A Delayed Reaction to the Return of Universal Genève
Breitling’s revival of Universal Genève may hinge on one model: The Polerouter.
The dust has settled, and reality has set in. By now, everyone in the watch community has heard: Universal Genève is officially back! I, for one, couldn’t be more excited about the revival, resurrection, and rebirth of one of my favorite vintage underdogs.
At this point, everyone has given their two-cents on the topic, and surprisingly, the skeptics are few and far between, with many praising Breitling for this move. UG has been a gateway watch for many of my generation. So the excitement is personal and palpable.
Stephen Pulvirent put it perfectly in a recent article stating, “Universal served as a gateway into real watch nerdery for many people at that time. The watches were complicated, but not too complicated; they could get kind of rare and pricey, but neither too rare nor too pricey; there was a ton of history, but still a lot to be discovered and understood.” However, what does this mean for both UG and Breitling?
“The pendulum always swings back,” a friend of mine used to say. In one of the most significant announcements of the year, the pendulum has swung all the way back to UG’s founding in 1894 as Breitling acquired the ailing watch house from Stelux Holdings, the Hong Kong-based company that has owned the brand since 1989.
In the ever-evolving landscape of watch brand resurrections, Universal Genève has long been a notable absence. The recent revival of Nivada Grenchen in 2018 has laid the groundwork for how a brand can not only be revived but also evolve. However, it is still to be determined if this endeavor will be deemed successful.
Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, acknowledged the significance of the task in front of them, stating, “As excited as we are, we are also fully aware of the task at hand and the profound heritage we are set to uphold.” Breitling, with its cult-like following of collectors, has the history, resources, and knowledge to revive the company, which has been a vintage collector’s dream for value and prestige.
Alfred Gantner, Co-Founder of Partners Group and Chairman of Breitling’s board, emphasized the historical importance of Universal Genève, referring to it as the “couturier of watchmaking,” celebrated for its in-house movements and legendary models. Partners Group, a Zurich-based private investment firm and the largest shareholder in Breitling, initially invested in the brand in 2017, and by 2022, it became the brand’s primary stakeholder in a deal valuing Breitling at $4.5 billion. Since Kern took the helm in 2017, Breitling has moved into the top 10 of Swiss watch brands by revenue, with sales approaching $1 billion in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley.
A Brief History of Universal Genève
Universal Genève once stood among the top Swiss watch houses, and was home to one of the earliest Gerald Genta designs, the Polerouter. Today, many consider the company a casualty of the quartz crisis. However, despite its challenges since the ’70s, the company has continued to attract collectors and enthusiasts alike over the years.
In 1894, Universal Genève was established in Le Locle, Switzerland, originally named Universal Watch. The brand’s journey included a transition to Universal Genève in the 1930s, gaining recognition for its chronographs, particularly the Compax line.
It is important to note that the term “compax” does not refer to the number of subdials – a still common misconception – but rather, the number or type of complications. In 1936, Universal Genève introduced the Compax chronograph, featuring two sub-dials displaying elapsed minutes and hours, along with a third sub-dial for running seconds. Despite the fact that this might be called a “bi-compax” today, Universal Genève themselves is not known to ever have used that term.
In the 1940s, the Uni-Compax was launched as an updated bi-register chronograph, replacing the Compur. The Uni-Compax featured elapsed minutes on the 3 o’clock sub-dial and going seconds on the 9 o’clock sub-dial. The pinnacle of the Compax collection came in 1944 with the Tri-Compax, boasting three functions: calendar, chronograph, and moonphase. Despite the chronograph functions being on two sub-dials, it was named Tri-Compax, with the sub-dial at twelve o’clock displaying both moonphase and a pointer date, flanked by day and month windows.
Under the ownership of Stelux Holdings, attempts at relaunching Universal Genève occurred in 1994 and 2005, yet the brand’s contemporary offerings did not match the glory of its mid-century heyday. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm of collectors persisted, sustaining interest through forums, social media, and dedicated communities.
Breitling’s leadership now takes the reins of one of the most anticipated revivals in the Swiss watch industry. Kern’s successful tenure at Breitling, marked by substantial sales growth and a strategic focus on historical models, positions him well for Universal Genève’s resurgence. Kern affirmed the meticulous nature of the revival process, emphasizing a dedicated team to oversee the separate operations of Breitling and Universal Genève.
The catalog of Universal Genève, featuring iconic models like the Polerouter and the “Nina Rindt” Compax, has garnered a devoted following. There is a romance to the vintage UG pieces. They stand out from watches made today, with their smaller case designs and intricate dials. Vintage UG gives off a very specific vibe. They are sophisticated, elevated, but also understated. They are the watch for the vintage collector, the curated, well-dressed man who enjoys an Old-Fashioned while discussing existentialism, but will also wake up early to go hunt. These watches belong next to a cigar, by a roaring fireplace, in front of a massive leather recliner. They are an absolute vibe.
Partners Group and Breitling recognize the immense opportunity presented by a proper revival, with plans to develop in-house movements while honoring the brand’s mid-century legacy. The approach mirrors Breitling’s successful “modern retro” formula.
The Watch that Made UG: The Polerouter
However, despite the love and following for the Compax line and the affordability of UG in the secondary market, the watch that will determine the future of the revival will be the Polerouter (or Polarouter).
At the age of 23, Genta was commissioned to design a watch commemorating Scandinavian Airline Systems (SAS) flights from New York/LA direct to Europe. This watch was designed to withstand the freezing temperatures of the Arctic and Antarctic but more importantly, the changes in magnetism as one gets closer to the poles.
On November 14th, 1953, SAS began flying from Copenhagen to LA directly over the polar circle, cutting flight time down from 36 to 22 hours. Upon landing at LAX, the flight crew was given the first Polerouters that featured SAS on the dial. These specific models are some of the most highly sought-after vintage watches in the world, with only a few hundred surviving to this day.
Despite the love of UG chronographs, how Breitling handles the Polerouter will ultimately decide the fate of this endeavor. Due to its connection to Gerald Genta and its prominence among collectors this will be the most scrutinized of all the models (assuming they do a remake).
The State of Vintage UG in The Market
Outside of the Polerouter, what also remains to be seen is how this will impact the vintage sales of UG. It doesn’t take long scouring the depths of eBay and Chrono24 to eventually find a vintage Universal Genève watch. Vintage UG has been the gateway watch for a great deal of collectors in the watch community. Many of which you can source under the $5,000 price range. Some of the lesser-known models, such as the FS1 (Ferrovie dello Stato) with an enamel dial, given to Italian railway workers, can even be found well below $1,000.
I believe we will see a pop in prices for these earlier models as “remakes” are sure to be coming down the pipeline soon.
At the time of writing, UG is considered the 29th most expensive Swiss brand out of 64 qualifying brands on Watch Charts with a massive jump in valuation between 2012 and 2020. During that time prices for vintage UG jumped from $2,000 to over $10,000. However, the current median asking price has come down and sits around $1,500 with roughly 3,600 pieces posted between eBay and Chrono24.
Universal Genève Community Reacts
There is no shortage of UG vintage collectors on Instagram, and one of the most respected is @markthetime. Mark, an active collector in the vintage UG market, shared in a recent conversation how he fell in love with Universal Genève.
After purchasing his first Patek Philippe to celebrate a personal milestone, his daughter encouraged him to showcase his passion online, leading him down a rabbit hole of vintage watch collecting from which he is yet to recover. “I created the watch account, and I started realizing that the watch world was deeper and wider than the standard big names. One day, while scrolling through my feed, I came across a picture of the Tri-compax, and I stopped dead in my tracks. My god, it was beautiful. That was the spark.”
This serendipitous moment ignited a passion to seek out the finest examples of UG watches worldwide, encompassing not only the watches themselves but the entire UG ecosystem, from advertisements to accessories.
When asked what distinguishes UG from the rest of the vintage market, he remarked, “They are eye-catching. Almost every piece in their lineup hits on so many cylinders. For example, the Polerouter with its twisted lugs is unlike anything else in their lineup. They have so many beautiful variations. UG doesn’t have just 3 or 5 hits; they have this unbelievable spectrum of design elegance across the board.”
With the resurgence of vintage revivals and designs regaining popularity, it’s no wonder that the UG resurrection has captivated the attention of many enthusiasts. Their following holds a special place in the vintage world. However, this renewed interest comes with some hesitation.
Expressing his feelings about this revived interest in UG, Mark said, “Anything that shines a spotlight on UG is good for UG. Like many other UG collectors, I have some trepidation. Part of what makes them special is that they no longer exist. They created these horological masterpieces and then disappeared. And it’s becoming harder and harder to find [examples of their timepieces in good condition].”
The jury is still out on what Breitling will do. They have stated these pieces will be higher-end and won’t be ready until 2026, emphasizing their commitment to executing this revival properly. This timeline also allows collectors to have their voices heard.
“I understand why they are reigniting interest in this brand, and I hope they succeed, but I hope they don’t just create homages. I think that sets them and collectors up for disappointment. They should build on what makes UG so successful but thoughtfully add their signature to it, especially with their chronograph expertise. I hope they listen to the vintage UG collector community for those signs of what makes UG so special to collectors.”
Mark concluded by stating, “I was initially someone who quietly hoped no one would recreate it because it was a shooting star. It is a treasure hunt for the best examples of their best pieces, and that is half the fun and magic of collecting. However, it will undoubtedly bring more focus to a brand that deserves it.”
The convergence of Breitling and Universal Genève under the same ownership group marks a fitting alignment of two historically significant chronograph makers. Anticipation is palpable for the revival, and as the journey unfolds, enthusiasts eagerly await the modern interpretation of Universal Genève’s storied heritage. They say we will potentially see the earliest models by 2026. The return of the name alone is cause for celebration, with the promise of an exciting new chapter in the world of horology.