Numa Emile Descombes and Ulysse Georges Perret founded Universal Genève in 1894 in Le Locle (Neuchâtel, Switzerland). During the 1930s and 1960s, the company boomeed under the direction of Raoul Perret, son of the founder. Universal watches stood out for their elegance and mechanical technique and became an immediate success. Many were the legendary models appeared in this period: Compax, Aero-Compax and Tri-Compax (1930-40), Polerouter (1954) etc. In Late 1800s, early 1900s Universal specialized in the production of fine and elegant pocket watches. Before the arrival of wrist watches, pocket watches were a huge business for Universal which developed and created true works of art. Universal pocket watches are still the object of desire of many vintage watch collectors today. In fact, the charm of these objects is undeniable, especially if with rare dial configurations and perfectly preserved like this example.

The present Universal Genève pocket watch is a beautiful chronograph dating back to the 1930s.
Housed in a yellow gold case measuring approximately 39 mm in diameter, this classic timepiece features a striking white dial adorned with vibrant blue and red scales: a blue tachymeter scale marked ‘BASE 1000’ along the outermost edge, and a red telemeter scale for distance calculation. The dial layout is sophisticated yet functional, with two applied Arabic numerals at 3 and 9, complemented by applied faceted baton hour markers. The chronograph configuration includes a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock and a 30-minute register at 12 o’clock. Elegant gold leaf hands and a slender chronograph hand complete the vintage aesthetic.

Inside beats the renowned Universal Genève Calibre 285, a manual-wind chronograph movement well-regarded for its precision and reliability during this golden era of watchmaking.

Dimensions: 39 mm

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