For a year plus now I've been looking more and more into Universal- the legacy is enduring, the works varied, distinguished, and overall beautiful. But I was scared. UG is one road that can leave amateurs like me in the dust. I tried to prepare as much as I could and even within the time I spent learning - prices seemed to be on a moon bound trajectory. My male biological hunter's clock was ticking and I thought- soon this beast will be to big for me.

Then one day I came across the piece on Chrono24 and within range and I fell. It was late on a sleepless night (a perfect trap now that I look back) I thought it was destiny and the white tiger would be gone if I waited so I pulled the trigger. Stupidly. All my fears came back to haunt me in the morning. The watch had some issues that I was able to discern and I got some sound trading guidance from a fellow member here (@Kringkily). Luckily for me the seller was agreeable and so I made it through that pitfall and retrieved my arrow.

Another many months, sleepless nights lost in the woods, and finally I came across something in the wilds of IG and I felt I knew enough now to be daring. I sent a DM and soon both buyer/seller began vetting each other. Once again turned to this forum for some guidance and I felt the aim on this was true. So I shot.

Today this beauty came in, after a brief customs delay- munich to nyc- and I present to you my first dive into UG, a long hunt for a compax. With gracious help of @Diabolik for his coaching/expertise through the process and members here who love UG and don't even know they were enabling me with knowledge like @Larry S @LouS @Florent and a host of you other UG fanatics:

A UG Compax 22705-1from the early 60s with the venerable Valjoux 72/ UG cal 130

 

Lovely, congrats!

 

Ok you bagged one UG. The thrill will last at least a week and then you can resume hunting. No bag limit but the prey is elusive and addicting.

 

Great find...is this a 22704/1?

 

damn I'll be broke divorced and homeless... but with a bag full of compaxes, compurs and polerouters!

 

22705/1 according to caseback and this ref:

 

Beautiful dial! Love the blue Tachymetre

 

Congratulations!

 

congrats dibs

 

Very nice!
As a renowned OF member said:
Patience is a virtue!
and I add: it's always worth it!

 

stunner! congrats!

 

Amazing! Congrats, buddy!

 

By the way does anyone know if this crown could be legit? The seller says he and his watchmaker think it's fine as many compaxes didn't come with U symbol crowns, and they believe given the state the watch came to them- this is original as everything else is on this thing.

Any thoughts? I do have a 6mm U signed compax crown but not sure that's the right fit and whether I should bother trying...
thx for any feedback!

 

I am no expert, but I believe it should be a signed crown.

and I believe it should look like the crown on my 22704/1

 

hmmm, I just noticed the lugs on yours. Wow, very cool!
Yours may be later with the plain U logo. @Diabolik should come and tell us, he is the expert on all things UG...im a mere mortal

 

Beauty! Congrats.

 

Congratulations! It's a beauty!

 

Superb piece. I'm glad to join the UG fraternity too.

 

congrats, mine says hi. This one is a bit earlier though with cal 281 instead of a valjoux 72. The crown has a UG logo. This model is interesting in a sense that it was produced around the transition of Martel inside to valjoux inside....

 

Yea @ELV web from what I learned about these- and someone please correct me if I'm wrong as my knowledge is construed by reading through forum chatter and talking with people- In the early 1960s your caliber 281 was installed in these Compaxes circa 60-63 coming from Martel Watch Co. Your ref. 222101.
Then from about 1963 UG had to switch engines on these bc Zenith's buy out of Martel patents had come into effect so UG shifted to its caliber 130 based on Valjoux 72- my ref. 22705. Caliber 130 existed for only a short time around a year or so and then changed again to caliber 85 for reasons unknown...

If any one can correct/elaborate please chime in!