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Gilt Shadow with Stone Dial - any Infos out there?

M
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Hi fellow Universal Geneve collectors! I have recently acquired a nice Gilt Shadow with Cal 67 and a Stone (Obsidian? Tiger Iron?) Dial.

Serial Number indicates it is from 1977.

The Dial is flawless and has no cracks in the stone, the date window is nicely executed with a golden frame and the printing is executed flawlessly and 100% consistent with what we see on other Universal Geneve models from the era. The Reference Number also makes sense:

5 - Gold plated
67 - Cal 67
110 - Model Number

so I have absolutely no doubt about its authenticity.

It is currently in a running state but the date change works a bit wonky and the timekeeping is a bit off so I will have it serviced.

IMG_20250801_185020452_HDR.webp IMG_20250801_185026921.webp IMG_20250801_185055843_HDR.webp IMG_20250801_185100787_HDR.webp IMG_20250801_185145232.webp IMG_20250801_185150779.webp IMG_20250801_185042499_HDR~2.webp IMG_20250801_185044891_HDR~2.webp


However, they seem to be quite rare - I have only found one similar example in a White Shadow variant with a Stone dial and this case design that was sold by Antoine de Marcedo some time ago:


Does any one of you have more information about these late iterations of the Shadow models und the stone dial variants in particular? How many were produced and what other dial variations are out there?

Thanks in advance!
 
Larry S
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Seen em before … looks great … yes get it serviced.
 
Knebo
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Very cool watch!!
Looks all correct. Printing, hands etc. But you know that already. Clean looking movement! Nice to see no rubbing marks on the rotor. Only shame are the marks of trying to remove the caseback with incorrect tools. But well, no drama in my opinion.

I got nothing on your actual questions, though..
 
Evitzee
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Make sure whoever you get to service the watch is familiar with stone dials, they are fragile.
 
bgrisso
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Very cool watch! Sorry can't answer your questions. Side note, for earlier watches case starting with 5 indicates 14K gold case (vs a 1 for 18K gold case). I guess at some point later on the 5 switched to gold plated? Which is what 4 was used for previously?
 
HamDoctor
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bgrisso bgrisso
Very cool watch! Sorry can't answer your questions. Side note, for earlier watches case starting with 5 indicates 14K gold case (vs a 1 for 18K gold case). I guess at some point later on the 5 switched to gold plated? Which is what 4 was used for previously?
Yes, I can confirm that the "5" denotes a gold plated watch. I'm guessing the switch happened sometime around the introduction of cal. 42 (or maybe cal. 69) in the early 1960s (when the number "2" for a steel case changed to "8").
 
lsj
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very cool piece, i also saw some piece in malachite and lapis dial.
 
M
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Thank you all very much for the replies so far!

Good to hear you all share my sentiment that everything is correct on this one.

5 indeed denotes a gold plated case, they changed the reference number logic with the the beginning of the year 1965, before Universal Geneve did not distinguish between Rose and Yellow Gold (both 1) but with the new systematic they used a leading 1 for Yellow Gold and a 2 for Rose Gold Cases, 8 being steel and 3 White Gold followed by the Caliber and model number.

I am lucky to have a very good watchmaker specialized in Vintage watches who has worked on many, many Universal Geneve watches and has lots of spare parts for many old watch movements so I think he is up to the job, but I will advise him to be very careful when handling the dial.

If someone knows a thing about these late Shadow models please post everything you know, they are quite unknown and you find almost nothing online.
Edited:
 
Dan S
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Crazy that they put that amazing dial in a plated case.
 
M
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Dan S Dan S
Crazy that they put that amazing dial in a plated case.
I I was thinking the same, I would have prefered a solid gold or steel case but other than some marks on the caseback it is in flawless condition and these are so rare that I just had to get it. It won't get abused as a beater watch so the plating will still look great when I am six feet under ... 😉
 
Larry S
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Dan S Dan S
Crazy that they put that amazing dial in a plated case.
This was the beginning of the end for UG. Yea pretty dumb.
 
brainpap
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Larry S Larry S
This was the beginning of the end for UG. Yea pretty dumb.
Another 70s obsidian stone dial, this one in solid gold as requested.

Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.31.55.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.01.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.15.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.30.webp

The case is a bit strange, though. It is listed as a Max Fuchs case and comes only with a 1400 serial. Does anyone know more about this?

https://omegaforums.net/posts/2249399/ nitediver
nitediver ·
Fellow OF members.

I am really glad to share with you this amazing set of Universal Genève watches that I recently acquired.
Each watch comes with a solid gold case, either manufactured by Max Fuchs or Weber & Cie, two master casemakers based in Geneva. They also come with the "Fat U" crown logo as well as signed leather straps and golden pin buckles.

Now let's talk about the show stopping element here, the semi precious stone dials are vivid and warm, worthy of a Wes Anderson movie! I have to say that in person, they appear more alive. Will leave the pictures continue the narration! 😀...

@nitediver I have seen your post on the general discussion forum, I guess you've parted ways with at least one of those watches.
 
M
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brainpap brainpap
Another 70s obsidian stone dial, this one in solid gold as requested.

Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.31.55.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.01.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.15.webp Screenshot 2026-04-01 at 21.32.30.webp

The case is a bit strange, though. It is listed as a Max Fuchs case and comes only with a 1400 serial. Does anyone know more about this?

https://omegaforums.net/posts/2249399/ nitediver
nitediver ·
Fellow OF members.

I am really glad to share with you this amazing set of Universal Genève watches that I recently acquired.
Each watch comes with a solid gold case, either manufactured by Max Fuchs or Weber & Cie, two master casemakers based in Geneva. They also come with the "Fat U" crown logo as well as signed leather straps and golden pin buckles.

Now let's talk about the show stopping element here, the semi precious stone dials are vivid and warm, worthy of a Wes Anderson movie! I have to say that in person, they appear more alive. Will leave the pictures continue the narration! 😀...

@nitediver I have seen your post on the general discussion forum, I guess you've parted ways with at least one of those watches.
I am pretty sure this is a Frankenwatch with a reprinted dial. Just look at the "Universal Genève" printing - it is a completely generic font with no serifs and by the time UG used the "Fat U" logo they would have also printed "SWISS" on the dial at 6 o clock. The case is also super strange. I´d pass on this one.
Edited:
 
brainpap
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M Meya
I am pretty sure this is a Frankenwatch with a reprinted dial.
That was my first thought also, and I guess that probably explains why none of our "UG usuals" here on the forum replied to that post from 2023 on the Open Discussion...
 
M
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Yeah, super sloppy printing with non-serif font and a case without Serial/Reference Number are dead giveaways that this one is no good.
 
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