How can I tell if a vintage Omega Constellation ST 168 0056 is authentic?

Start with the whole watch: a stainless steel C-shape case, silver brushed or sunburst dial, applied baton furniture and observatory medallion. Then confirm that the movement is caliber 1011 or 1012 and that its serial sits plausibly within the approximate Omega table.

What movement is in the Omega Constellation ST 168 0056?

Handled examples use automatic caliber 1011 in 1971 and 1972, and caliber 1012 in 1973. Both are supported for ST 168 0056. A caliber match alone does not prove that a particular movement and case left the factory together.

How large is a used Omega Constellation ST 168 0056?

Observed cases measure 34 to 35 mm excluding the crown. That one-millimetre spread may reflect measurement differences across individual watches, so it should not be treated as proof of a separate case version. The C-shape form gives the watch more wrist presence than the diameter alone suggests.

Which dial should I choose on a vintage Omega Constellation ST 168 0056?

Choose the cleanest honest silver dial with its vertical brushing or sunburst texture still coherent. Crisp printing, applied baton indices with black inserts and correctly seated furniture matter more than minor oxidation on the hands. Avoid a glossy or flat redial.

Is the observatory medallion important on this Constellation?

Yes. The observatory medallion is a defining caseback component on ST 168 0056 and its remaining definition helps show how the caseback has been treated. Heavy wear or polishing reduces both visual integrity and market appeal.

How do I date an Omega Constellation ST 168 0056?

Use the movement serial against Omega's approximate serial ranges, allowing a margin of one to three years. The reference has been handled in watches dated from 1971 through 1974. A plausible serial supports a date but does not establish that the case and movement are a factory pairing.

What condition problems affect the Omega ST 168 0056 most?

A redial is the costliest fault, followed by a C-shape case polished until its transitions become soft. Worn caseback medallion detail, hand oxidation and dark or disturbed luminous material also require accurate description. None should be hidden behind a blanket claim of originality.

Is a serviced Omega Constellation ST 168 0056 automatically a better buy?

No. Service can address mechanical performance, but it cannot restore erased case geometry or recover an original dial surface. Without a dated receipt, the service history is unknown, and a timing result describes performance only at the moment of testing.

Omega Constellation ST 168 0056 Reference Guide

The Omega Constellation ST 168 0056 is a compact steel chronometer whose value rests chiefly on an honest brushed silver dial and a crisp C-shape case.

Omega - Constellation 'Serviced' - ST 168 0056

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Omega - Constellation Chronometer - No reserve price - ST 168 0056 - Men - 1972

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The Constellation ST 168 0056 puts early 1970s Omega chronometer watchmaking into a compact stainless steel C-shape case. Examples handled from 1971 to 1974 measure 34 to 35 mm without the crown, so the watch wears as a restrained dress piece rather than a modern sports watch.

The version to want has a clean silver dial with its vertical brushing or sunburst finish intact, applied baton indices with black inserts, and a distinct observatory medallion on the caseback. A refinished dial costs more in lost value than minor hand oxidation or ordinary case wear, while softened case geometry cannot be returned by servicing.

Collector's guide to Omega

Reference

ST 168 0056

Model

Omega Constellation

Known production years

1971-1974

Observed case diameter

34-35 mm excluding the crown

Case material	Stainless steel
Observed movements	Automatic Omega calibers 1011 and 1012
Caliber 1011 jewel count	23 jewels
Observed dial finish	Silver vertical brushing or silver sunburst
Case form	C-shape
Caseback detail	Observatory medallion

What it was built for

The ST 168 0056 was built as an automatic Constellation chronometer with a date display, combining precision-focused mechanics with the C-shape case used in the early 1970s. Watches handled from 1971 and 1972 use caliber 1011, while a 1973 example uses caliber 1012. Both calibers belong within the evidence for this reference, but that does not make every loose movement and case a correct pairing.

Its silver dial is functional rather than decorative excess. Black inserts in the baton indices and stick hands sharpen contrast, while the vertically brushed or sunburst surface changes with the light. The applied Omega logo and Constellation star give the dial depth without compromising legibility.

Where the value sits

The dial carries the largest share of value. Intact brushing, crisp printing and correctly placed applied furniture matter more than a polished crystal or a claimed service, because a redial removes the surface that defines this reference. A genuine service dial is different from a redial, but it is still a replacement and should be described as such.

Case quality creates the next meaningful spread. The C-shape profile needs clear transitions around the lugs, and repeated polishing makes those transitions soft and the case visually smaller. The observatory medallion should remain distinct on the caseback. Between a sharp case with minor hand oxidation and a glossy case paired with a suspiciously fresh dial, take the former.

What goes wrong

The worst fault is a refinished silver dial, especially where the vertical brushing has been replaced by a flat or inconsistent surface. Printing can also lose its crisp relationship with the applied Omega logo, Constellation star and baton furniture. Darkened luminous tips and minor oxidation on the stick hands occur on handled examples, but they matter less when the dial remains honest.

Over-polishing softens the C-shape case and erases the transitions that give this reference its identity. Caseback wear can weaken the observatory medallion, while an integrated steel mesh bracelet must fit the case coherently rather than disguise an improvised assembly. A watch combining incompatible period parts is franken; a case and movement taken from different watches is married. The service history is unknown unless supported by documentation.

Dating this watch

Serial range / caliber	Year	Note
1000000	1902	approximate, ±1-3 years
2000000	1908	approximate, ±1-3 years
3000000	1912	approximate, ±1-3 years
4000000	1916	approximate, ±1-3 years
5000000	1923	approximate, ±1-3 years
6000000	1925	approximate, ±1-3 years
7000000	1929	approximate, ±1-3 years
8000000	1935	approximate, ±1-3 years
9000000	1939	approximate, ±1-3 years
10000000	1944	approximate, ±1-3 years
11000000	1947	approximate, ±1-3 years
12000000	1950	approximate, ±1-3 years
13000000	1952	approximate, ±1-3 years
14000000	1954	approximate, ±1-3 years
15000000	1956	approximate, ±1-3 years
16000000	1958	approximate, ±1-3 years
17000000	1960	approximate, ±1-3 years
18000000	1961	approximate, ±1-3 years
19000000	1962	approximate, ±1-3 years
20000000	1963	approximate, ±1-3 years
21000000	1964	approximate, ±1-3 years
22000000	1965	approximate, ±1-3 years
24000000	1966	approximate, ±1-3 years
25000000	1967	approximate, ±1-3 years
26000000	1968	approximate, ±1-3 years
28000000	1969	approximate, ±1-3 years
31000000	1970	approximate, ±1-3 years
32000000	1971	approximate, ±1-3 years
33000000	1972	approximate, ±1-3 years
35000000	1973	approximate, ±1-3 years
37000000	1974	approximate, ±1-3 years
39000000	1975	approximate, ±1-3 years
40000000	1976	approximate, ±1-3 years
41000000	1977	approximate, ±1-3 years
42000000	1978	approximate, ±1-3 years
43000000	1979	approximate, ±1-3 years
44000000	1980	approximate, ±1-3 years
45000000	1982	approximate, ±1-3 years
46000000	1984	approximate, ±1-3 years
47000000	1985	approximate, ±1-3 years
48000000	1986	approximate, ±1-3 years
49000000	1988	approximate, ±1-3 years
50000000	1990	approximate, ±1-3 years
53000000	1993	approximate, ±1-3 years
54000000	1995	approximate, ±1-3 years
56000000	1996	approximate, ±1-3 years
58000000	1998	approximate, ±1-3 years
60000000	2000	approximate, ±1-3 years

Dating data comes from our decoder tables; treat years as approximate.

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What to check before you buy

Dial construction and finish: The silver dial should retain coherent vertical brushing or a sunburst finish, with crisp printing and applied baton indices carrying black inserts. A flat, newly glossy surface or disturbed furniture points toward a redial or later intervention.
Hands and luminous material: Correctly observed stick hands carry black inserts and luminous tips, while luminous dots sit at the outer edge of the indices. Dark ageing and minor oxidation can be honest; a stark mismatch may indicate relume or replaced hands.
Case and caseback: The stainless steel case should retain a recognisable C-shape profile, and the caseback should carry a distinct observatory medallion. Soft transitions around the lugs and weak medallion detail are evidence of wear or polishing, not patina.
Movement and date coherence: Handled ST 168 0056 watches contain automatic caliber 1011 or 1012. Compare the movement serial with the approximate Omega year table and the 1971-1974 reference window, while allowing the stated one-to-three-year uncertainty.
Franken and married-watch risk: A correct caliber does not prove a correct watch. Dial finish, hands, case form, medallion and movement date must tell the same early 1970s story; incompatible period-correct parts can still make the watch franken or married.