Hey gang,

I like mechanical watches, especially Omega watches. A few years ago, I found this watch at a collector's show in Houston. This particular model is especially sought after by Omega collectors due to the "pie pan" dial (face) of the watch. Also, the Constellation model was the flagship of the Omega line back when this was made in the 50's. This watch was a certified chronometer, meaning it kept time to within strict standards, based on astronomical measurements (hence the observatory on the back of the case).

After wearing it for a bit, I decided to send it back to the Omega factory and have it restored. I wanted one made near my birth year, and this looked like a good candidate. I sent it to Switzerland last December, and earlier this month (on the day I was celebrating my 49th birthday - is that fate?) here's what I received, a newly restored 1958 Omega "Pie Pan" Constellation. My love of watches has been rekindled.

To keep this somewhat on topic, I took this with the K20D and the Tamron 90mm macro. (I need to work on my technique and depth of field.)









BTW, for an interesting story of how mechanical chronometers came into being, check out the book Longitude by Dava Sorbel. It's a fascinating and well written story about the British government "x-prize" in the early 1700's to solve the problem of how to accurately measure longitude in navigation. Out of that came the mechanical chronometers of today.

[JETninja]

Very cool....I dig them too though not a collector. 49 here too.. Nice pics!

[paolojackson]

VERY nice watch! I am from Houston also, and strangely enough, I have actually read Longitude, but it was probably several years ago.

[Tom S.]

I wanted one near my birth year too. They sent me a sun dial.


Nice looking watch btw.

[rfortson]

Very cool....I dig them too though not a collector. 49 here too.. Nice pics!

Thanks! 1959 was a fine year.

VERY nice watch! I am from Houston also, and strangely enough, I have actually read Longitude, but it was probably several years ago.

Hey Paolo, I'm in Clearlake. There are several people on this forum from Houston. We should all get together sometime.

BTW, I read Longitude several years back on a tip from my wife. I actually saw Harrison's chronographs (H2?) in Greenwich/London back in 2001 (I was in England on 9/11 - very surreal). It's amazing to think that what he started wound up in something this small.

I wanted one near my birth year too. They sent me a sun dial.


Nice looking watch btw.

Now that's funny!

[Lowell Goudge]

Very nice

Have you ever had a Beauchat?

[rfortson]

Very nice

Have you ever had a Beauchat?

No, I haven't. I was just looking at them on the internet. Very interesting watches. Do you have one? They look pretty solid.

[Marc Langille]

Very cool images Russ! I love watches, although it's luckily not like LBA...

Cheers,
Marc

[ftpaddict]

I absolutely LOVE Omega watches! (and Porsche Design)

I'd love to own an Ulysse-Nardin, but I'd have to sell both my kidneys and half a pea-brain to be able to afford the little hand alone.



To keep it on-topic, stopping down + tripod sure helps!

[rfortson]

Very cool images Russ! I love watches, although it's luckily not like LBA...

Cheers,
Marc

Thanks Marc. WBA, LBA, CBA, it's all the same.
Actually, it's telling (what...I'm not sure, but telling) when you compare the cost/value of this object to an object from another obsession. For example, is this watch worth a DA*300? How about a DA*50-135? How about the K20D? or the K100D? I tend to compartmentalize my obsessions, but it's fun to compare sometimes.

I absolutely LOVE Omega watches! (and Porsche Design)

I'd love to own an Ulysse-Nardin, but I'd have to sell both my kidneys and half a pea-brain to be able to afford the little hand alone.

Vintage is the way to go! To me, this watch is the equal or better of many of the new Omega watchs, and it cost much less (not cheap, but nowhere near retail either). I found a Universal Geneve watch and a Girard-Perregaux watch, both in excellent condition, for very cheap. Of course, now their new watches go for several thousands. However, I've never really seen a vintage UN. I'd love to have their "Equations of Time" watches...or a new Aston Martin. They cost about the same, don't they?

To keep it on-topic, stopping down + tripod sure helps!

Hmmm...maybe I should try that.

[Lowell Goudge]

No, I haven't. I was just looking at them on the internet. Very interesting watches. Do you have one? They look pretty solid.

2 actually, one for me one for the wife, bought them in mid 90's when we lived in france,

Unfortunately mine had the crown and post pop out, and then get wet. Needless to say, I need a new movement.

My wife's works just fine.

The company closed I believe in about 2001-2 and I can't get mine repaired, although I would love to.

[JimmyA]

Fantastic shots ... very cool stuff. I love timepieces!

Nice watch Russ and nice story.
My watch of choice is a Doxa sub300t. This is a re edition of a dive watch that Jacques Cousteau helped develop. I wanted one for the longest time and three years ago, my wife surprised me with one for the December holidays.
Gary

[rfortson]

Nice watch Russ and nice story.
My watch of choice is a Doxa sub300t. This is a re edition of a dive watch that Jacques Cousteau helped develop. I wanted one for the longest time and three years ago, my wife surprised me with one for the December holidays.
Gary

I assume you're a Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt fan. My wife loves those books and that's the watch that Dirk Pitt wore. She almost (almost) sprung for one of the re-issues when they came out. They are cool looking watches. Post a picture of it!