Dear Forum,
I had the opportunity to acquire a "barn find" some time ago. It´s a Universal Geneve Compur chronograph. It is stainless steel (Enversteel) and measures 35mm w/o crown and has a snap case.

The dial is signed "Universal Compur Geneve" and "Fab. Suisse" (at 6). So it might be produced for the French market.

The Serial of this watch is 573458 on the caseback (inside), so according to Sala it is in the range between 1930-1935, imo around 1935. On the inside of the caseback also "Fab. Suisse" is engraved. You will find that in the pics, I will post in a couple of minutes as I have the pics on my mobile.

Thanks for looking and any further Information.

 

Here the pics:

 

Handsome .. hard to say. Looks like right alignment for 285 and there are instances of small subs. Fonts and hands look ok ... someone with deeper early knowledge needs to weigh in here. Inner case looks ok as well. The Fab Swiss thing is throwing me.

 

With a 573xxx serial this watch comes right after the known batch of 1st series Compurs (that had a caliber with 2 pushers but still based on the old mono pushers and with the second pusher at 4 o'clock used to stop and restart the time-keeping and the one at 2 o'clock to start stop and reset like a monopuher). Hence it makes absolute sense it has a 285 caliber and it dates for sure to 1935 (being the 1st series Compur for sure a 1934 model given the patent deposited).
it also makes hence sense that the caseback is signed Universal Watch and not Universal Geneve because again in 1935 this was still the name of the company: it is indeed the case that on ALL 1st series Compurs as well as on early second series (caliber 285) Compurs the dial (and the case) is signed Universal Watch.
I believe this is the reason why this dial does not say Universal Geneve and Comput below, but Universal Compur and Geneve below (Geneve not being part of the name of really just an indication of the location).
I believe the dial (and everything else about this watch) to be genuine and original and period correct: in brief I believe this to be a perfectly ok watch. Also all the hands are appropriate and correct.
Great find and great conditions overall, the dial is a bit patinated but still very pleasant and with complete graphic.
I do agree that with Fab. Suisse on both dial and case it was probably meant for the French market, a rarity in itself.

 

@Mlafra
I am again very impressed and happy about your decent response and explainations on the watch, which I bought for my brother, as I am more in 60s / early 70s Chronos. I had the strong feeling, that every thing is fine and original with this watch and imo it also has its first strap mounted on the fixed lugs.
Thank you so much for your great research !

 

And another great addition to the hive mind on early UG! Thanks @Mlafra ! Beauty of a watch!

 

Just saw this add...

 

Thanks LouS for your additional advice and yes, on the left side on the movement pic (which lokes like a number) is engraved "FAB.SUISSE". So I assume, that the movement is also original to the watch.