Numa Descombes and Ulysse Perret, two horology students living in Le Locle, established Universal Watch in 1894. Tragically, Descombes passed away suddenly just three years later. Perret then partnered with Louis Berthoud, and they promptly relocated Universal Watch to Geneva in 1919. Although Perret and Berthoud successfully grew the brand domestically, they had not yet established its global presence. Following Perret’s death, his son joined the firm, bringing in several investors. These investors helped expand the Universal Genève manufacture’s reach, transforming it into the industry leader we recognise today (Universal Genève at Grail Watch Wiki).
Pioneering chronograph designs
Universal Genève presented their first milestone watches at the 1934 Baselworld exhibition. They released an early dual-pusher chronograph wristwatch, which used a double-column wheel system. This piece represented the very first generation of the iconic “Compur” line of chronographs. Following the Compur’s tremendous success, Universal Genève expanded its offerings in 1936. They introduced the “Uni-Compax”, a dual-register chrono that soon completely superseded the Compur, and the Compax. The Compax was the very first watch to incorporate an hour totaliser. Today, many chronographs feature triple-register displays with hour counters. However, at the time, this constituted a novel and truly revolutionary concept.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Universal Genève continued to expand its offerings, adding a number of chronographs with minor refinements. They also introduced complications, such as a complete calendar in 1943, and the Aero-Compax model with its four-register layout. In 1944, the Universal Genève celebrated a half-century of business by releasing the Tri-Compax. This triple-calendar chronograph featured a moon phase. This unique design became, for a period, the brand’s best-selling watch.
The Polerouter
The legendary designer Gérald Genta conceived the Polarouter, later renamed the Polerouter, which Universal Genève released in the early 1950s. Scandinavian Airline Systems (SAS) issued this special watch directly to its pilots. SAS needed an anti-magnetic timepiece for their new international routes that crossed the North Pole. In 1955, the brand developed a micro-rotor movement in partnership with Buren Watch Co. This movement type later equipped certain Polerouter models and is the movement for which the model is now most famous.
The Polerouter design was striking and highly unique, featuring twisted lugs, a simple rounded case, and classic dial layouts often divided into sectors. This design formula worked beautifully for an everyday, dressy-yet-sporty watch, qualities that collectors now cherish as much as casual buyers did in the mid-20th century. Other versions followed, such as the dive-ready Polerouter Sub, the elegant Polerouter Jet, and the advanced Polerouter Electric from 1962. Meanwhile, from 1963, Universal Genève began fitting its popular chronograph models with Valjoux movements. This era also coincided with celebrities such as Nina Rindt and Eric Clapton wearing the watches.
The Quartz Crisis
Ultra-thin automatic watches such as the Genta-designed Golden Shadow appeared in the late 1960s, while the brand produced 1968’s Unisonic in collaboration with Bulova. However, the onset of the Quartz Crisis in the 1970s severely impacted the brand, bringing it seemingly to the verge of bankruptcy. In 1989, Hong Kong-based Stelux Holdings International Limited purchased Universal Genève. While the company continues to trade, its current-production watches have not lived up to the legendary pieces of the 1930s to the 1960s.
Related content
Universal Genève SA at Wikipedia.