The Omega Constellation: A Timeline from Pie Pan to Present Day

Jamie Morton Wednesday, June 12th, 2024 7 min. read

Omega commemorated its 100th anniversary in 1948 with the Centenary, the brand’s first automatic chronometer.  The solid gold limited production watch was so popular that, in 1952, Omega made it a permanent fixture of its catalog and gave it a chronometer-inspired name – the Constellation. The name is in reference to the unique case back, which often depicts an observatory and eight stars in the sky above it, each of which represents an achievement in precision timekeeping by the brand. Since its inception, the Constellation has acted as a flagship dress watch for the brand, and the first-ever Master Chronometer was part of the Constellation family. Read on to learn everything you need to know about one of Omega’s most enduring collections.

Omega Constellation Vintage to Modern: A Timeline

  • 1948: Omega releases the Centenary, the brand’s first automatic chronometer and the foundation for the Constellation.
  • 1952: Omega releases the Constellation.
  • 1964: The tonneau C-Shape case is released.
  • 1960s: The Constellation gets an integrated bracelet.
  • 1970s: Omega releases the first quartz Constellation.
  • 1974: The last Constellation with a Pie Pan dial is produced.
  • 1982: Omega Releases the Constellation Manhattan featuring “griffes.”
  • 2003: The Constellation gets the caliber 2500 Co-Axial movement.
  • 2015: Omega revives the Globemaster name for the world’s first Master Chronometer. a watch certified to gain between 0-5 seconds per day and resist magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss.
  • 2020: New generation of Constellation debuts, with ceramic bezel inserts and Master Chronometer certification.
  • 2024: Omega Constellation meteorite dials released.

The Omega Constellation Globemaster

Browse the Omega catalog, and you will find two different Constellation categories: the regular Constellation and the Globemaster.  Many might not know that the original Constellation also went by the name “Globemaster” in the U.S. for a short time during its early production.  The Lockheed Constellation Airliner already held the American copyright for the collection’s moniker, hence the alternative name, Globemaster, for the U.S. market.  However, once the copyright expired, Omega removed the name Globemaster in favor of Constellation for all watches in the collection.

One of the first re-launched Globemaster models. Image: Omega

Fast-forward to 2015.  Omega revived the Globemaster name as its own sub-collection, recalling many design elements from the 1950s, such as the distinctive Pie Pan dial, C-shape case, and fluted bezel. More notably, the Globemaster was the “world’s first Master Chronometer,” meeting the exhaustive standards for precision developed by Omega and the Swiss Institute of Metrology – aka METAS. Most notably, it must gain no more than five seconds per day and resist magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss.

Omega Constellation Pie Pan to Early Quartz: 1950s – 1970s

The current production Constellation is distinguished by claws called “griffes,” a flat dial, and a Roman numeral bezel. However, that isn’t how it always looked. Instead, the inaugural model was characterized by the unmistakable Pie Pan dial with sloped edges, a smooth round bezel, gently curved lugs, faceted arrowhead-shaped hour markers, and a 10-sided crown.

Photo by Noop1958 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

This design evolved considerably during the first few decades.  A more traditional round crown shape eventually replaced the faceted crown and is even “hidden” slightly on the side of the case on some models.  Depending on the production date, the case will have either curved, lyre, or dog-leg/grasshopper lugs, the latter of which was named after the sharp angle of the lugs.  It was also during this era that the tonneau C-shaped case designed by Gerald Genta came to market. 

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Although flatter dials replaced the Pie Pan dial, there is evidence of convex-shaped dials appearing well into the 1970s. Another common dial type on vintage models is the waffle pattern with a slightly raised texture. From there, many variations of the hands and hour markers exist, from elegant onyx indices and matching dauphine hands to traditional gold stick hour markers. Stainless steel, various types of gold, and even platinum models were available during this time, with some examples featuring a gold-capped finish. 

The vintage Constellation was accompanied by many rather remarkable bracelets, including luxurious Milanese, “beads of rice,” and brick-link bracelets on the gold models and even one of the earliest examples of an integrated bracelet, notably predating the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak released in 1972.

Omega Constellation with integrated bracelet
Omega made integrated bracelets before AP did.

There are also models on leather straps for collectors who prefer an understated watch. Powering early variations of the Constellation were the caliber 35X “bumper” movements, which didn’t rotate in a full circle but swung back and forth from one side to the other.  Eventually, those movements were replaced by the caliber 5XX movements with rotors that rotated in a full circle.

This era culminated with the quartz crisis of the 1970s, which resulted in many brands incorporating quartz movements into their catalog to compete with the affordable quartz watches flooding the market.  That included Omega and the Constellation, which was no longer produced with a mechanical movement but rather a chronometer-rated Swiss quartz movement.

 Quartz Omega Constellation
Photo by Omega-collector (CC BY-SA 4.0)

To recap, below are some of the most common variations for models produced between the 1950s and 1970s:

Case Type:Round, C-Shape, Monocoques Two-Piece Case
Lugs:Curved, Lyre, Dog-Leg/Grasshopper
Dial:Pie Pan, Flat
Crown:10-Sided, Fluted
Bracelet:Leather, Metal Bracelet, Integrated Bracelet
Movement:Manual-Wind, Automatic, Quartz
Metal Finish:Platinum, Gold-Capped, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, Stainless Steel
Omega Constellation Chjaracteristics: 1950s – 1970s.

The Constellation: 1980s – 1990s

The Constellation survived the quartz crisis, emerging transformed under the sharp eye of designer Carol Didisheim.  It still had a quartz movement but now featured the griffes and the sleek integrated bracelet that would go on to define the current production collection.  The griffes initially served a purpose, holding the crystal to the case and eliminating the need for a bezel.  This design gave the Constellation a very slim profile without sacrificing water resistance.

Omega Constellation Manhattan
Photo by AbdullahAlfowzan (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Omega started equipping the Constellation with mechanical movements again just a few years later, in 1984.  In the 1990s, the crystal was upgraded to sapphire and the Roman numeral bezel as we know it today began to take shape.

The Constellation: 2000s – Today

Around the early 2000s, the Constellation started using Omega’s self-winding caliber 2500 with a co-axial escapement. That brings us full circle to the Globemaster Constellation mentioned earlier in this guide, released in 2015 and the first watch to boast the distinction of a Master Chronometer.

Some modern Connies

These movements are certified twice, once by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) and again by the Swiss Institute of Metrology (METAS). They boast incredible anti-magnetism and precision and are among the top echelons of accuracy. The regular Constellation lineup first got Master Chronometer certification in 2020. There are now countless variations of the Constellation on the market, including various metal finishes, dial colors, automatic or quartz movements, men’s or women’s models (six sizes!), and even additional amenities such as a time zone function or small seconds.

Current-Production Constellation Specs:

Case Size:25mm, 28mm, 29mm, 34mm, 36mm, 39mm, 41mm
Metal Finish:Stainless Steel, Yellow Gold, Sedna™ gold, Canopus Gold™, Moonshine™ Gold, Stainless Steel/Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel/Sedna™ gold
Bracelet:Gold, Stainless Steel, Leather, Rubber
Movement:Automatic, Quartz
Crystal:Scratch-Resistant Sapphire
2024 Retail Price:$3,000 – $53,600
Current-Production Constellation Specs:

How Much is the Omega Constellation?

Omega has produced a stunningly vast array of Constellations since it was released in the 1950s.  Collectors interested in vintage entry-level Omegas will find the stainless steel Constellation the most approachable, with references like ref. 14900 trading hands for as low as $1,500. Alternatively, vintage Constellations with Pie Pan dials are among the most prized and command a slightly higher premium.

Beautiful vintage Pie Pan Connie
Beautiful example of an early “Connie.” Image: Omega

For example, stainless steel ref. 2782 with a Pie Pan dial resells for around $3,500, while a similar all-gold model from the same era might trade hands for at least $7,000. One of the least expensive options in the current production lineup is the 36mm stainless steel Constellation with a quartz movement for $3,000. The most expensive current production Constellation, meanwhile, would be a solid gold meteorite-dial version (either Sedna gold or Moonshine gold) that came out in 2024 with a $42,400 price tag.

Meteorite dial gold model
The most expensive current Constellation has a suggested retail price of $42,400. Image: Omega

The Constellation might not be as popular among North American collectors these days now that the Speedmaster and Seamaster exist, but that doesn’t make it any less collection-worthy. Plus, notably, it seems to get more attention in Asia. It has provenance as Omega’s first automatic chronometer and as one of the first watches to ever sport an integrated bracelet, plus it’s generally one of the most affordable models in the Omega catalog. And there’s certainly no shortage of Constellation models to choose from.

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Read More About How Much Omega Watches Cost:
What is the Price of an Omega Speedmaster?
What is the Price of an Omega Seamaster in 2024?
Are Omega Watches a Good Investment?

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