I was just having a look at this lovely catalog posted by @Mark020 in the UG info thread.

As always I see references in the catalogs that I've never seen in person, and I wonder, do they actually exist, maybe they are still out there, waiting to be found.

For example, this classic and recognizable jeanneret 12512 (please excuse the terrible redial in the example below, I don't have time to find a better pic at the moment) of which there are a few different sizes and references, it says that it comes in steel as well, ref 22519.

And I think to myself, I've never seen this jeanneret case in steel, that would be amazing! Punch in the ref number to google for some fun and immediately find a ref 22519 that was sold right here on OF. I'm familiar with this case, I've seen it before, and in NO WAY would I consider it the steel version of the classic 12512. Sure, there are some similarities, but not past a point.

The fact that someone at UG considered these two as matching references in gold and steel has called into question every example that I've ever seen of these catalogs, where only one example is pictured (in this case the 12512 was pictured, not the 22519).

I have always imagined the two references were EXACTLY the same, but clearly, at least in this example, "loose approximations" is perhaps more appropriate.

Consider my mind somewhat blown.

 

Very interesting observation. I once started at a cross reference table for case references but never finished it. Something for my to do list.

A potential explanation may be different producers for the cases which may have takes some liberties from the original case design. BTW: these case have a Movado 49038 case feeling as well (but these were made by Borgel)

Very nice 12512 here: https://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/2016214165.htm. Serial: 811.xxx. Case made by Jeannaret

Another 22519 here: https://uhrforum.de/threads/universal-geneve-chronograph-ca-1941.375436/ Serial: 819.xxx

 

Some pictures above have a "good corner." What makes the other three corners bad ?

 

Interesting observation.

This is a nice example.... Ref 22206. These hands are really strange.

Found this one online. Weird hands as well but other than the one in the pic. Makes me wonder whether the original hands were replaced by someone because he thought they were wrong. It also looks like the dial misses a line of print. Edit: may be a redial anyway. https://watchcenter.ch/index.php/watches/chronografo-compax.html

 

I’m not sure what you mean, can you explain ?

 

def a redial

 

I've always associated those alpha style hands with early productions, it would be interesting to know the case serial for that example (not that we ever will)

 

Isn't "le bon coin" French for the good corner, whatever that means ?

 

Returning to the 22206. Every time I look in Sala I see something I haven't seen before. The Sala 22206 has different hands than the ones above but the 22204 & 22111 have the same - weird and cheap looking - hands. Interesting is that I can't find any example of either reference...

 

Steel example posted doesn't look like a HJ case, no contour on the outer bottom of the lug.

 

Dail was the reason for selling the watch...

 

You mean this one? BTW kind of bizarre that they try to sell such a watch with a non fitting bracelet