Omega white gold Constellation bracelet

[oceandweller]

I know of a friend who collects only vintage Omega Constellations. So far, he has three in pink and the rest yellow. He intends to get one in white gold and it so happens, there is a white gold Constellation bracelet but with no watch, listed on the Bay.

Do you think he should first get the bracelet and later wait for the white gold watch to come or wait, for a complete set and that is the watch plus its bracelet, at the same time?

[Rolthai32]

Wait for the set better bet!

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by Rolthai32

Wait for the set better bet!

The seller if offering a white gold Constellation watch with its white gold bracelet and now, its asking price is beyond my friend's budget.

Which is the rarer of the two, a pink gold or a white gold one?

[mondodec]

Generally white gold on the C-Shape Constellation will attract higher prices than a pink gold.

Condition, of course, is the key both to value and collectibility.

Cheers

Desmond

Originally Posted by oceandweller

The seller if offering a white gold Constellation watch with its white gold bracelet and now, its asking price is beyond my friend's budget.

Which is the rarer of the two, a pink gold or a white gold one?

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by mondodec

Generally white gold on the C-Shape Constellation will attract higher prices than a pink gold.

Condition, of course, is the key both to value and collectibility.

Cheers

Desmond

mondodec

Your invaluable advice is indeed sound, since you are an expert.

There is one in white gold on the market but the expected price is rather high. Will its resale value be as good as the yellow or pink gold ones, since these two metals are more widely accepted by enthusiasts and collectors, generally.

From pictures only, how do you ascertain the condition of a watch?

[mondodec]

Generally speaking a white gold bracelet C-Shape will attract a premium of around 50% above a yellow gold one because they are uncommon (and also white gold is very much in vogue at the moment).

The cheapest should be yellow gold and red gold should attract a premium of around 10 - 15% above yellow gold.

You need to know the weight of the watch to assess its value. Let's take yellow gold with bracelet. Weigh the watch in grams. Deduct 18 grams for movement, crystal and crown. Convert grams to troy ounces and then multiply by .75 (18k gold = .75 of the weight of the watch and bracelet) and then multiply by the gold price to get the metal value of the watch. Then add around 400 - 1000 depending on the condition of the piece. There you have a realistic value for a yellow gold c-shape.

The premiums mentioned for white and red can then be applied to your base figure to ascertain if you're getting a good deal. The reason why I mention the above is that because values are quite erratic and they largely depend on either the avarice or the audacity of the seller.

This essay on C-Shapes will give you the basics of what you should look for in terms of condition. But you need to appraise the movement (which will either by a cal 561 or 564 depending on serial number) to ensure that it meet specifications. So have a look at this piece on the movement.

There really is no easy way to make an astute purchase of a vintage C-Shape watch, particularly an expensive one. Feel free to come back to this thread with pics etc if you need any further guidance.

BTW, make sure that the maximum wrist size of the watch coincides with your colleague's wrist size, as it is nigh on impossible to extend the size of these bracelets.

Cheers

Desmond

Originally Posted by oceandweller

mondodec

Your invaluable advice is indeed sound, since you are an expert.

There is one in white gold on the market but the expected price is rather high. Will its resale value be as good as the yellow or pink gold ones, since these two metals are more widely accepted by enthusiasts and collectors, generally.

From pictures only, how do you ascertain the condition of a watch?

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by mondodec

Generally speaking a white gold bracelet C-Shape will attract a premium of around 50% above a yellow gold one because they are uncommon (and also white gold is very much in vogue at the moment).

The cheapest should be yellow gold and red gold should attract a premium of around 10 - 15% above yellow gold.

You need to know the weight of the watch to assess its value. Let's take yellow gold with bracelet. Weigh the watch in grams. Deduct 18 grams for movement, crystal and crown. Convert grams to troy ounces and then multiply by .75 (18k gold = .75 of the weight of the watch and bracelet) and then multiply by the gold price to get the metal value of the watch. Then add around 400 - 1000 depending on the condition of the piece. There you have a realistic value for a yellow gold c-shape.

The premiums mentioned for white and red can then be applied to your base figure to ascertain if you're getting a good deal. The reason why I mention the above is that because values are quite erratic and they largely depend on either the avarice or the audacity of the seller.

This essay on C-Shapes will give you the basics of what you should look for in terms of condition. But you need to appraise the movement (which will either by a cal 561 or 564 depending on serial number) to ensure that it meet specifications. So have a look at this piece on the movement.

There really is no easy way to make an astute purchase of a vintage C-Shape watch, particularly an expensive one. Feel free to come back to this thread with pics etc if you need any further guidance.

BTW, make sure that the maximum wrist size of the watch coincides with your colleague's wrist size, as it is nigh on impossible to extend the size of these bracelets.

Cheers

Desmond

mondodec

The way your explanation goes, you know your subject-matter inside out. I have asked my friend to read it and he said, it is just amazing.

All right, all right we have to agree with you, the most common metal is yellow gold and from a collector's point of view or based on the general demand of enthusiasts, pink is better and white is best.

Your method of calculating is too scientific, for us to really understand.

On the market now, there is a white gold 18k white gold Constellation with its bracelet and for us, we think the price expectation of the seller is a little over the top. (I do not know, whether or not we will be allowed to discuss about price in this forum. However the watch can be found on the Bay.) The weight of the bracelet alone is 80.6 gms, while the weight of the watch is not mentioned. So, it is not possible for us to calculate the item's gold value - of course we are now going to melt the gold contents.

Based on the pictures, included in the listing, the watch appears to be in spectacular condition and glancing at the seller's feed-back, we think he is of repute. Like what many preach: 'buy the seller, first'. The seller is OK, the watch and bracelet are OK BUT we think, the expected price is definitely NOT OK! If it is OK, probably my friend's budget is not OK.

This is one of the pictures, included in the listing. Please advise, so we can learn.

[mondodec]

Yes, you're correct, we can't discuss values here, hence my suggesting a formula that you could use. You could ask the seller to weigh watch and bracelet for you and hence you could start off from a base point.

I wouldn't say pink is better, rather pink is a little more sought-after because of the current pink gold craze. However, far more yellow gold examples come on to the market and are snapped up because they offer great value in a vintage watch.

Compare the case to examples of original finish shown in the essay I pointed you to and you will notice that strong signs of the original finish remain on the watch head. Not much of the thin high-gloss chamfer on the sides of the case remains and so you can say that this model has very moderate patina. The dial is excellent and the movement is correct. It has the adjusted script on the rotor bridge and is one of the early C-Shapes. Slight scuff marks on the rotor but no rust on any of the steel parts or regulator - a very tidy movement. The gold markings on the case back are also correct, as are the stamps on the lugs.

So, the watch in question is a very nice example.

I checked out the listing and I know and respect the seller, hence I couldn't intercede in this transaction, other to say that a search of completed auctions of these pieces, perhaps with some of the watch auction houses, would help you perhaps establish an idea of value.

Cheers

Desmond

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by mondodec

Yes, you're correct, we can't discuss values here, hence my suggesting a formula that you could use. You could ask the seller to weigh watch and bracelet for you and hence you could start off from a base point.

I wouldn't say pink is better, rather pink is a little more sought-after because of the current pink gold craze. However, far more yellow gold examples come on to the market and are snapped up because they offer great value in a vintage watch.

Compare the case to examples of original finish shown in the essay I pointed you to and you will notice that strong signs of the original finish remain on the watch head. Not much of the thin high-gloss chamfer on the sides of the case remains and so you can say that this model has very moderate patina. The dial is excellent and the movement is correct. It has the adjusted script on the rotor bridge and is one of the early C-Shapes. Slight scuff marks on the rotor but no rust on any of the steel parts or regulator - a very tidy movement. The gold markings on the case back are also correct, as are the stamps on the lugs.

So, the watch in question is a very nice example.

I checked out the listing and I know and respect the seller, hence I couldn't intercede in this transaction, other to say that a search of completed auctions of these pieces, perhaps with some of the watch auction houses, would help you perhaps establish an idea of value.

Cheers

Desmond

mondodec

Your invaluable advice and informed knowledge about this Omega watch have been brought to the attention of my friend.

He can see the beauty and the potential of the white gold Constellation. Unfortunately, his budget does not allow him to own it. I have suggested that he should off-load one or two of his watches, so that he will be able to have enough funds to put this uncommon watch, amongst his collections. I have my doubt, he would do it.

This is a chance of a life-time, he is going to miss. Whatever, we value your sharing with us your vast knowledge about this subject.