+08:002011-09-13T09:30:13.928+08:00

 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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-38846774621545070062011-06-14T22:59:00.012+08:002011-07-09T11:24:29.057+08:00

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?

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-48579804408285887262011-06-06T17:14:00.010+08:002012-01-28T10:11:45.851+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-53076718627653251012011-05-21T09:56:00.006+08:002011-06-11T09:21:47.513+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-49743622756968853132011-04-24T22:54:00.019+08:002011-04-28T13:44:07.486+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-68240418916196709612011-04-13T14:22:00.001+08:002011-04-13T14:26:24.954+08:00

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. Return to

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-43329165662829839982011-03-23T18:33:00.002+08:002011-03-23T18:44:10.875+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-75303577043920413612011-01-30T17:05:00.013+08:002011-02-21T08:45:25.179+08:00

 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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-88925575326486759352011-01-14T14:53:00.001+08:002011-01-14T14:53:42.108+08:00

This Star of the Month is one of an ad hoc series on vintage Omega Constellations that, for reasons of originality, condition, or rarity, deserve a special mention in despatches.  They can be considered the cream of the crop and ideal reference watches against which others can be matched. What makes this Star of the month particularly special is the dial and its overall condition. Click here for

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-61739144077322279282011-01-13T10:27:00.000+08:002011-01-13T10:27:58.977+08:00

While belated, I would like to wish subscribers and supporters of this blog a happy and healthy 2011!! I would also like to thank those correspondents who, though keen eyes and the requisite skepticism, aided in the slaying of a number of notable FrankenDragons and their pimps that surfaced in 2010. My thanks also to those who provided information that increased our body of knowledge about the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-70722876123602796682010-12-22T09:38:00.012+08:002011-01-04T22:09:01.423+08:00

In the interests of your continuing education, many varieties of FrankenConstellation have been featured on this site over the years, but never a FrankenCloisonneConstellation - try to say that fast! And so I would like to express my eternal gratitude to an eBay seller for providing us with yet another opportunity to expose the seedy, avaricious and delinquent side of the global watch market.

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-56556257320787439402010-11-27T07:59:00.006+08:002010-11-30T04:37:21.240+08:00

Was there a successor to the Seamaster XVI, an Omega Seamaster MCMLX (or XVII) celebrating the Rome Olympics? The answer to the question is that there certainly was in Italy – as the above advertisement shows! And yet, there is no reference to this model in the Omega database and no mention of it in the official Omega publications: ‘Omega Saga’ or ‘Omega: a Journey through Time’ The stainless

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-48691509322946043712010-11-21T11:45:00.002+08:002011-02-03T18:35:05.575+08:00

One query that has cropped up in watch fora regularly over the years is that of the presence of the number 1 inside the Omega logo on the train bridge of many mid-500 series Omega calibres.  Having emerged again on the Watchuneed forum, I am prompted to preserve for posterity the latest consensus on what that pesky little number means Click here for a short essay on the topic Return to home page 

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-75546773441926419702010-11-05T16:56:00.004+08:002010-11-05T17:00:52.561+08:00

Wearing a mechanical watch is like wearing a micro-engine on your wrist, and this, I suspect, is the reason why it is men who mainly fall victim to the allures of the vintage mechanical watch.  There is something about the mechanics of a mechanical watch that triggers an innate curiosity in some but not all men.........who knows, it could even be genetic! The experience most likely to set off the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-22512869404146612432010-10-30T21:03:00.005+08:002010-10-31T07:46:33.070+08:00

Black dials on any Omega Constellation are uncommon and, in some cases, rare. A genuine black dial pie pan Constellation in good condition can command from a 20 percent to a 100 percent premium over a similar standard pie pan, depending on the model and the rarity of the dial furniture. For example, mint black dialled Constellations with pink gold dial furniture and lettering will command

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-79718773064617328692010-10-23T18:36:00.004+08:002011-04-09T15:05:03.699+08:00

Many high-end vintage watches, Constellation included, were given the diamond treatment after-market, however it has also been a long tradition at Omega to produce montre bijoux (jewellery watches) – more than a hundred years of tradition in fact.  Omega was very active in luxury and jewellery watch design in the nineteen-fifties and sixties, winning the prestigious Diamonds International Award

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-60157422891409696562010-10-20T17:22:00.014+08:002010-10-30T08:41:13.546+08:00

Nice but not a real "Jedi" Over the past month I have received a couple of emails from budding collectors seeking my assistance in appraising what have been described on eBay as Seamaster “Jedi” models. On both occasions the watches were not Jedi Seamasters, but models 176.005, common Seamaster chronographs with an attractive and chunky inclined case that housed the automatic chronograph

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-60462510179869846572010-10-15T23:28:00.004+08:002010-10-21T10:36:33.314+08:00

   While this web site is dedicated to mechanically powered Omega Constellations and other Omega vintage watches, consistency has never been considered a virtue! And so, it is without shame that we pay homage to an electro-mechanical wonder from 1971 known as the D-Shape. The D-Shape stands alongside the Constellation Megaquartz and Marine Chronometer as the most popular of the earlier Omega

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-76623991316178501782010-09-30T12:55:00.005+08:002010-10-21T10:37:21.667+08:00

Europa Star, one of the world’s premier providers of international watch industry news and information, has embarked on an in-depth look at the state of the Swiss watch industry.  Starting with the decision by Nicholas Hayek to restrict by 2011 the availability of ETA and other movements manufactured by the Swatch Group, Part 1 of the series notes that that the Swatch Group has an estimated 60 to

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-61454314808164598222010-09-27T12:47:00.006+08:002010-11-05T17:35:29.255+08:00

The last certified in-house mechanical chronometer 'production' pieces - designed to supersede the integrated bracelet models and manufactured during the classic vintage period of the Omega Constellation - were models 368.0855 (shown above) and 368.0858.    These models, I believe, they will increase in collectibility over the coming years. Click here for a short essay on what I believe are an

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-65970199237308529432010-09-19T11:36:00.001+08:002010-09-19T11:38:54.082+08:00

John Goldberger, the author of a number of eye-gasmic photobooks on Omega has produced an excellent video on classic Longines models. While this site is primary a celebration of Omega Constellations, one has to be big-hearted enough to recognise other class acts in the vintage world, and Longines was certainly a class act for most of its history prior to the Swiss watch crisis. Enjoy! 

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-13752278336369506002010-09-05T08:41:00.003+08:002010-10-21T10:39:52.946+08:00

In the previous post on the Omega Constellation Manhattan I paid homage to the creator of this great symbol of nineteen-eighties design, Carol Didisheim. In this essay I explore the design code and the horology of the Manhattan and identify an early mechanically powered version that is both uncommon and worth collecting. Click on the picture above for a high resolution version of the ad. Return

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-62271781783122925772010-08-21T16:15:00.003+08:002010-10-21T10:40:32.247+08:00

Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the design of the Omega Constellation Manhattan. Created by Carol Didisheim, the Manhattan was first released in its quartz version in 1982. In various Omega publications, fleeting references are made to Carol Didishiem having based her design on an "idea" by Pierre-Andre Aellen, but what idea? And how did this iconic design come to be? Well, that's

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-36465121074193032372010-08-20T10:20:00.006+08:002010-10-21T10:41:18.542+08:00

Ah, to dream, what if we could return to those simple and uncomplicated days of the late nineteen-sixties and early seventies when the only obstacles to an idyllic, carefree existence were the looming oil crisis, annihilation by nuclear war, and the atrocities committed by some governments against their own citizens by balloting the unwilling flower of their youth to suffer or die pointlessly in

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-68532849968293999632010-07-31T12:58:00.001+08:002010-10-21T10:42:04.968+08:00

This month’s magnificent Star of the Month comes from the collection of JorgeG, a Peruvian lawyer based in Lima. Jorge’s interest in fine vintage watches was sparked by his father, a pilot with the airline Panagra, who had developed an eye for high-quality watches during his many trips overseas. Jorge grew up admiring Rolexes, Omegas, Universals, and other fine Swiss brands of the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-91663351328680684882010-07-23T14:45:00.003+08:002010-10-21T10:42:39.520+08:00

The calibre 752 integrated bracelet Omega Constellation has long been the subject of discussion amongst some Omega Constellation collectors, myself included. Was it a certified chronometer or was it not?  Is it collectible or should this model, produced only for the Far East market in 1978, be ignored? I think that the calibre 752 model 366.0857 has enough history and uncommonness about it to

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-66390185840413242442010-07-11T20:11:00.011+08:002010-09-18T09:16:27.370+08:00

Fake Omegas have been around for decades. These days, Thai and Chinese fakes have reached a quality that was unheard of back in the late nineteen sixties when this little beauty was spawned. The pictures show a fake Omega 25 ‘Electra’ with an unbreakable mainspring, which, for these Russian made one jewel movements, was probably the only thing that was unbreakable. During the cold war, the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-85774484251740352962010-06-29T08:45:00.004+08:002010-10-21T10:43:37.263+08:00

Long regarded as one of the saviours of the Swiss watch industry, a man who almost single-handedly led its revival after the quartz crisis of the 1970’s, Nicholas Hayek died unexpectedly at work on June 28th. Hayek was the founder and most recently the chairman of the Swatch Group, the number one manufacturer of finished watches in the world. Considered one of Switzerland's leading entrepreneurs

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-63820749237561845082010-06-22T12:51:00.008+08:002010-10-21T10:44:38.567+08:00

It’s a rare occasion indeed to discover an Omega Constellation model that is not listed in the Omega database, but such is the case with the very uncommon case #2887. In more than two decades of collecting, I have not chanced upon this particular model, but thanks to the power of the worldwide web and collector SpencerT’s good fortune we can add to the body of knowledge about these flagship

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-48211312982706956622010-06-12T16:55:00.006+08:002010-10-21T10:45:18.401+08:00

The Omega Constellation calibre 751 collection was powered by the last great series of high-value movements manufactured by Omega before the onset of the Swiss Crisis of the mid-1970s. The day-date calibre 751 can trace its origins back to the famous chronometer calibre 551 and is every bit as good as its mid-500 calibre siblings. And judging by the number of enquiries I receive about these

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-91303770108596233322010-06-05T09:38:00.006+08:002010-10-21T10:46:07.621+08:00

 Fake 168.005 ensemble The counterfeit watch industries of China, Vietnam and Thailand have done much to weaken confidence in the buying of ‘Big Name’ vintage watches such as Omega, Rolex, Patek Philippe and some of the other great Swiss brands. As technology has improved in these countries, so have the quality of their fakes. A combination of official sanction and corruption in China, for

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-32267397069282779702010-05-26T09:05:00.005+08:002010-05-31T22:45:58.115+08:00

Snapdrive.net, the outfit that takes my money for file storage, is down.....and maybe out!  Not that I would have known about it, as this company doesn't seem to think it necessary to send a bulk email out to customers advising them of such matters.  Nor does it care to entertain user queries, having shut down its help service. I am in the process of transferring my files to a more secure,

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-58504426339231004792010-05-23T13:06:00.009+08:002010-10-21T10:46:44.549+08:00

Picture courtesy Harris AS  What to do if your Constellation starts to slow down? The slow running movement is usually a sign that your watch needs to have at least a check up. I would advance the argument that a watch is running seriously slow if it begins to lose more seconds per day that can be compensated by its micronometer regulator. As vintage Omega Constellations and other

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-33074096957381871462010-05-18T09:59:00.020+08:002010-10-21T10:47:31.412+08:00

Those sly dogs in the Orient who produce ‘Pinchbeck’ cases (an alloy of zinc and copper used as imitation gold), create fake Constellation dials and fit them with tired old bangers of similar calibre from lower shelf Omega marques are getting slyer!!! Having been sprung using fake case numbers such as 091919 and 163.001 on their fake gold cases, our intrepid criminals have resorted to no case

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-72778568676798318632010-05-09T08:33:00.016+08:002010-10-21T10:48:50.290+08:00

The first true Pie Pans in the Omega Constellation range appeared simultaneously in late 1952 in cases 2699 and 2700, the screw-in and press-in variations of the same case style. Case 2699 was introduced as a De Luxe version of the Constellation and remained in this form until replaced by case 2799 in 1956. It featured a screw-in case back over an “O” ring and a hermetic sealing system at the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-1341926534726987502010-05-04T16:48:00.007+08:002010-10-21T10:49:23.820+08:00

The Omega Museum opened in January of 1984 and is the oldest museum dedicated to a single watch brand. Located just opposite OMEGA’s headquarters in Biel, it features items representing the brand’s entire history, including the watchmaker’s bench used by Louis Brandt when he began to make watches more than 160 years ago. The newly renovated and restored museum offers some objects that are being

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-14348223077772924182010-05-03T18:23:00.004+08:002010-10-21T10:49:58.184+08:00

One of the reasons why mechanical watchmaking is so alluring to collectors is because of its traditions. Said to have been invented in Germany, watchmaking migrated to a number of major European centres including France, Britain and of course Switzerland.  For the last century, the epicentre of the craft has been Switzerland, and that was as much by accident as it was by design. For a potted

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7623685276090259542010-04-02T11:23:00.009+08:002010-10-21T10:50:33.470+08:00

Switzerland has long been a country of confused identity, best illustrated by the fact that it has five main language groups: French, German, Romansh, Italian….and Hard Currency.    And as you will discover, when two cultures converge (particularly those of ‘Italian’ and ‘Hard Currency’) hitherto immutable laws of nature can be violated, giving rise to the most unspeakable of horrors.  A (click

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-5473701172457435282010-03-21T11:55:00.007+08:002010-10-21T10:51:15.314+08:00

The dial is the expression of a watch's innermost character. It displays the functions of the watch, expresses its personality, offers clues on quality and provides intelligence on the layout and specifications of the movement. Dial design and creation is an art form requiring artistic flair, considerable skill and a thorough knowledge of materials. In Switzerland it is often a craft that

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-3740792492871919862010-03-07T12:41:00.006+08:002010-10-21T10:51:56.038+08:00

What is it that drives us to collect? Probably, we'd all like to believe that collecting is a wholly rational pursuit, but all you need to do is tune into the conversations on various watch collecting fora to know that emotions get a fairly regular airing and that some of them as expressed are not pretty! Some time ago, I wrote a short essay on the role emotions can play when collecting vintage

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8199718849320980102010-03-01T19:02:00.009+08:002010-10-21T10:52:35.277+08:00

Original NOS Constellation with 18K Dial - Courtesy MikeN (click on pictures for an enlarged view) How can you be absolutely sure you have a factory original Constellation? This is a question I field regularly from subscribers to this blog. The answer to that question is that you can’t, except on rare occasions. Crowns and crystals on a well-serviced vintage watch will probably have been

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-43418647376376607542010-01-27T18:15:00.005+08:002010-10-21T10:53:09.569+08:00

I’ve received a couple of emails from collectors querying the cause of erratic second sweeps that appear to “stick” and then jump forward or that have a very jerky action. In both cases, the movements themselves were keeping reasonable time. So what could be the likely cause of the problem? The answer to that question lies in Omega’s preference for an indirect centre seconds design that was a

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-81043876613595584592010-01-22T17:18:00.022+08:002010-10-21T10:53:45.037+08:00

Above Rene Bannwart late last decade and in 1940 when he was appointed Omega's first Head of Creations One of the scions of the Swiss Watchmaking industry, Rene Bannwart, died earlier this month at the age of 94. Born in Zurich on March 16th 1915, Bannwart spent his entire working life in the service of the Swiss watch industry, joining Patek Philippe at the age of 18 and spending seven years

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-65819658734482482032010-01-05T14:21:00.013+08:002010-10-21T10:54:48.714+08:00

It's hard to imagine in 2010 the dark shadow of paranoia that enveloped the western world in the late nineteen-forties and fifties. Fear of enslavement by the communist hordes reached levels of hysteria unknown since those jolly old horde-fearing days of Genghis Khan. We all know now that despite having the appearance of great might and resolve the Soviet system was diseased to its core. But,

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-61344893073808546992009-12-30T18:25:00.012+08:002010-10-21T10:55:35.220+08:00

I receive frequent communications from people who wish to purchase a vintage Omega Constellation with the intention of passing it down to a favoured son (or daughter). This is a thoughtful and admirable act that can encourage an interest by future generations in family history and add to the cache of family treasures. Providing that a benefactor has delivered the first recipient a rich or happy

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-21936448459985009342009-12-18T11:17:00.004+08:002010-10-21T10:56:08.715+08:00

One good thing about the festive season is that it provides an opportunity to say thankyou. And I would like to thank the many hundreds of visitors who took the time in 2009 to contact me with ideas, pictures, leads and questions or simply to give their thanks for this blog. The intent behind this site has remained the same since its inception, and that was, and is, to help those attracted to

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-23052668069980947462009-12-03T09:05:00.011+08:002010-10-21T10:56:48.234+08:00

Thanks to a nomination by Dennis, an intrepid franken detective and part-time exorcist, the award for the most audacious, fiendish and man eating Franken of December goes to eBay seller meaeep. Click here to view this spawn of Satan!! I have, over some years, observed a number of very interesting daemons emerge from the House of Meaeep. Some horological Beelzebub hiding behind the meaeep façade

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-35912678561534021762009-12-01T13:24:00.003+08:002010-07-17T13:28:10.883+08:00

Aside from the Omega Constellation, Omega produced some of the world's most iconic collections during the nineteen-fifties and sixties. For tool watch aficionados, a model that stands above all others is the mighty speedmaster. The Speedmaster was originally conceived as a racing and rally watch and initially marketed as such. In around 1962 NASA purchased some Speedmasters to compare with other

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-55216676793324989402009-11-23T09:22:00.007+08:002010-10-21T10:57:34.748+08:00

While the reason for this site is to pay homage to Omega Constellations of the 1950s and 60s, which I believe to be some of the best production watches ever made, I receive a constant stream of correspondence from visitors asking questions about other iconic Omega models of the time. If questions go beyond that of a trickle and there are no other sites dedicated to a particular collection, I

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-18582831922750766072009-11-19T19:08:00.016+08:002010-10-21T10:58:42.466+08:00

Calibre 504 Omega 18k gold Constellations aren't all that common, only 25000 pieces having been produced across a range of metals and dials. Black dialled calibre 504 models are in a different league altogether, with less than a thousand believed to have been manufactured. Generally in the 1950s, black dialled models were a ‘special order’ watch and so, today, with the resurgence of interest

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-64413055988822752802009-11-14T14:29:00.016+08:002010-10-21T10:59:23.463+08:00

Every year in the lead up to Christmas, an army of bottom feeders, parasites and other opportunistic vermin invade on-line vintage watch markets to feed off the naivete and yuletide sentiment of people wishing to acquire nice vintage watches for those who are significant in their lives. Judging by the number of fake new watches and bogus or franken vintage pieces appearing in a range of brands,

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-44794683972286124362009-11-07T17:44:00.013+08:002012-01-24T18:50:47.737+08:00

The issue of cleaning and oiling watches is a perennial one on most watch fora, the most frequently asked question being about service intervals. The general recommendation is that a vintage watch should be dis-assembled, cleaned and oiled every three to five years, depending on use. The reason for keeping a vintage movement well-serviced is simple.

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-68743297206744147732009-10-31T12:53:00.012+08:002010-10-21T11:00:41.801+08:00

More than forty years have elapsed since the release of the Omega Geneve Dynamic first generation collection. With its 'space-age' lines and novel dial designs, the Dynamic I is fast becoming a collectible for those Omegas fans who don't wish to break the bank in pursuit of their hobbies. The Dynamic established a number of firsts when it was released as well as pushing the boundaries of

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-17353877117067924562009-10-05T20:00:00.020+08:002010-10-21T11:01:47.887+08:00

Hi I'm a fake-aholic and it's been several months since my last outbreak! I've been trying to wean myself off reporting fakes, so as to concentrate on the important stuff - like writing essays on REAL Connies! But this one caused me to fall off the wagon and slip back into my addiction. These Chinese fakes have been circulating for about four or five years, but this is the first ersatz coin-edge

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-923745092599175362009-10-04T09:44:00.010+08:002011-01-14T12:13:36.487+08:00

One Omega Constellation collection of watches that has weathered the recent financial storm well is the de Luxe collection. Values overall have held up incredibly well, increasing around 15% over the past eighteen months. Released initially in 1952 and continuing in various forms until the advent of the third design phase, the Constellation de Luxe featured strikingly finished solid gold dials

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8987266550714492512009-09-21T14:04:00.009+08:002011-04-28T13:50:09.504+08:00

This post has been a long time coming and traces the origins of the original Omega Constellation concept back to its roots in 1943. The larger focus is on the Omega Centenary produced to celebrate Omega's 100 years of manufacturing history. This is a 'living' essay, and while I have been at pains to provide as accurate a review as possible of these early models, there is always the potential for

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-90643650706311114142009-08-29T16:36:00.006+08:002010-10-21T11:03:47.916+08:00

This month's SOM is a pink gold Omega Constellation 'transition' model manufactured in 1961. Its rare to see these models in pink gold and ever rarer to chance upon an example in museum quality. Click here for a photo-essay on this superb piece. Return to home page 

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-45423581273901240192009-08-25T10:47:00.003+08:002010-10-21T11:04:25.771+08:00

While the world recession hasn’t bitten everyone on the posterior, it’s certainly taken a chunk out of the luxury watch market. The export of Swiss watches has shown a marked downturn in the first half of the calendar year. The month of June saw the biggest drop with a dive of almost 32%, while the six monthly cumulative decline was over 26%. The U.S., Hong Kong, China, Japan and UAR, important

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-12836298634198094092009-07-31T17:14:00.008+08:002010-10-21T11:05:00.045+08:00

When the subject of rarity and Omega Constellations arises, the intuitive course is to point to the earlier 1950s models in the Constellation family, such as black guilloche dials, Globemasters and early calibre 352 RG powered examples. However, one of the rarer Omega Constellations on the planet is a 'homage' Pie Pan produced twenty years later for a short period in the 1970s. It was earmarked

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-81009183791769491562009-07-19T10:30:00.015+08:002010-10-21T11:05:33.921+08:00

Quite some time ago, I was researching the reason behind why so many 17 jewel movements powered US Collection Omega watches in the 1950s and 60s, when I chanced upon a movement series about which little was written and less was said. And yet, this series, because of the minimal number of pieces produced, meets the criteria for rarity in Omega watches. I published an essay on these rare models

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-79035421498244833012009-07-11T17:04:00.009+08:002010-10-21T11:06:39.867+08:00

It has long been held that Gerald Genta designed an Omega Constellation. And yet, in searching the web and accessing references to Genta's earlier design career I could find no substantiated evidence that Genta did in fact design one of these iconic vintage models. I chanced upon numerous repetitions of one sourced opinion and many questions from forum subscribers asking for confirmation or

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-12877379059711625912009-07-09T08:04:00.007+08:002010-10-21T11:07:17.869+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-43022455292463100082009-07-06T22:01:00.004+08:002010-10-21T11:07:48.869+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-27101348184883035812009-06-28T11:25:00.006+08:002010-10-30T21:22:17.724+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2374185175147778222009-06-19T09:14:00.014+08:002010-10-30T21:22:46.478+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-19676967383103292252009-06-16T20:24:00.016+08:002010-10-30T21:23:24.486+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-32114632534307536962009-06-13T11:26:00.016+08:002010-07-17T13:39:42.966+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-72071161393951431612009-06-09T12:08:00.016+08:002010-10-30T21:24:14.312+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-78105283437835901542009-06-03T21:15:00.018+08:002010-10-30T21:24:48.435+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-58589795808122026502009-05-23T00:42:00.009+08:002010-10-30T21:25:20.475+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-9221372213292630632009-05-18T09:38:00.008+08:002010-10-30T21:26:20.055+08:00

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,

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-17802922394131720762009-04-29T19:54:00.006+08:002012-01-29T08:28:05.430+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-16712641008342626532009-04-19T10:36:00.014+08:002010-10-30T21:27:37.663+08:00

Picture above from eBay used for education purposesIt 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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-5087179352479177162009-04-10T22:26:00.013+08:002010-10-30T21:28:36.126+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-32542949952226566992009-04-05T18:14:00.011+08:002010-10-30T21:30:09.405+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-17795983591019450952009-04-01T21:26:00.024+08:002010-10-30T21:30:49.593+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-40050977122589992002009-03-20T12:16:00.012+09:002010-10-30T21:31:28.225+08:00

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,

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-29002392394748353052009-03-07T19:08:00.008+09:002010-10-30T21:32:06.979+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-59774108986446687712009-02-19T09:23:00.007+09:002010-07-22T13:40:09.498+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-91555456259221887082009-02-07T10:36:00.007+09:002010-10-30T21:32:49.584+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-88411326234083849282009-01-28T18:05:00.008+09:002010-07-22T13:41:06.143+08:00

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

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-4501173762247491362009-01-21T22:02:00.011+09:002010-10-30T21:36:27.369+08:00

It's a reasonable assumption to make that a watch seller with over 700 auction sales would have a fair idea if they were flogging a Frankenwatch. What's more, with the amount of information on Omega Constellations available on the web, there is absolutely no excuse for a seasoned trader to market an abomination and use the words 'original', 'all-genuine' and 'authentic' a total of five times when

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-4298597722295267812009-01-20T08:05:00.007+09:002010-07-22T13:41:53.943+08:00

In truth, there is no such thing as a chronometer watch. The word 'chronometer' was cheerfully expropriated by the Swiss watch industry to promote the precision, quality and durability of the Swiss product. So, high quality Omegas that carry the word chronometer are simply lever escapement movements that are of such quality and precision that they meet the criteria established under ISO standard

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-36752007947629118982009-01-12T18:15:00.007+09:002010-10-30T21:34:26.807+08:00

Watch out for an ongoing flow of fake cased, fake dialled Connie Frankenwatches! They are cropping up again on electronic auction sites. Oriental nemesis of All That is Pure in Horology and purveyor of fake Omega parts, Jensen Dinh, Phong, Fong, or any other name he wishes to call himself, is operating an on-line site that is offering a variety of ensembles (two versions of black dial pie pan and

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2798943188137083482009-01-06T11:13:00.008+09:002010-10-30T21:34:56.683+08:00

Crowns along with crystals and gaskets are probably the most frequently replaced parts of a watch, and so many of the crowns on the end of the stems of today's vintage watches are not the original factory fitted parts, which is why we see so many variations on Omega Constellations. This has given rise to an ongoing discussion about 'correct' crowns for various models. While collectors are

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-39879083646633476632008-12-30T00:02:00.010+09:002010-10-30T21:35:30.310+08:00

This post has been a long time coming. Finally my threats to celebrate the Constellation C-Shapes of the Sixties have become a reality. I have long had a particular passion and enthusiasm for the Connie C-Shape, the first of the 'modern' Constellation models. I believe it is one of the most under-rated of all Constellation designs. In this somewhat irreverent essay I offer some thoughts on the

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-10850630276195472992008-12-08T17:12:00.002+09:002010-07-22T13:43:35.838+08:00

Little would I have imagined when I started this project to provide a central resource for collectors of Omega Constellations that it would generate 200,000 unique page views over a relatively short time. I recall an initial response of scepticism and doubt when I announced my intention on Timezone in 2006 to document the production of all ‘in-house’ manufactured Constellations from calibre 352

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-58008558399111508992008-11-30T10:02:00.010+09:002010-07-22T13:43:54.320+08:00

Collecting vintage Constellations is becoming an increasingly expensive pursuit - all the more reason for you to consider booking your prized pieces in for a periodic check-up with a respected watch doctor. Mechanical watches are powered by machines with moving parts that are subject to friction, which leads to wear. Wear, particularly excessive and unnecessary wear, has long been the bete

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-74935971392682156642008-11-17T22:58:00.004+09:002010-07-22T13:44:36.058+08:00

Web version 2.00 has finally spawned the first internet TV channel devoted to horology. Styled 'theTimeTV' this channel offers the watch aficionado the very latest Swiss propaganda and spin on new offerings from the land of chocolate, secure banking, watchmaking and yodelling. There are some nice historical pieces on vintage watches as well. From a Christies 'infomercial' on how great they are

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-84992945740502459032008-11-16T08:52:00.005+09:002010-07-22T13:45:02.646+08:00

Astute watch collectors keep an eye open for authentic variations on the standard specifications for the models they collect. There's a simple reason for this. Rarer or more usual examples add depth to a collection and often represent a very good investment proposition. Here's an authentic variation on standard Constellation dial livery that is most uncommon. While I have seen calibre 551

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-6057645546897800422008-11-11T10:28:00.014+09:002010-07-22T13:45:27.643+08:00

It's always a pleasure to see an early Connie get a make-over and return looking fresh and sharp for its age. A short while ago I exchanged emails with 'Ger', the owner of this calibre 354 early Constellation. She looked fairly worse for the wear, but looking beyond the shattered crystal, the dial appeared to have aged beautifully. The case appeared sharp, and this old girl appeared an ideal

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-52946217414569254402008-11-08T09:51:00.005+09:002010-07-22T13:45:56.294+08:00

One of the joys of hosting this blog is the correspondence I receive from owners and collectors around the world.  And the biggest thrill of all is when someone shares information on an Omega Ive never seen before or heard of. Click here for an essay on one of the rarest Seamaster De Villes Ive ever encountered - a prototype developed to market the first of the U.S. Seamaster De Ville monocoques.

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-32572263645772125182008-10-19T11:42:00.008+08:002010-07-22T13:46:36.924+08:00

This is one of the better re-dials Ive come across. While there are still tell-tale signs that indicate it is refinished, it's a very good effort. While it doesn't pass the MOY test, the refinisher has done an excellent job of replicating the serif lettering. Click on the pic for a closeup of the dial. Ive always believed that re-dialling a vintage watch is only an option when one has no option

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-33163267460892305032008-10-04T13:45:00.011+08:002010-07-22T13:47:08.720+08:00

This month's Star of the Month is an amazing example of 1930s Art Deco.  My thanks to Ted of Ted's Vintage watches (click here for the listing of this watch) for sharing this magnificent piece Please click here for a photo-essay.

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-25152551906310858042008-09-14T17:47:00.006+08:002010-07-22T13:47:45.219+08:00

Some collectors wonder what the fuss is all about with the Omega calibre 321, particularly those powering Speedmasters. Well,for starters, I guess if one is serious about collecting representative Omega models and movements of the fifties and sixties, it's obligatory to have at least one calibre 321 chronograph in your collection. Notwithstanding my fixation with Omega Constellations, I have two

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-9840239330329444722008-09-14T09:31:00.003+08:002010-07-22T13:48:06.047+08:00

Unfortunately, Snapdrive, the people who host my files, have stuffed them up, and many of the essays on this site may not be able to be downloaded. I'm working on the problem and hope to have it resolved soon. My apologies for any convenience.

Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148245572518221306noreply@blogger.com0