Quick answer
A $131.90 Omega Constellation is a replica. Genuine steel Constellations from the 1960s sell for $800 and up. Solid 18k gold examples sell for $2,500 and up. New Constellation models carry list prices above $5,000. In most listings the number 131.90 is the asking price, not a case reference. Some sellers show it as a reference number. Ask for a caseback photo either way.
What $131.90 buys
At that price a replica gets a plated case, a mineral glass crystal, and a bracelet with folded links. Plating on these watches runs about 3 to 5 microns. It wears through in 6 to 18 months. Plated cases weigh less than solid gold. A steel case with a gold bezel is a different watch from a solid gold case. Read the listing text, not just the photos.
Movement check
Vintage Constellation automatics use Omega calibers such as 551, 561, 564, 751, 1011, and 1021. Current models use Master Chronometer calibers 8800 and 8900. METAS tests each Master Chronometer movement for 10 days. The tests include a 15,000 gauss magnetic field and accuracy limits of 0 to +5 seconds a day. No replica at $131.90 passes that. Replica movements at this price are Seagull ST2130, Hangzhou 6300, Miyota 8215 in the better copies, and quartz in the cheapest.
Caseback and medallion
The Constellation caseback shows the Geneva Observatory with eight stars. Gold models use a solid gold medallion. Replicas stamp the image. Stamped images look flat and lose detail at the stars. Real medallions are raised. Gold cases carry Swiss hallmarks and the 750 stamp. Plated cases carry none.
Dial, hands, claws
- "Constellation" and the star sit below 12. Replica printing is thinner and the star has fewer points.
- The date window sits at 3 or 6, depending on the era. Replica windows sit off center.
- Since 1982 the Manhattan case has claws at 3 and 9. On fakes the claws do not line up with the crown.
- "Swiss Made" appears at 6 o'clock on genuine dials.
How to verify
- Ask the seller for photos of the caseback, the movement, and the clasp hallmarks.
- Take the watch to a watchmaker. A movement check takes minutes.
- Ask Omega for the case reference. Omega does not publish a public archive of every reference, so an answer can take weeks.
Legal note
US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit trademarked goods. Importing a replica Omega into the US is illegal. Resale carries civil liability.