Vintage Watches UK

The Dial

M-I-N-T is the only appropriate term here. This 18ct solid gold, all-original, sunburst dial is simply perfect. Only under a loupe can some minuscule signs of ageing be noticed, though there is no chance of noticing it with the naked eye.

Dauphine hands hover above raised stick indices, all are solid gold, inlaid with onyx and entirely original. The burst grain is very fine forming a discretely mesmerising spectrum of lights and darks across the gold dial. This watch, as well as all other Monocoques, features a date register. Here, the aperture is framed in yellow gold and uses black Arabic numerals on a gold surface, in alignment with this model’s lavish personality.

The dial is signed and badged ‘Omega’ in solid gold. Beneath reads ‘Automatic’, ‘Chronometer’ and ‘Officially Certified’ all in black painted lettering. Below the hands is the title ‘Constellation’ as well as the renowned Omega Constellation star, of course, in solid gold.

The Case

The Constellation ‘Monocoque’ (translating to Monohull from French) was the given name to the references 168015 and 168025 due to their 1-piece case design. Remaining in production for just 3 years (1967 – 1970), examples are rare and all-original gold examples in a condition such as this are rarer. The case is accessed by compressing and removing the lens with ‘Tool-105’, as recommended by Omega on the back of the case. Because the lens is compressed and front-loaded, it sits with a tight seal against the inside of the case, making it highly water resistant. Most water resistant watches rely on rubber gaskets between the different case pieces to produce a reliable seal. When the pieces are separated and the gasket is removed, perhaps for a service, then replaced, the water resistance quickly deteriorates and will never be as good as it was from the factory. The Monocoques were said to have superior water resistance due to their single-piece case design and non-reliance on rubber gaskets because the compressed lens provided a more reliable and replicable seal.

The example we have here is entirely original, in fantastic condition and is solid Swiss 18ct gold. The edges are impressively well defined, meaning the watch has only received either zero or very light professional polishing and very little use for a 50 year old watch. The bezel is smooth, the lugs and sides are brushed and the case-back carries a very crisp Constellation motif. Also on the back is an original inscription which we have decided not to remove to maintain the watch’s originality. The Omega signed crown is very crisp and seems to have had very little use, although there is a small amount of play when setting the time which makes very little difference to the user’s experience. Pulling the crown to its second position activates the quick-set date mechanism, advancing the date once per pull.

The case-back interior is inscribed with the ‘Omega Watch Co’ triangle, ‘Swiss Made’ as well as Swiss 18ct hallmarks.

The Movement

Omega Constellation Monocoques were fitted with one of two movements, either the Cal.561 or the Cal.564. The difference is the 561 had no quickset system for its date register, here we have the more advance of the two calibres.

Powering this watch is a top of the line calibre from Omega... The Cal.564, 24 Jewel, Quickset Date, Automatic Chronometer. These vintage chronometer movements are highly collectable as they’re from was a time when the majority of manufactures struggled to produce models that met the high standards for Chronometer Certification set by the COSC. This made certified chronometers from this era much rarer than they are today. They were the prize models from the finest manufactures in the world.

The movement is in excellent condition and appears to have been serviced fairly recently, although our source tells us they didn’t service the watch and they received it in this condition, therefore we cannot verify. However, we can reliably tell you that this watch runs well within 10 seconds per day and is functionally impeccable. In true Omega fashion, the watch is a delight to use, and you can quite easily forget about the complex inner workings of the watch as it simply never comes up with a movement designed this well.

The movement is signed ‘Omega Watch Co’, ‘Adjusted to five (5) positions and temperatures’ and ’24 Jewels’. The calibre number 564 is clearly inscribed beside the balance wheel as well as the movement serial number 26725441 dates this watch to 1968 (as does the inscription on the case-back).

Strap & Buckle

This watch is fitted with a brown leather strap and matching gold-plated buckle. If a different strap would be preferred, I can fit an 18mm strap provided by the buyer at no extra expense.

Conclusion

The watch is sold as-is. The watch will take a next day tracked and insured delivery service for the UK, and a 3-5 day service for customers abroad.

Please do get in touch with a member of our team with any questions. We are always happy to talk shop and negotiate a price that everyone's comfortable with.