Breitling acquires Universal Geneve

Joe_A · Dec 14, 2023

Mark020
But any patent will be void anyway I assume. And I am really a big UG fan but this forum is the only online place with action. The legacy is really nice but the current value is (IMHO) a fraction of the price paid

I'm of a similar mind.

The price is very high for the valuation of the brand and can only be justified if one is committed to spending as much as it will take to recoup the initial investment. If such be the case, it's a positive sign that the brand will come back with 'glory' - along with high prices attached to any new-old product.

For context, sometime ago I came into awareness of how another very small group of people, under ten, were attempting to bring back a venerable old watch brand. After years of failure and including under-the-radar conflict and mutual dissatisfaction among the principals between the owner of the IP (brand) and the actual Swiss manufacturer of one of the new references, I received an encouraging message from a principal with whom I had communicated on a number of occasions.

With enthusiasm he shared with me that a new investor had come on board and that they would now be able to produce a new reference with a once-highly regarded movement from the 1960s and 70s, similar in concept to bringing back the Omega 321 is for Omega.

The amount that was raised was under 2 million dollars.

I was gob-smacked at how small the amount . . . and I doubted anything could be accomplished with so small a sum, but I kept my thoughts to myself as I was little more than an acquaintance..

Needless to say, things fell apart and there was no new watch.

Someone may come along one day and purchase the brand name, but it won't be for anything like tens of millions.

Cheers,

Joe

fizz · Dec 14, 2023

Speaking of 321, and relating it to the discussion of potential prices of UG releases from Breitling in the future, consider how the price of the re-released, modern 321 is positioned with a premium label/intent compared to the more accessibly priced 3861 calibre.

This is despite most (but not all) vintage 321's being more accessible from a pricing perspective compared to the modern variant, likely owing to factors such as model appeal/rarity (2996 vs. 145.012 for instance), condition etc. The 321 Omega modern watch isn't an accessible model (compared to the "base" version) and I don't expect any of the modern UG releases in the future to be either (this is not a complaint, just a personal observation/speculation).

One more thing - here is a screenshot from the comments section of the Hodinkee article from the man himself (Fred Mandelbaum, who will evidently play a key role in this revival as he did with the 806):

Screen Shot 2023-12-14 at 10.07.40 PM.png

LesXL · Dec 14, 2023

aap
.... What other rules should I know?

That it is U.G. , maybe? ::rimshot::

...😁😜

NGO1 · Dec 14, 2023

New UG should clear $100m revenue without trying. Maybe they’ll hit $200m and could be profitable year one.

Breitling’s revenue in 2022 was $950m. GK knows what he’s doing.

I don’t think new UG should slot above Breitling, rather below it and move into Tag Heuer’s market. New UG should be the value proposition in the $2k to $4k range. This will obliterate the entry level market and give Tudor a run for its money.

Silversix · Dec 15, 2023

Anything is better than them being dead in Hong Kong. I just hope they create a new UG sybol, something simlar to what was in the 60's or the 70's (or even better, reintroduce their OG shield symbol), because their current one is truly ugly.

LeonXOV · Dec 15, 2023

fizz
Speaking of 321, and relating it to the discussion of potential prices of UG releases from Breitling in the future, consider how the price of the re-released, modern 321 is positioned with a premium label/intent compared to the more accessibly priced 3861 calibre.

This is despite most (but not all) vintage 321's being more accessible from a pricing perspective compared to the modern variant, likely owing to factors such as model appeal/rarity (2996 vs. 145.012 for instance), condition etc. The 321 Omega modern watch isn't an accessible model (compared to the "base" version) and I don't expect any of the modern UG releases in the future to be either (this is not a complaint, just a personal observation/speculation).

One more thing - here is a screenshot from the comments section of the Hodinkee article from the man himself (Fred Mandelbaum, who will evidently play a key role in this revival as he did with the 806):

Look mom, I'm famous! 😜

Difeer · Dec 15, 2023

I wonder if they are also going to provide more support for servicing vintage UGs?

Regardless, it is fantastic news. At least it is an opportunity for the brand's revival.

Beepos · Dec 15, 2023

Difeer
I wonder if they are also going to provide more support for servicing vintage UGs?

Regardless, it is fantastic news. At least it is an opportunity for the brand's revival.

I would be surprised if they do. They seem to be planning to use new in house movements. Whereas most older UGs used variations of commonly available movements

The new releases may draw inspiration from their back catalogue, but will in essense be new watches entirely

WhereMadnessLies · Dec 15, 2023

A very interesting Podcast on aBlogToWatch with Sylvain Berneron (Creative Director at Breitling)

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/abtww-...s-breitlings-acquisition-of-universal-geneve/

TLDR(L?):

The deal to acquire has been in the works for 2 years 😲.
New UG watches will be positioned above Breitling.
New movements will be made so Selitas etc look like they will not feature.
No exact reissues of vintage watches, but the product names will stay (Polerouter, Compax etc...) and new models will be inspired by old models.
10 year plan is in place for the brand with releases every 6 months.....no eta on the first release though.

This all sounds very promising and from the way Sylvain was talking it sound like they are taking it very seriously. My only worry as a diehard UG fan and collector; will I be able to afford one 🙁.

Larry S · Dec 15, 2023

WhereMadnessLies
A very interesting Podcast on aBlogToWatch with Sylvain Berneron (Creative Director at Breitling)

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/abtww-...s-breitlings-acquisition-of-universal-geneve/

TLDR(L?):

The deal to acquire has been in the works for 2 years 😲.
New UG watches will be positioned above Breitling.
New movements will be made so Selitas etc look like they will not feature.
No exact reissues of vintage watches, but the product names will stay (Polerouter, Compax etc...) and new models will be inspired by old models.
10 year plan is in place for the brand with releases every 6 months.....no eta on the first release though.

This all sounds very promising and from the way Sylvain was talking it sound like they are taking it very seriously. My only worry as a diehard UG fan and collector; will I be able to afford one 🙁.

I suspect that early releases will be subscribed

Mark020 · Dec 15, 2023

Perhaps introduce some quiz which one should pass before you can buy

Fallout Boy · Dec 15, 2023

WhereMadnessLies
My only worry as a diehard UG fan and collector; will I be able to afford one 🙁.

At the same time as the new UGs with Polerouters and Compax, Steinhart will launch its new collection.

bgrisso · Dec 15, 2023

WhereMadnessLies
My only worry as a diehard UG fan and collector; will I be able to afford one 🙁.

how can you be a diehard fan and collector if you abbreviate 😝

WhereMadnessLies · Dec 15, 2023

Fallout Boy
At the same time as the new UGs with Polerouters and Compax, Steinhart will launch its new collection.

*shudders*

Larry S · Dec 15, 2023

Mark020
Perhaps introduce some quiz which one should pass before you can buy

Ha! I thought of that. Plus: I think tenure on this sub forum should count. Collection size. Certainly your recent efforts should count.

Pastorbottle · Dec 15, 2023

We can sit back and watch all the wanker investor/ speculator types try to inflate the values on the strength of this development

Larry S · Dec 16, 2023

Pastorbottle
We can sit back and watch all the wanker investor/ speculator types try to inflate the values on the strength of this development

Sad but true most likely. I’d imagine that the first productions will sell out immediately before they are even manufactured.

Silversix · Dec 16, 2023

First production watch is a 45mm quartz polerouter 😀

septentrio · Dec 16, 2023

Let’s all be positive and constructive 😀 I believe and hope the first release, within a few years, will be a 35mm/36mm revamped Polerouter with new automatic microrotor cal., gilt dial, ánd on a vintage GF inspired steel bracelet. I would be happy to find 7-8k to fund that purchase.

Although I’m not sure it could ever live upto this…

sonicosa · Dec 16, 2023

I stopped in a Breitling boutique today, mostly to see if the SAs had the UG acquisition on their radar. I wasn’t very surprised that they had no idea what I was talking about.

Breitling acquires Universal Geneve

Joe_A

fizz

LesXL

NGO1

Silversix

LeonXOV

Difeer

Beepos

WhereMadnessLies

Larry S

Mark020

Fallout Boy

bgrisso

WhereMadnessLies

Larry S

Pastorbottle

Larry S

Silversix

septentrio

sonicosa

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