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korneevy
·Added another Universal Genève to my small, three-piece UG collection! After another year or so of chasing the right piece, the latest acquisition is a Tri-Compax ref. 22539, serial number 10102XX, in truly incredible condition. Based on the serial number, I believe it dates to as early as 1944, AFAIK. It's a close cousin of my ref. 22535, which dates to around 1945, making both potentially some of the earliest examples of the Tri-Compax line, from its first or second year of production.
Both feature the same jumbo-sized 37–38mm cases and are powered by the calibre 287 movement, but each has its own distinct character. I love the thick case and sporty dial of the 22539, with beautifully aged radium-filled numerals that contrast nicely with the blued hands, and the cappuccino patina of the moonphase disc adds vintage charm. The 22535, on the other hand, is perhaps the more refined and dressier of the two, with more elgant case profile and longer, thinner lugs, dressy hands, a non-luminous dial featuring applied gold numerals, and a rich, deep navy-blue moonphase disc.
To the untrained eye - such as my wife's 😀 - these two are pretty much identical watches. But it's precisely these subtle differences, along with the quality of their execution, that make collecting vintage UG so fascinating to me. And, more than 80 years later, both are still running at around +15 seconds per day. Not bad for a couple of octogenarians😀
PS: before I get DMs about the price etc. this one come ~ 20% higher than the 22535 I bought in 2024. The prices are definitely on the rise and competion for good examples is fierce so very little room to negotiate.
Both feature the same jumbo-sized 37–38mm cases and are powered by the calibre 287 movement, but each has its own distinct character. I love the thick case and sporty dial of the 22539, with beautifully aged radium-filled numerals that contrast nicely with the blued hands, and the cappuccino patina of the moonphase disc adds vintage charm. The 22535, on the other hand, is perhaps the more refined and dressier of the two, with more elgant case profile and longer, thinner lugs, dressy hands, a non-luminous dial featuring applied gold numerals, and a rich, deep navy-blue moonphase disc.
To the untrained eye - such as my wife's 😀 - these two are pretty much identical watches. But it's precisely these subtle differences, along with the quality of their execution, that make collecting vintage UG so fascinating to me. And, more than 80 years later, both are still running at around +15 seconds per day. Not bad for a couple of octogenarians😀
PS: before I get DMs about the price etc. this one come ~ 20% higher than the 22535 I bought in 2024. The prices are definitely on the rise and competion for good examples is fierce so very little room to negotiate.
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