Trying to determine the value of an Omega Constellation ca.1965

J
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I recently inherited an 18KT Gold Omega Constellation Automatic Watch.
A Helena jeweler opened the back and found the serial # and other numbers as listed.
On back cover inside: 18KT/0.750 [168045 (possible serial #)] 352
Inside Mechanism numbers: 29085995
Total weight (including movement): 5.25 ounces.
Condition is quite good. Still keeps time. Very light scratches on the band. Crystal, etc. is in excellent shape.
I know that an accurate appraisal is not possible by way of the internet. I live in the mountains of Montana.
Hell, our Sate Capitol of Helena only has about 50,000 residents. Most big cities have more people than we have in the whole state. Point is; no way to get a value placed on the watch here!
Could someone help me find a ballpark value and a reputable person within a reasonable distance who could determine an accurate value?

Thanks;
Jim
 
dsio
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JPL
I recently inherited an 18KT Gold Omega Constellation Automatic Watch.
A Helena jeweler opened the back and found the serial # and other numbers as listed.
On back cover inside: 18KT/0.750 [168045 (possible serial #)] 352
Inside Mechanism numbers: 29085995
Total weight (including movement): 5.25 ounces.
Condition is quite good. Still keeps time. Very light scratches on the band. Crystal, etc. is in excellent shape.
I know that an accurate appraisal is not possible by way of the internet. I live in the mountains of Montana.
Hell, our Sate Capitol of Helena only has about 50,000 residents. Most big cities have more people than we have in the whole state. Point is; no way to get a value placed on the watch here!
Could someone help me find a ballpark value and a reputable person within a reasonable distance who could determine an accurate value?

Thanks;
Jim
Can you post a couple of photos?

Does it look anything like this:

Screen Shot 2011-10-08 at 9.07.38 AM.png
 
dsio
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Incidentally I've moved this to the Vintage Omega topic.
 
U
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The serial number on the movement dates it to 1970. A solid gold watch like that has got quite a bit of value in spot price alone. Got pix? Oh, and have it serviced so it's clean and oiled properly so you don't ruin the internals.
 
J
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Diso,
Yes, it looks almost exactly like that! I don't have it in front of me here, but the only thing that I can't be sure of is whether the ring around the crystal has those indentations. I'll check when I get to the cabin. I don't know how to put a picture on the net. Maybe someone could do it for me.

Thanks,

Jim
 
dsio
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JPL
Diso,
Yes, it looks almost exactly like that! I don't have it in front of me here, but the only thing that I can't be sure of is whether the ring around the crystal has those indentations. I'll check when I get to the cabin. I don't know how to put a picture on the net. Maybe someone could do it for me.

Thanks,

Jim
If you email the pics to [email protected] I can upload them for you.
 
J
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Dsio,
Ooops! Sorry about the name screw up🙁

I think I may be able to get someone to take a picture. A fellow about 20 miles from my place has one of those electronic cameras. I'll try to get it done.

Jim
 
Trev
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JPL
I live in the mountains of Montana.
Hell, our Sate Capitol of Helena only has about 50,000 residents. Most big cities have more people than we have in the whole state. Point is; no way to get a value placed on the watch here!
Could someone help me find a ballpark value and a reputable person within a reasonable distance who could determine an accurate value?

Thanks;
Jim

Hey Jim. Welcome to Omega Forums. Sounds like you live in a very nice place. Is your property big enough for any hunting? 😀

I'm sure Ashley (dsio) or someone can you help get the photos posted for a positive ID and value.
 
J
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Trev,
Town is Lincoln. On the border of 5.5 million acres of wilderness (Bob Marshall-Scapegoat-Great Bear). Been an archer for 55 years. Shot my first tournament at age14. Don't gun hunt. Get a bull almost every year. If you are into scoring, my biggest was 351 back in '86 and in '04 (that's 18 years later) I got my second, " Once in a lifetime bull." that scored 344. I seldom buy meat. At age 69 I'm slowing down a little but I can still walk the legs off the young flatlanders that come out to hunt. Drew on little rag-horn last wednesday but didn't loose the arrow. It's a little rermote up here (130 miles to WalMart) but I can leave my doors unlocked. If someone breaks in, there's lots of ground to bury 'em in 😀

Dsio,et.al.:
After getting a better look at the watch. Yes, it is the same watch that you showed me; indentations and everything! Any idea of value?

Jim
 
dsio
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JPL
Trev,
Town is Lincoln. On the border of 5.5 million acres of wilderness (Bob Marshall-Scapegoat-Great Bear). Been an archer for 55 years. Shot my first tournament at age14. Don't gun hunt. Get a bull almost every year. If you are into scoring, my biggest was 351 back in '86 and in '04 (that's 18 years later) I got my second, " Once in a lifetime bull." that scored 344. I seldom buy meat. At age 69 I'm slowing down a little but I can still walk the legs off the young flatlanders that come out to hunt. Drew on little rag-horn last wednesday but didn't loose the arrow. It's a little rermote up here (130 miles to WalMart) but I can leave my doors unlocked. If someone breaks in, there's lots of ground to bury 'em in 😀

Dsio,et.al.:
After getting a better look at the watch. Yes, it is the same watch that you showed me; indentations and everything! Any idea of value?

Jim
Nope, I don't but they're not exactly common. We do have a few guys that probably do know, and if you're sure its the 18kt gold version of the one I posted above, they could probably give you a ballpark based on that, but condition plays a big role in it.

Its not a bad watch at all, Desmond at http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/ from memory has a bit of a soft spot for them, though personally they're not my favorite case style.
 
J
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Ashley,

Thanks for the info. I went to the site you gave me and I couldn't see a way to actually contact Desmond. There was a listing of "experts with answers" which appeared to be a website for making money by telling people what they want to hear. Any input on those kind of places? Are they like the phone sex places where people pay to hear what they want to hear or are they for real? Are the "experts" real???
Jim
 
Trev
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Jim, the experts are definitely here, it's just a matter of getting their attention. 😀

Sounds like you have a great property. I'm only just getting in to hunting here. It's far more difficult in Australia with restrictive licensing and paperwork at every turn. I'd like to eventually get another compound bow (I had one when I lived in Canada).
 
Steve
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Sounds like you're getting home sick Trev !.. 😁
 
U
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JPL
Are the "experts" real???

Jim, the value of that watch is tied to the value of the gold which is probably a few thousand dollars at this time. As mentioned earlier in the thread, it's a nice watch with a solid movement but not as popular as most of the more traditional looking Constellations (ie: round case, pie pan dial). Desmond pops by the forums when he can. His real world job keeps him pretty busy.
 
Trev
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Australia is a bit of a nanny-nation, overrun by bureaucracy, and that's my only real complaint about living here. The climate, culture, and everything else is perfect. It's a great home-base 👍
 
Steve
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Uk is no better. And the climate sucks !. 👎
 
dsio
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Probably not what you were hoping to hear, but this design probably does have more gold in it than the traditional round case constellations, pushing the value up a bit. Maybe it will come back in style one day, but I'm not overly hopeful, shame though.

Incidentally this bad news means its probably still several thousands of dollars in melt value, so financially not bad, horologically very sad.
 
J
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To all you folks that offered your help, I extend a heart felt "Thank You" for providing your time and knowledge. I will try to sell it locally to one of several gold buyers in the area.

Over and out;

Jim
 
dsio
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To all you folks that offered your help, I extend a heart felt "Thank You" for providing your time and knowledge. I will try to sell it locally to one of several gold buyers in the area.

Over and out;

Jim
If you do, make sure you shop it around, and be sure to get the right price, some of them will try to rip you off royally. Check the spot price for gold online, weigh it, factor that its 75% pure, and subtract a bit for the movement/dial etc.

Also once you've got an idea of the gold price, /see/ if a watch dealer will give you any more for it as a watch than as scrap.
 
U
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Yes, try to sell it as a watch after finding out what it's scrap value is. If you do scrap it, make sure you keep the other parts. The dial, hands, and movement can be sold for an extra few bucks. Good luck!
 
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