Yahoo Lifestyle Collecting Time: 5 Exceptional Universal Genève Watches to Buy Now
We are always scouring the web for the most amazing watches currently available, and each Friday we share five standout pieces with you.
Late last year we published a thought-piece in which we projected that Universal Genève could become the most important watch brand of the 21st century. It’s a company with a storied history on par with that of Rolex and Patek Philippe, and still UG kind of flies under the radar. This failure to break through to the main stream has mostly to do with the company being largely inactive since the quartz crisis of the 1970s, which caused Universal Genève eventually to shutter, but it also has to do with some pretty lame watches issued by it’s Hong Kong-based holding company in the final decades of the 20th century. For serious watch collectors, however, owning certain UG references—especially the Tri-Compax and Aero-Compax models—has remained a right of passage into the elite realms of watch collecting.
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After remaining a mostly inactive IP package for decades, in late 2023, Breitling CEO Georges Kern announced that he would helm a proper revival of Universal Genève. The watch world lit up with anticipation and, admittedly, some fears about what it would become.
At the end of this year, Kern announced three watches from the newly revived Universal Genève under his leadership. These were just three individual one-off watches, each a Polerouter housing a restored vintage movement, with two examples going into the UG archive and one going to auction at Phillips. The latter is listed below as one of the Universal Genève watches to go for in the coming months—a very exciting proposition that’s likely drive prices skyward.
To know the Universal Genève catalog is to enter a sophisticated realm of horological scholarship, but even a cursory glance at the five examples we’ve curated into this week’s list is a great way to dip a toe into what is arguably one of the most important Swiss watch brands to ever set an escapement into motion.
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Universal Geneve Compax ‘Evil Nina’ | $19,000
Universal Geneve produced some of the most distinctive chronograph references to come out of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and their lore is closely associated with some of the era’s biggest sporting figures. The Compax chronograph was among the purest expressions of the complication ever brought to life, using one of history’s great movements: the Valjoux 72. Universal Geneve had an innate ability to balance a simple, straightforward design with just enough interesting creative decisions to make for a design that felt practical, beautiful, and utterly unpretentious. Perhaps nowhere is that contrast better illustrated than in the so-called ‘Evil Nina’ reference 885103/01, a reverse panda take on the classic Nina Rindt panda configuration.
This reference 885103/01 comes to us from Wind Vintage, showcasing a remarkably crisp case with twisted lug that appears to be unpolished. The dial and hands show minimal age, retaining much of the original charm and brilliance of the design. The red timing hand is sharp and bright, serving as the single moment of color. This is one of the great references that set a foundation for Universal Geneve over the following decade, and examples like this are rare to come by.
Universal Geneve Compax Chronograph 22410/5 | €6,900 ($7000)
The Compax collection helped propel Universal Geneve to new heights after the brand moved to Geneva in the 1930s. The word represented the complications present, with the single Compax assigned to watches with tri-register chronograph complication (Uni-Compax featured dual registers). By the late 1960s, their chronograph design had matured with references such as this 22410/5 with broadsword hands, pump pushers, and a luminescent dial. The bezel-less 37mm case frames the dial, which balances plenty of complexity with ease. The design has aged beautifully, and this is exactly the kind of reference we expect to see brought into the modern era next year.
This Compax reference 24410/5 is available from Bulang & Sons, and appears to be in overall excellent condition. The dial has aged consistently, and features a lovely light brown patina with the original blue tachymeter well preserved. The spacious dial still feels refreshing to behold, and thanks to its size, should make for a lovely modern companion.
Universal Geneve Tri-Compax | $69,994
The Universal Geneve Compax collection peaks with the Tri-Compax, which is a reference to the watch’s trio of complications, a chronograph, calendar, & moonphase (not to its three sub-registers). Once again, we find a bevy of information presented in a beautiful and balanced manner, framed within a 36mm case. The design received a decidedly modern refresh in the mid-1960s giving us four highly influential references, including the 881.101/03 seen here, in 1968. The design culminated in a rarely seen teal dial reference 881.101/04 a year later. This design is prized by collectors for its bold graphic approach with wide hands, the use of primary colors, and slightly unusual layout that placed the day and month in apertures on either side of the dial, with the date and moonphase display nested at the top of the dial.
This Tri-Compax reference 881.101/03 currently finds itself on Chrono24 from a US based seller. While the case appears to have been polished, the overall condition is very good, particularly the dial and bezel. This is a rare watch to come across these days and represents the pinnacle of Universal Geneve sport watch design language. This is likely at the top of many enthusiasts lists to receive a revival from the modern brand next year.
Universal Geneve Aero-Compax | $10,950
The Aero-Compax is a historic name in the Universal Geneve catalog, with appearances dating back to the 1940s. Intended for pilots, this is a chronograph that uses a 15 minute totalizer for pre-flight checks, and a dial scaled to 24 hours with a rotating bezel displaying the same 24 hours, giving the wearer the ability to track two separate time zones. This example dates to the 1960s, and utilizes an oversized 41mm case (which appears to be unpolished here), and a bi-tone bezel for easy reading. The design comes together beautifully with a healthy negative space around the dial to keep everything proportional to the location of the sub-dials.
This Aero-Compax reference 890101/01 comes to use from Craft + Tailored, and features a personal caseback engraving, creating some provenance to Christmas of 1969. The modified Venus Cal. 178 appears to be in good working order, and the case unpolished. This is a great example of an unexpectedly awesome moment of UG’s history.
Universal Geneve Polerouter SAS Tribute – To Be Auctioned
Finally, as you’re likely well aware, Universal Geneve announced a trio of new Polerouter references last year, including a white gold example with a hand-crafted bracelet. None of the three watches will be available to purchase, with the exception of the one of one white gold creation, which is set to be auctioned by Phillips in May of this year. The watch features a period correct 35mm case with a twisted lug design, and a brilliant blue dial surrounded by a guilloche chapter ring. The bracelet was created by Laurent Jolliet, the last chain-maker in Switzerland, and is in itself a true work of art.
The new Polerouter is a preview of what we might expect when the brand launches properly with commercially available watches next year, and if this is any indication, we have plenty to be excited about. There’s a healthy dose of history and art deco brilliance, and in this instance, a classic Gerald Genta design.
Please note that we are not affiliated with the sellers of the watches we recommend. We may point out aspects of a listing that we feel are positive, but only you can vet a seller. We can recommend viewing our video “How to Collect It: Vintage Watches” to glean some best practices, however.
