tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:44:54 +0000A Community for Omega Constellation watch aficionados to share information on design, horology and restoration.http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Desmond)Blogger241125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7633129606540687462Mon, 12 Dec 2022 06:56:00 +00002024-09-11T17:50:30.423+08:00&nbsp;<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2022/12/my-top-three-omega-watches-for-hipsters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-3721543637102003667Tue, 25 Oct 2022 02:21:00 +00002024-07-24T14:08:54.854+08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2022/10/an-omega-constellation-ultra-thin-find.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-4389733954874487542Sun, 05 Jan 2020 01:34:00 +00002023-01-20T08:38:01.797+08:00 In a recent national survey on consumer behaviour it was found that nearly eighty percent of respondents admitted to acquiring certain material goods, whether they could afford them or not, so as to avoid losing face with their friends and peers.&nbsp; Correspondingly, many of those surveyed reported avoiding goods and brand names considered by their peers and friends to be “uncool”.&nbsphttp://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2020/01/omega-constellation-models-3680855-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-3138278750383570315Tue, 17 Dec 2019 09:16:00 +00002022-09-04T10:10:51.199+08:00 Every now and then I update the database I developed some years ago to register all known examples of the Omega Constellation collection.&nbsp; The database covers 47 years from 1952 and has roughly 20 percent more entries than you will find on the Omega Vintage Database. This year has been a fruitful year with new, hitherto unknown models having been unearthed. The database is http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2019/12/omega-constellation-vintage-database.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-1703565578126649130Mon, 02 Dec 2019 03:00:00 +00002020-03-02T09:58:04.334+08:00 With the reintroduction of the Omega Deville Tresor line in 2014 and the latest series of 125th Anniversary offerings like the example shown above, there has been renewed interest in the original series produced from 1949.&nbsp; Originally manufactured for markets that didn’t have the purchasing power of the First World, such as much of South America, the Tresor was an elegant and http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2019/12/omega-tresor-database.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-4218194434567940116Wed, 06 Nov 2019 05:36:00 +00002019-12-02T14:41:44.722+08:00 I’ve long been interested in Omega’s practice of remaindering their superseded 1950s calibres in Japan with larger, so-called ‘Jumbo’ cases and have spent many hours trawling the internet in an attempt to discover the extent of the practice. Over the years I’ve discovered several models produced exclusively for the Far East: &nbsp;the calibre 504 models 14395, 14397 and 14747. Omega alsohttp://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2019/11/another-rare-omega-constellation-jumbo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2238349132399219607Sat, 09 Dec 2017 10:09:00 +00002023-02-11T19:11:21.583+08:00 Constellation Skeleton BC 166.1204.060. Elegantly skeletonised with blackened gold hands Chances are - no matter how long you have collected Omega vintage watches - you haven’t stumbled across this neo-vintage masterpiece. &nbsp;Produced in 1995, the straight lugged Omega Constellation Skeleton above was one of only twenty pieces produced in white gold. Two other editions with this http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2017/12/rare-omega-constellation-manhattan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8451785109126529310Wed, 06 Sep 2017 03:56:00 +00002017-09-06T12:05:30.572+08:00 In the Nineteen-Fifties and Sixties, most Omega Constellations were marketed through jewellery and specialty outlets, and so when one encounters a bespoke, solid white gold Constellation that was made especially for the first ever dedicated Omega boutique, one’s pulse can be expected to quicken a tad.&nbsp; Seen below is one of the rarest Omega Constellations ever made, so rare that I have only http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2017/09/this-watch-is-history.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8671664920424875457Fri, 12 Aug 2016 03:21:00 +00002016-08-12T14:03:17.068+08:00 Any first issue 30.10 JUB Centenary model 2500 is uncommon because only 4000 pieces were produced. Factor in natural attrition through loss, wear, scrapping for gold value and the occasional ingestion by animals and you have a supply and demand equation that has seen the value of JUB Centenary watches increase substantially over the last decade. For those who are not familiar with the “http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2016/08/rare-french-first-issue-omega-centenary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-4816334463907336182Sun, 26 Jun 2016 13:38:00 +00002024-11-08T15:23:35.950+08:00 I launched this blog on June 28th, 2006. At the time, eBay and other on-line markets were, largely, an unregulated frontier more closely resembling a mercantile variant of Dodge City, circa 1870, than a fair and dependable marketplace. Cowboys, bushwhackers and outlaws roamed the fertile plains of on-line auction sites; Oriental crime gangs offloaded wagon loads of fakes with impunity; http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2016/06/i-launched-this-blog-on-june-28-th-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-6866697667327767490Mon, 21 Mar 2016 07:37:00 +00002016-03-21T15:39:07.641+08:00 Original watch catalogues are very useful in identifying and discovering information about particular lines of vintage watches, especially when accompanied with price lists of the time. They are a collectible in their own right and add to the richness and enjoyment of serious collecting. So when Jim Wilson acquired a 1955 Norman Morris Omega catalogue showing the entire men’s and http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2016/03/omega-norman-morris-catalogue-1955.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7336477841553034022Fri, 05 Dec 2014 22:41:00 +00002014-12-06T06:51:55.816+08:00 For some particularly strange and inexplicable reason, given that Oriental wrists are noticeably smaller than their European counterparts, Omega released a series of “Jumbo” Constellation watches in the Far East in the late nineteen-fifties and early nineteen-sixties (see post below and here).&nbsp; These 37mm diameter cases contained a spacer in which to embrace the 28mm automatic http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-14395-daddy-of-jumbo-omega.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8468630447389339442Wed, 26 Nov 2014 05:04:00 +00002014-11-26T13:12:04.957+08:00 For those who enjoy the heady rush of the chase, the ‘Jumbo’ model 14777 Omega Constellation has the potential to have your adrenal glands a-gushing. Be prepared to endure the infusion of brain chemicals that feed and reflect frustration though, because finding one will not be easy. The calibre 561 model 14777, at 37mm diameter with 19mm lugs is the forerunner to the Jumbo 168.001, and http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-omega-constellation-jumbo-14777.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7248643361447633137Sun, 02 Nov 2014 02:51:00 +00002014-11-17T20:11:36.774+08:00 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Omega Seamaster 200 Model 166.177 Courtesy Robert Maron If you didn’t realise its origins, a word coined http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/11/seamaster-200-model-166.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-5378408700935284812Sat, 30 Aug 2014 04:27:00 +00002024-07-09T15:49:46.667+08:00 Rare model 14382 Omega Constellation De Luxe with trenched chapter ring About eight years ago I compiled a database of all Omega Constellation models produced during the vintage era and included a range of more contemporary models up to 2003. Over the years I added numerous Constellation models that did not appear in the Omega Vintage Database to the extent that they now now represent http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/08/register-of-all-known-vintage-omega.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2212247208552398058Tue, 18 Mar 2014 12:21:00 +00002014-03-21T00:51:06.964+08:00 If you see an Omega Constellation model 14747 in the wild, stalk and run it down because you'll be one of the few people ever to hold this rare species in captivity.&nbsp; If you find two, consider a breeding program! &nbsp;If one happens to be clinging to the wrist of its custodian please use means of persuasion other than homicide to facilitate the separation process - the offering of money http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-elusive-omega-constellation-14747.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7601792254214834552Mon, 17 Feb 2014 00:46:00 +00002014-03-16T08:28:00.181+08:00 Over the years I have seen countless watch enthusiasts pass through the ‘accumulation phase’ of watch collecting. With the intemperance of a flock of Gormands at an All You Can Eat smorgasbord, they sup greedily at the eBay buffet, stockpiling as many variants on their plates as means allow.&nbsp; After all, more is better, and a collection isn’t a collection without numbers, right? &nbsp; http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/02/few-can-be-better-than-many.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-6126770792805832302Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:15:00 +00002014-01-09T08:16:55.253+08:00 If you want to know anything about British cased solid gold Omega Constellations of the nineteen-fifties and sixties, there is no point asking the Omega Museum because they have not kept comprehensive records. &nbsp;Instead, you are left with the option of trawling through the www and applying a &nbsp;sieve to hearsay, myth and&nbsp; fantasy in the hope of discovering some nuggets of fact. http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2014/01/british-omega-constellations-update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2767621346518524313Thu, 26 Sep 2013 03:33:00 +00002013-10-09T07:25:40.895+08:00 Any 14900 Omega Constellation case needs careful scrutiny because it is one of the most ubiquitous of the faked dog-leg lugged cases around. There was a bit of a lull on eBay for a while but I notice them creeping back from time to time, and It's hard to say if another batch has been shipped from the Orient or it's just the earlier ones being recycled. &nbsp; Never-the-less, extreme care http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/09/these-fake-constellation-14900-62-sc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-8361847507295616242Tue, 17 Sep 2013 03:15:00 +00002022-11-01T08:15:09.549+08:00 The Omega Constellation pie pan dial was so named because of its similarity to an up-turned pie pan. Sounds fairly plausible, or does it?&nbsp; If something is said often enough, especially on the internet, the chances of it ultimately being perceived as fact are relatively strong.&nbsp;We encounter endless factoids in the mass media where reporters report something as fact, the 'facthttp://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-omega-constellation-pie-pan-factoid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7992844823602919898Tue, 10 Sep 2013 23:25:00 +00002013-09-11T07:29:59.030+08:00 Omega Constellation de Luxe models are much sought-after by collectors. (See here for a comprehensive review of all models).&nbsp; A cut above ordinary 18 karat solid gold versions, they were aimed at the luxury watch-buying segment and were priced accordingly. The Constellation de Luxe featured a solid 18 karat gold case and 18k karat solid gold dial. Some examples were housed in solid http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-rare-special-order-omega-constellation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2990099382412571146Mon, 26 Aug 2013 05:26:00 +00002013-09-15T22:17:14.393+08:00 French 18 karat gold Constellations were cased in-country until the abandonment of the gold standard in the nineteen seventies, and the earliest models will always have the “Fab Suisse” (Made in Switzerland) appellation on the dial.&nbsp; I’ve seen many Seamasters and other Omega models of the nineteen-fifties with the “Fab Suisse” mark, but rarely have I encountered 1952 production, model http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-french-omega-constellation-2648-seen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-7435044183664079830Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:11:00 +00002013-08-16T18:17:21.374+08:00 People throw around the term ‘rare’ with as much zeal as a Matsusaka beef connoisseur, but rarely does the nomenclature live up to the timepiece so described. The word “rare” is almost as seductive as the words “new” and “sex”. It’s one of those trigger words that causes us to bypass our critical faculties, and that’s why it’s a favourite of all kinds of snake oil salesmen and some vendors http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/08/rare-accessorised-omega-constellation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-1237574223299390954Sat, 10 Aug 2013 07:35:00 +00002013-08-13T10:46:52.911+08:00 It’s amazing, but understandable, how important a loving father’s watch is when bequeathed to his son. I say “loving father” because over the years I have received countless emails from recipients of their father’s watches, and they seem to fall into two broad categories. The first category is of those who express a heart-felt desire to restore and wear the watch, and the second, a heart-felt http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/08/an-omega-constellation-restoration-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30329246.post-2417838921872288028Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:53:00 +00002013-07-11T12:59:31.129+08:00 There’s evidence that some British cased gold Constellations and also some imported Constellations were presented in boxes that were manufactured locally and differed from the standard Swiss issue. Some complete watch and box ensembles for British cased and imported Constellations did follow the normal trend (illustrated in this essay on Constellation boxes), however others didn’t, and http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/2013/07/and-while-were-talking-about-british.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Desmond)0