Hello,

My mother has given to me the watch of my grand father.

It’s seems a Universal Genève and there is the mention COMPUR.

I would like to restore it. I would be glad of any advices or informations.

Thank you very much.

 

Welcome and very nice watch. Can we see the caseback and the movement too?

 

I am not an UG expert but this is a very nice watch. Congrats!

 

If you can't open the back determine the diameter of the case and let us know

 

also a picture of the case back might help, sometimes model and serial numbers are present

 

Collectors have different opinions...I would have the watch mechanically serviced, so no damage is done by wearing/operating it, and live with the patina, which I find wonderful. Some people will only wear pristine leather jackets...others are happy to let the jacket’s scars speak for themselves...enjoy it, it is a wonderful piece. Cheers!

 

Not a good idea to encourage a possibly eager but non-mechanically inclined person to pry or twist open a vintage watch case back. Best to err on the side of caution and simply ask for case back pictures and possible numbers.

By the way to the OP...gorgeous watch and congrats your mom gave it to you!

 

Looks like a nice Compur. I wouldn't do anything except service the mvmt and ultrasonic the case (no polish), get a better crown (current one is not orig), and perhaps replace the crystal if it won't polish up well.

congratulations, beautiful watch and family heirloom !

 

True.

 

Thank you very much gents for your nice advices.
I would like to keep the patina.
I am affraid to open the case.

The case size is 34mm.
Lug to lug 42 mm.
Width 18 mm.

 

And this is a picture of the mechanism, and one of the back.

 

As noted above, it's a lovely Compur, and now that the watch has been opened, all of the information is there to see in the number on movement and case-back. I would do nothing other than have the movement serviced.

 

Is it possible to determine the year? My grand father was in the French Army during wwII and was deported in 1940 to a prisonner camp in Germany, i would like to know if he possibly had it with him.

 

Quite possible that the watch is from the late 1930s. Do you think that prisoners were allowed to keep valuable possessions like this?

 

The movie Pulp Fiction comes to mind

And congrats to OP! Lovely little chronograph indeed

 

Classic watch story, unforgettable.

 

I would have loved Christopher Walken to give it to me but better my mother in fact ;-)

My grand father was in a camp for the military, not a deportation one, so maybe they had to respect the laws of conflicts and he was allowed to keep it.

 

Lovely watch, great story. Movement service and good to go

 

Here is a similar case with black Dial. Your serial no. indicates that it is from 1936-1938.