The story · Since 1948
The story of the Omega Constellation
Before the Speedmaster, the Constellation was the Omega to get: launched in 1952 as a family in which every watch was a certified chronometer, it carries an observatory under eight stars on its caseback. Thirty years later a 26-year-old designer gave it the four claws it still wears.
- 1948 to 1952 From Centenary to series chronometer For its 100th anniversary in 1948 Omega made the Centenary, an automatic chronometer that Omega says was produced in 6,000 solid gold pieces.
- 1952 to 1967 Bumper rotors and pie-pan dials The first Constellations used bumper automatic calibres 351, 352 and 354, replaced four years later by calibres 500, 501 and 505.
- 1964 to 1981 Integrated bracelets and early quartz By the mid-1960s flat dials and new case shapes replaced the pie-pan.
- 1982 to 1994 The Manhattan gets its claws In 1982 Carol Didisheim's Constellation Manhattan replaced the bezel with four screwed claws at 3 and 9 o'clock that clamped crystal and gasket to an ultra-thin case.
- 1995 to 2014 My Choice, Double Eagle, makeovers In 1995 the Roman numerals moved from the crystal to the bezel and the My Choice campaign featured Cindy Crawford and Martina Hingis.
- 2015 to today Master Chronometers and flush claws The 2015 Globemaster brought back the pie-pan dial and was the first Master Chronometer.
8
stars over the observatory on every Constellation caseback since 1952
Worn by
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Chapters
- 1948 to 1952
From Centenary to series chronometer
For its 100th anniversary in 1948 Omega made the Centenary, an automatic chronometer that Omega says was produced in 6,000 solid gold pieces. Its success led Omega to build a whole collection on the idea, and the Constellation followed in 1952. It was named after the eight stars above an observatory on its caseback medallion.
- 1952 to 1967
Bumper rotors and pie-pan dials
The first Constellations used bumper automatic calibres 351, 352 and 354, replaced four years later by calibres 500, 501 and 505. Many wore the twelve-sided domed dial collectors call the pie-pan. Grand Luxe and Deluxe versions often came on gold bracelets such as the Reinhor brick bracelet.
- 1964 to 1981
Integrated bracelets and early quartz
By the mid-1960s flat dials and new case shapes replaced the pie-pan. In 1969 Omega presented refs. BA 368.0847 and BA 768.0803 as the first watches with bracelets truly integrated into the case, a system patented by Pierre Moinat. At Basel in 1970 the Constellation Electroquartz arrived with the Beta 21 quartz movement.
- 1982 to 1994
The Manhattan gets its claws
In 1982 Carol Didisheim's Constellation Manhattan replaced the bezel with four screwed claws at 3 and 9 o'clock that clamped crystal and gasket to an ultra-thin case. The idea came to product director Pierre-Andre Aellen from his bathroom mirror, held to the wall by claws. Quartz calibre 1422 came first, with automatic versions from 1984.
- 1995 to 2014
My Choice, Double Eagle, makeovers
In 1995 the Roman numerals moved from the crystal to the bezel and the My Choice campaign featured Cindy Crawford and Martina Hingis. The Double Eagle took Omega's co-axial calibre 2500 in 2003, the first Constellation to do so. A 2009 makeover refined the claws and bracelets and steered the Manhattan toward women's sizes of 29, 28 and 25 mm.
- 2015 to today
Master Chronometers and flush claws
The 2015 Globemaster brought back the pie-pan dial and was the first Master Chronometer. In 2020 a 41 mm Constellation kept the claws of the 1982 Manhattan as a design signature, with hands inspired by New York's One World Trade Center.
Worn by
Hodinkee shows a 1960 Constellation owned by Presley. Phillips records that he gave a gold Constellation to a fellow musician and Army veteran, and that it sold at auction in 2016.
Moments
The Manhattan's claws trace back to a morning shave: product director Pierre-Andre Aellen saw that his unframed bathroom mirror was held to the wall by eight claws and adapted the idea to hold the crystal without a bezel.
Because of restrictions on the Constellation name in the United States, Omega sold some Constellations there as Globemaster from 1953. Omega revived that name for the 2015 model.
At Baselworld 2015 the Globemaster became the first watch built to the METAS Master Chronometer standard, tested to run within 0 to +5 seconds a day after exposure to 15,000 gauss.
The Constellation Electroquartz f8192 Hz of 1970 cost CHF 5,400, the same as a new Volkswagen at the time.
Designed by
Working freelance for Omega from 1959, Genta refreshed the Constellation; auction houses credit him with the C-shape case that opened the third generation in 1964 with ref. 168.009, and Sotheby's also counts barrel-cased and pie-pan Constellations among his designs.
Carol Didisheim designed the Constellation Manhattan launched in 1982, with its four screwed claws at 3 and 9 o'clock and its integrated bracelet; a patent was filed on 26 May 1982 and published on 30 April 1985.
Generations and strap changes
- 2020Constellation 41 mm
41 x 13.5 mm with a ceramic bezel, 50 m water resistance and Master Chronometer calibres 8900 or 8901 (60-hour reserve, at least 15,000 gauss). The claws of the 1982 Manhattan, once clamps that held the crystal and compressed the gaskets, are now purely aesthetic.
- 2003Constellation Double Eagle
Launched at the Omega European Masters golf tournament and upgraded with Omega's first co-axial calibre, the 2500.
- 1983Ref. 398.0864
A steel Manhattan on quartz calibre 1422, the ultra-thin movement developed jointly with ETA that powered the first models. Fratello measures 32.5 mm across, 6.5 mm thick and 36 mm lug to lug.
- 1982Constellation Manhattan
Carol Didisheim's design with four claws, Roman numerals printed under the crystal and ultra-thin quartz calibre 1422, made with ETA. Omega made it its new flagship in steel, two-tone and gold.
Launched on an integrated bracelet with hinged links.
- 1969Refs. BA 368.0847 and BA 768.0803
Gents' and ladies' Constellations presented as the first watches with bracelets truly integrated with the case, using a system Pierre Moinat invented in 1964.
Two inner links slot into the case, so Hodinkee calls fitting a non-original band a non-starter.
- 1952First Constellation
A series-made automatic chronometer for men on calibre 354, with a star and the model name above 6 o'clock and the observatory medallion on a sealed caseback.