1960's OMEGA Constellation prices

[HarryW]

Been browsing for while at the state of the vintage watch market and came to the conclusion that I want and need and early 60's Constellation Chronograph. I'm not too fussed whether its SS, gold capped or solid gold, Pie Pan or not, but 1961 would be really good.
However there are a lot and a mean lot of fakes or cobbled together bitsa watches out there. I've done all the background reading etc so think I can spot a genuine watch and have all the links to the reference materials. Problem being I've spent so long researching and looking the prices are starting to climb, not so long ago £300-400 pretty much had it covered, now the better watches seem to be £500 upwards on fleabay. Question can I still get one sub £400, surely a good SS one is only worth that or slightly less. Anyone know of any going and any advice on whether this is a blip on the price radar put here to frustrate me .

[HarryW]

J888SXY said:

pm me if you wish as I have a piepan I would be willing to let go. Gold capped and plain steel, lots of patina on dial, non-original non-Omega crown. Runs very well. Dunno year. Bought from well respected jeweller in Cape Town.

yhm

[HarryW]

GC8 said:

I wouldnt buy an old Constellation on eBay; especially now that the prices are climbing. I believe that the odds for you buying a decent original watch at a reasonable price are too low to consider it viable.

Where would you specifically recommend to look

[HarryW]

Yep looking at TZ

[HarryW]

Prices are still silly for the late 50's and early 60's stuff so I thought I'd start a collection and got a slightly later version for the moment. Its a pristine gold top 167.021 with a 712 Cal movement from the early 70's, very nice just waiting for it now.
I know some of the Constellation affectionardo's get a bit sniffy about non 500-600 Cal movements but the 712 was and I think remains the thinnest chronograph automatic movement made by Omega.

here's an identical one in similar condition in case you are wondering

Edited by HarryW on Wednesday 21st October 19:28

[HarryW]

No comments , Ok I realise it's not a seiko monster , but I like it, absolute quality you have to pay very dearly for now.

[HarryW]

CommanderJameson said:

Sorry, didn't see that you'd added pictures, Harry.

That's a lovely watch - really.

May I ask, to the nearest hundred, how much you paid for it? If you'd rather not say, that's fine.

I have a real hankering for a pie-pan Connie. Did they get made as late as 1972? (I'm thinking it'd make a fine birth-year-watch)

I will still get a classic 50/60's Connie, probably pie pan too, but will wait for the right one to come up hopefully sub £600, although they seem to be anywhere up to and exceeding the £1k mark. I repeat there are alot of cobbled tobgether ones out there amongst the genuine ones.

I got this one as a stop gap as its perceived as less desirable due to the 712 movement, tis a bit of a snobbish thing to me, as the movement was from Omega group and not the main Omega factory at the time. The model is from 1966-75 so you can pick up a 60's version, but they are generally a rare watch. I actually paid less than £250 for my one. The pictures linked are for one at a US dealer at $1k .

I actually think I'm hooked on early Omegas now having spent literally hundreds of hours researching them and will start collecting them. Interestingly the Connie, as the top of the range Omega watch is always a certified chronograph and in its day was more expensive than Rolex. However in today's second hand market older Rolexes reflect the current Rolex/Omega price superiority and not that of the day, all in all I think older Omegas will always increase in value so make a good buy.