It is well documented that Universal produced watches for third parties like Vacheron, Girard-Perregaux, Eberhard, Zenith, and Jaeger. In the movement picture presented above, the 285 calibre contains a very distinctive modification to the bridge, which is consistent with known Jaeger examples produced by Universal.
A similar "Cartier" example has also been discussed previously in the forums, with some skepticism.
Here.
The problems that I have with this watch are the following:
1) There are well known co-signed dials, the most famous being signed by Hermes. However, I have never seen a legitimate Cartier co-signed dial on a Universal, period. Nor have I seen any period advertising featuring a Universal watch, as exists for the Hermes examples. Doesn't mean it couldn't have happened, but I'm extremely skeptical. And given the premium that collectors place on the Hermes co-signed pieces, there would certainly be incentive to 'manufacture' such a co-signed dial. (See also,
this).
2) Universal produced pieces for Jaeger, who's watches were imported into the United States under the LeCoultre brand. This is problematic because a Cartier co-signed dial (if such thing ever existed) would have likely been sold in Paris... so why would it have an American LeCoultre brand? If such a Cartier co-signed dial existed--on such an incredulous triple-signed watch--it would have been European, and therefore signed Jaeger.
3) The supposed 24 hour scale in red ink on the dial is very crudely done. Universal did also produce military versions of their chronographs, but none have a scale like that.
In my opinion, this was a LeCoultre branded calibre 285 watch produced by Universal Geneve and imported for sale in the United States. At some point in its history someone decided to try to 'spruce up the value' of an otherwise very tired looking dial by adding crude 24 hour markings and the Cartier signature.
As to the auction houses who are supposedly evaluating it, their opinion regarding its authenticity means very little amongst knowledgable collectors. It would be neither the first nor last time that they peddled watches with very questionable provence or downright fakes.
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