most certainly
be back in a few days

 

Sorry about the delay. Enclose photo taken yesterday.

 

I am just joining now--what a remarkable post! I had often wondered if any of those original SAS Polarouters would ever turn up on one of these forums. Here are my slightly later Polarouters. I have two questions for you. First, is you crown original, or did your watchmaker replace it? Can you provide a photo that shows the crown more clearly? Both of the crowns on my Polarouters are original. The crown on the black watch is not signed, and the one of the white one is signed with the Universal Geneve U. Also, I do not understand your comment about the watchmaker replacing the bumper springs. Why would he need to replace them? Did he return the originals to you after he replaced them? Your watch is so incredibly rare, and probably very valuable, it would be a shame to lose any original parts. I would think that if springs needed to be replaced, they could be taken off another UG movement, no?

 

Hello Adam2941,
Thank you for commending my watch. Your slightly later Polarouters look very nice.
Yes, my crown original. I isn´t signed, doesn´t have a U on the face of the crown.
My Polarouters are completely original, and well worn.
Regarding the springs, according to my watchmaker there is a tiny spring that catches the counterweight (?) as it moves to-and-fro; a sort of a bumperspring. I´m rather ignorant when it comes to the inner workings of watches but I do trust my watchmaker blindly, he is the best in this country.
He used original parts.No I do not have the original parts that he replaced.
Very valuable you write. Do you have any idé how?
As you may understand from my story the watch har great sentimental value for me as it was given to my father who was part of the crew on the virgin SAS flight.
I wear it everyday and it keeps excellent time.
I saw another early Polarouter watch at an auction here in Stockholm a few years ago, in gold (se picture enclosed).
There were 3 heads of state on this first flight and my thought was that maybe they were given to them?.
I have no idé to be truthful, maybe someone out there knows?
Personally I think the gold Polarouter is a bit "over the top". What do you think?
I recently bougth a fine Angelus Chronodato at an auction, but that´s another story.
Best regards,
Fidjeland

 

Adam2941
I think you black one is made some years earlier than the other.
Regards,
Fidjeland

 

Well, my friend, you are a fount of fascinating information! I have never seen any photographs of that gold Polarouter. You should have bought it at any price! It would have made a fascinating pair with your watch. Do you happen to know who owns it now? I do not know how much your watch might be worth. A watch is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. A few years ago on another forum someone once commented that if any of those original SAS Polarouters ever came up for sale his kids would have to pay for their own college educations (in the U.S. that is!). Others on this forum might be more knowledgeable about that. On the other hand, it may just be a mystery until it goes up for sale, and it sounds like yours will not be going up for sale any time soon! Certainly the price would be much higher if you could provide documentation and artifacts pertaining to your father's career with SAS, such as his uniform, photographs, SAS documents with his name on them, etc. Also documents about you, as your father's son, would also be important to keep with the watch, and all of that would greatly enhance the value of the watch.
As for my Polarouters, the black one has serial # 1673xxx and the white one has # 1648xxx, so the white one appears to be older. Of course, it could be that the case is older but in the factory it was not assembled with the other parts and released for sale until after the black one. One never knows with vintage watches. What is the serial number on yours? Also, if you could provide a photograph of the back of your watch, and of the front of the crown, I would greatly appreciate it. My Polarouters both have this flat back design shown in the photo (this is the black one). The design was later changed to a raised polygonal shape that required a special tool of that shape to open. I also attach two photographs of the movement of my black Polarouter. I imagine that yours has the same cal. 138SS. You can clearly see the bumper springs in question.

 

P.S. Your Angelus is also very special, and in all original, unpolished condition!

 

Thank you, Adam2941, for this illuminating reply. I will shortly send you a photo of the crown as you request. In the meantime a snapshot of the back of the watch with the serial number hopefully readable. (together with an emblem from my fathers 1950´s uniform). Best regards; Fidjeland

 

Wonderful! With a serial number starting with 164, it seems that your watch and my white one were made in the same year. More specifically, yours is # 1648560, and mine is # 1648496, so in theory mine is older than yours! Perhaps they were preparing the commercial watches even before your father made his historic flight. Your case # is 20217-6 and mine is 20217-5. My black Polarouter has case number 20217-1. All three cases look identical, except for the designs of the crowns, so I wonder if that is what the last digit identifies. If you look at Gatorcpa's earlier post in this forum called "Universal Geneve Resources," these serial numbers fall within the 1952-1955 production dates. No surprises there, and it must have been 1954. By the way, I notice that your strap appears to be slightly too small for your watch. These first generation Polarouters take a 19 mm strap. Yours appears to be an 18 mm, or possibly even a 17 mm. That can cause the spring bar to open, and the watch to fall off your wrist! It happened to be once!

 

I meant to say, it happened to me once. ;-)

 

thank you for noticing the small strap. I will have to attend to that. Interesting reading above!

 

Posting some photos of historical importance with regards to the Universal Polarouter watch.
The first series of these watches, with SAS logos on the face, were awarded to the SAS-crew upon landing at LAX November 16th 1954.
The airplane was a DC-6B "Leif Viking" LN-LMP.
The prime ministers of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were onboard.
My father as chief flight engineer.
The flight was big news at the time and was used by SAS, many years after , in their brand promotion.
The flight was also very important for the Universal watch brand in their launch of the polarouter/later polerouter watch.
Personally I think the second photo from the bottom is quite hilarious. . Cheers Fidjeland

 

Great photos! And the crew seems quite pleased with their watches.

 

Wow, this is great stuff...thank you Fidjeland! Fantastic! Also love your avatar

 

Your own avatar is very nice too.
Priced possession I presume.

 

I have the same watch and this one is with micro rotor

 

Yes it is...a 1967 Austin Healey 3000. Is that a Sebring Series II in your avatar?

 

Yes it is..a 1966 with a 3,7L engine- black with senape interior. In my care since june