Omega - 354 Constellation Project

354 Constellation Project

I just thought I’d like to show you my latest acquisition - a 1954 Cal 354 Bumper Constellation in gold cap/stainless steel.

Recently, the previous owner contacted another forum to which I belong and asked for help in identifying his old grandfather’s watch. Once the back was removed it was clear that the watch was a relatively rare beast and the owner was told. He decided to put it on a ‘well known auction site’ for it to reach its true value but he informed me first as I’d expressed an interest. I was going out on the evening of the auction so I just bid the maximum I was comfortable with and left and I was somewhat surprised to find the next day that I had won (just).

This watch has some provenance – it was a long service award for the previous owner’s grandfather and when he died, it was passed down to another family member before being inherited by the previous owner. So the watch has been in the same family and used daily for 57 years! Despite some scratching and marking to the bezel and case, the watch is in remarkable condition and the movement looks lovely (despite having a screw missing). I can see that it has a generic crown but other than that it is in superb shape.

So the question is: how to proceed with the ‘restoration’. I am inclined to do as little as possible - maybe the following: (1) service and lubrication (2) new crown (I assume it would have had an Omega 4219 crown originally fitted) (3) new crystal (4) lightly clean the dial and hands (5) lightly polish the bezel and front taking care not to go through the gold cap (6) lightly clean the case back – the Constellation and Waterproof wording is still just visible and I’d like to keep it that way.

A QUESTION : I have heard that some Constellations had solid gold bezels and capped lugs – is the bezel on this model solid gold or is it just capped like the lugs?

Any comments on what I intend to do would be appreciated. Anyway, I hope you enjoy looking at it.

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My 2 cents

By: MSNWatch : February 15th, 2011-07:01

Bezel is gold not gold capped (AFAIK); lugs are gold capped/plated. I would change crystal and crown and service movement but that would be it for me. I would leave the dial, hands and case untouched. BTW, that's a pretty nice example you have there.

That must give you..

By: DeGeus : February 15th, 2011-07:05

..enormous pleasure. What a condition, the wearer seems to have been a caring person. Don' t know the answer ref. the bezel - only that Omega's gold-capping is normally pretty thick (40 to sometimes 80 micron). Cleaning the dial: you mean dusting it off w...

For every question...

By: gatorcpa : February 15th, 2011-13:36

...there should be an answer: Question: " I have heard that some Constellations had solid gold bezels and capped lugs – is the bezel on this model solid gold or is it just capped like the lugs? ... " I think that some are solid and some are not, dep...

Nice looking Connie.... and some answers...

By: Bill Sohne : February 17th, 2011-03:01

Hi Aroma Nice Connie.... The bezel on these models are solid 14k gold to the best of my knowledge. There is a big difference between gold cap / gold shield and gold plated. You can visually see a gold cap/ shield as you look at the back of the lugs you wi...