1940s Universal Geneve Chronograph Compax 37mm find!

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Spartcom5

·Jul 19, 2025

I recently found this UG chronograph 37mm for an amazing deal. It is completely original I believe and the dial is great with some tiny blemishes. Most of the gunk and scratches you see is on the crystal. There is some slight corrosion on the top pusher. The watch works and the pushers also work. I am going to get it serviced soon. I know obviously do not polish the case but what would you do with the corrosion? Even with an ultrasonic cleaning i bet it will still be discolored? I also can't get the back off, I am scared of scratching it and it is stuck tight.

 

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Porteroso

·Jul 19, 2025

That dial has aged beautifully. Congrats! If those hands are original, oh my...

 

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Tony C.

·Jul 19, 2025·Ωf Jury member

Nice find! And good luck with the female spring bars... 😀

 

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Spartcom5

·Jul 19, 2025

I really dislike the female spring bars lol I tried putting a strap on and could not get it to fit with these spring bars!!

 

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Tony C.

·Jul 19, 2025·Ωf Jury member

Spartcom5

I really dislike the female spring bars lol

Yeah, they aren't fun to use, but it's a small price to pay for such a nice watch!

Edited: Jul 19, 2025

 

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bgrisso

·Jul 19, 2025

Beautiful watch, congratulations. I’m curious to see what kind of condition the mvmt is in, it could be a wreck, but hopefully not. I would just clean everything first and then see what kind of corrosion remains and decide at that point. Not sure how easy it would be to find a replace upper pusher.
Make sure and save those female spring bars, these vintage oversized hole versions are getting impossible to find and many of the newer versions don’t fit the diameter of the male pin.

 

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Mark020

·Jul 20, 2025·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

Nice one. Fully correct if the movement is an unnumbered 287. Batch of probably 150 pieces

Edited: Jul 20, 2025

 

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aap

·Jul 20, 2025

Spartcom5

but what would you do with the corrosion? Even with an ultrasonic cleaning i bet it will still be discolored?

Choose straps that match the corrosion! Case in point (pardon the pun) is what I did with my Wilhelmina:

In other words, enjoy the character of your bad*ss watch! Congrats!

 

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Larry S

·Jul 20, 2025·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

bgrisso

Beautiful watch, congratulations. I’m curious to see what kind of condition the mvmt is in, it could be a wreck, but hopefully not. I would just clean everything first and then see what kind of corrosion remains and decide at that point. Not sure how easy it would be to find a replace upper pusher.
Make sure and save those female spring bars, these vintage oversized hole versions are getting impossible to find and many of the newer versions don’t fit the diameter of the male pin.

Bang on ... Replate the upper pusher?

 

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leonlecoultre

·Jul 21, 2025

I see a nice gap therebetween the caseback and the case near the top pusher-- a razor knife and steady slow pressure should get it to pop.

 

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Spartcom5

·Jul 23, 2025

Thank you everyone! Looking foward to getting this fixed up. I don't normally ask for valuations but given this is my first UG I have no idea idea how much this might be worth... assuming the movement is good and original and its serviced how much do you all think this would be? Don't plan on selling it but would like to know

 

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Larry S

·Jul 23, 2025·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

The watch is in poor condition at present … best approach would be to look at past sales. Oversized SS Compax in fair condition. ( if you can get it there. )

 

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Spartcom5

·Aug 8, 2025

Got it opened and check this movement out. It has seen better days for sure but is with my watchmaker right now. Notice how someone etched Seventeen Jewels Unadjusted.

 

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bgrisso

·Aug 8, 2025

Spartcom5

Got it opened and check this movement out. It has seen better days for sure but is with my watchmaker right now. Notice how someone etched Seventeen Jewels Unadjusted.

given what it could have been based on the case condition, I think it's pretty good.

 

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TexOmega

·Aug 8, 2025

There were a gillion(give or take) US GI's who took advantage of the GI Bill to start their own businesses after WWII. It had to be marked 17j to avoid higher taxes and SWISS as place of origin to be imported/sold in the US.

They usually imported a movement and cased it locally. This one appears not to be such an example, they had to mark it SWISS to sell it in US.

Probably caught in Customs.

 

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Mazoue

·Aug 9, 2025

TexOmega

There were a gillion(give or take) US GI's who took advantage of the GI Bill to start their own businesses after WWII. It had to be marked 17j to avoid higher taxes and SWISS as place of origin to be imported/sold in the US.

They usually imported a movement and cased it locally. This one appears not to be such an example, they had to mark it SWISS to sell it in US.

Probably caught in Customs.

The US import code 'HOW' is marked on the balance cock

 

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bgrisso

·Aug 9, 2025

Mazoue

The US import code 'HOW' is marked on the balance cock

I'm not sure if there is a definitive resource for import codes, but on Timeplex it shows HOW for Charles Gigandet, Tramelan

I was assuming a poorly stamped UOW................ I don't see any indication of the horizontal line for an H

 

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Mazoue

·Aug 9, 2025

bgrisso

I'm not sure if there is a definitive resource for import codes, but on Timeplex it shows HOW for Charles Gigandet, Tramelan

I was assuming a poorly stamped UOW................ I don't see any indication of the horizontal line for an H

Sorry, yes, you're absolutely right - it was early!

 

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leonlecoultre

·Aug 9, 2025

Mystery solved!

 

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Spartcom5

·Aug 12, 2025

Thank you all for the info! So just so I have this straight a soldier purchased this while overseas and brought it back? Or they ordered it in the US?