Tag Archives: Constellation

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale – Vintage 1960s Omega C-Shape Constellation w/Stunning BLUE VIGNETTE Dial

Contact me here to make this very special C-Shape Connie yours today! SOLD

On offer is this beautiful and uncommon circa 1968 all-stainless steel Omega C-Shape Constellation ref. 168.017 with original & ultra rare blue vignette/dégradé dial. For Omega, these vignette dials are primarily found in the later, small square Constellations of the early ’70s, and it is highly uncommon to find one in a C-Shape Connie.

This type of dial features a high gloss lacquer finish with a color tone beneath that grows darker the further it gets from the center, in this case a stunning blue colorway that transitions from bright cobalt to a deep navy at the edges. This example also features a very subtle, attractive but hard-to-see-without-a-loupe “spidering” or “ice crackle” effect when viewed from certain oblique angles, which is a common occurrence on these dials as the lacquer ages and contracts.

Accompanied by its long brick-link ref. 1040 bracelet, this is a very special steel Constellation for the sophisticated collector. And at a very ergonomic 34.5mm in diameter, it’s really suitable for any wrist size or gender, especially as the fashion trend in watches heads back to more modest dimensions. Overall, the watch is in Excellent vintage condition with a case that appears unpolished and the very special original Near Mint blue vignette dial being the most remarkable aspect. This Connie also features the highly regarded caliber 564 Chronometer movement with quickset date under the hood.

The star of the show on this Constellation is, of course, the quite rare vignette aka dégradé dial, with its hypnotic gradations of blue. It also features hand-riveted white gold bar markers, applied OMEGA and Omega logo, Connie star and faceted date window frame. This is a luminous dial with all the original tritium lume plots still intact and perfectly matching luminous hands, so it is correctly signed “T SWISS MADE T”. Featuring its original white printing, the only “flaw” one can ascribe to this beautiful dial is the aforementioned “crackling” of the glossy lacquer finish, which is only barely visible at certain angles with the naked eye and which a lot of collectors, including me, find quite handsome. Simply put, this is a gorgeous and endlessly appealing Constellation dial and if you are a fan of blue dial watches, as I am, this is about as good as it gets from an aesthetic perspective.

Contact me here to make this very special C-Shape Connie yours today! SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — March selection

The recent run of remarkable vintage Omegas continues into March with this stunning and ultra-funky 1969 Jumbo Constellation Day-Date. Featuring a large rectangular cushion style case and integrated bracelet that meets the case precisely at its widest point, this Connie is something of a precursor to other famous avant-garde integrated bracelet watches like the Gerald Genta-designed AP Royal Oak and Patek Nautilus. As a major design contributor for many Omega Constellations during the late 1950s and throughout 1960s who knows if there isn’t some Genta DNA in this model, as well?

Under that neo-futurist body beats the excellent caliber 751, arguably the last of Omega’s great in-house movements until the modern era. It was fully serviced in 2015 and features not only day and date complications but also a very cool quickest date function by repeatedly pulling the crown out to its second position. So once you set the day by full 24-hour revolutions of the hands it’s a piece of cake to match up the date, presto chango.

Its beautiful horizontally brushed Near Mint original dial changes tone in different light from pewter to bright silver and the watch as a whole is in Excellent vintage condition, showing little if any polish and displaying sharp chamfers. If you want to talk cheap thrills in the overheated vintage watch world this model of Connie has got be high up on the list. Space age cool combines with a fantastic analog heart to make for a premium piece that you’re not likely to see on anyone else’s wrist. Dig that!

Come and get it right now by checking out the full ad with many more pictures and complete condition report over at the always hopping Omega Forums’ Private Sales section. SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — July selection

Kicking off summer and this most patriotic month I have a real sparkler of a vintage watch on offer — a beautiful pink gold capped C-shape Constellation. Dating from circa 1966 this Mad Men-esque beauty features Omega’s bold, sweeping lug design that ushered in a new stylistic era for their flagship Constellation line. And this pink gold capped version is surely one of the more uncommon iterations.

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Furnished on its ultra-rare matching pink plated brick link bracelet, this Connie makes a stunning and refined impression on the wrist. Best of all all its various collector elements match perfectly: solid 14k pink gold smooth bezel, correct pink crown, solid pink gold Observatory medallion on the back, pink dial furniture and even a pink tension ring on the Omega-signed acrylic crystal! That sort of originality is pretty hard to come across in a 50-year-old watch.

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This Connie also features its original and beautiful silver non-luminous dial and matching non-luminous stick hands. I am big fan of this elegantly slim, almost minimalist dial and hands combo and I think once you strap it on you will be, too. To make matters even sweeter, the exceptional 561 Chronometer caliber was serviced recently and so is ready for years’ more faithful service to its new owner. Accuracy, rarity and uniquely classy style all at an eminently reasonable price — what more could you ask for in a vintage dress watch?

PGCapC-ShapeConnie-bk copy

Check out the complete ad with many more pictures and complete condition report over at the always excellent Omega Forums Private Sales corner. SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — September selection

Well here’s something you don’t find every day: a 55-year-old watch with its original boxes and papers! But that’s the case with this classic gold-capped vintage 1961 Omega Constellation that I’m offering this month. Not only is it in truly Excellent and unmolested vintage condition with no signs of polish, an all-original non-luminous crosshair dial and its original plated Beads of Rice bracelet but it’s also accompanied by its original double box-set and matching guarantee papers. And that turns an already cool vintage watch into collector grade just like that.

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Under the hood is the fantastic Omega automatic caliber 561, arguably part of the best family of mass-produced movements in the history of horology. It features 24-jewels, a semi-quickset date function and has 5 positional adjustments and one for temperature. This fine tuning enabled the 561 to pass its time-keeping tests with flying colors and that’s why it was such a successful movement for Omega’s flagship line, the always Chronometer-rated Constellation.

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Take affordability, elegance and mechanical precision along with classic early-60s Gerald Genta-designed vintage style and add then hard to find pieces of original provenance and you’ve got a special package for the discerning collector. That this Connie has survived for so long in such great original condition and still is paired with its factory packaging and paperwork is nothing short of magical. At least that’s the way I look at these sort of wonderful vintage watch finds. And if you’re reading this I bet you do, too.

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Check out the complete ad with many more pictures and full description over at the excellent OmegaForums.net’s Private Watch Sales section. BLOWOUT SALE

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — August selection, Pt. I

As a souvenir from my recent holiday in Sweden I managed to take home this brilliantly well-preserved vintage Omega Constellation from the early 1960s. While its classic gold-capped “dog leg” or “grasshopper”-lugged case in unpolished condition is awfully nice, the real star of the the show is the amazingly flawless and Mint original non-luminous dial.

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The dials of this era were prone to spotting or “pimpling” as they aged, which is certainly not the end of the world in vintage watch. But to find an example that has made it through its 50+ years without this defect is pretty remarkable.

GPConnieNoLume-move copy

Additionally, Omega’s movements by this point in their history are really some of the best mass-produced calibers in horology history. The 24-jewel, Adjusted to 5 Positions & Temperature, Chronometer-rated cal. 551 under the hood of this reference 167.005 Constellation is certainly no exception.

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All in all, a special piece for the discerning collector at a fair price befitting its outstanding overall quality. Better jump on it quickly!

You can check out the complete ad with many more pics and full condition report over at the excellent OmegaForums’ Private Sales Corner.  SOLD