How did you come to collect and appreciate UG?

[Larry S]

Dear UG Fans,
Hodinkee was giving the bounce to a very nice film Compax up for auction. The writer (I paraphrase) ) said that UG is mainly known for their chronographs and designs from the 40’s and 50’s and that few are talking about them these days. Fighting words, especially coming from the Dink who relentlessly pumped the brand back in the day, …so let’s talk about how we came to appreciate the brand.

My story is a tale of three watches and begins on a lovely September afternoon in 2015, in the Paris 7th winding down after a week of business. Post lunch and a bottle of wine, a colleague took me to his brother’s vintage shop where in his window were two 40’s TriCompax. I immediately asked to see them. I was enthralled by their complexity and style. To this point I had not paid much attention to Vintage save Rolex and Speedmaster. I immediately inquired about purchasing one and he flatly refused to sell them to me. “You cannot get them serviced in the States” said he. After hanging round the shop I managed to pry my 2998-6 from him with a friends and family discount. My first vintage…but UG had set its hooks.

Upon returning home I made the acquaintance of a local on line dealer who had this Outdoorsman for sale.

The Tri Compax still haunted me however and this came up on one of the vintage watch blogs for sale at Crown and Caliber. Furthermore it had an OF pedigree and a non issued military provenance (Royal Artillery). I was able to make a decent deal and it became mine. (of course when I posted it, someone called it a redial and was quickly corrected to my relief.)
Since then I’ve bought the Sala book, now with a taped spine, added a few more Tri’s, Compur, Compax, Uni Compax, Aero Compax and Polerouters. I’m fortunate to live in a place with decent watch makers so, yes, I can have them serviced in the states. I’ve missed the Nina/Clapton train and am not adding to my collection but I still enjoy them. Whats your story?

Edited: Nov 17, 2023

 

[Duracuir1]

Early Hodinkee. My first one was a 18k Tankish model. Second was this Compur, a few weeks before joining OF.

OF has the big dogs of UG collecting in my opinion. Since joining OF I know that if I ever buy another, it will be from one of this Forum’s collectors.

Anything else seems too risky. My Compur is serviced and runs well, but man does it put the UG in UGly! I had four at one point. Sold three of them. Now I have the Compur and the Sala book.

 

[Larry S]

Duracuir1

OF has the big dogs of UG collecting in my opinion. Since joining OF I know that if I ever buy another, it will be from one of this Forum’s collectors.

Anything else seems too risky. My Compur is serviced and runs well, but man does it put the UG in UGly! I had four at one point. Sold three of them. Now I have the Compur and the Sala book.

Indeed, I would be remiss in not thanking OF members who helped me steer clear of the rocks and sirens.

 

[Aroxx]

I don’t own any UGs but came to appreciate the tri-compax early on. My introduction to mechanical watches was a valjoux 88 triple date moonphase chrono. That’s where my research started. This led me to a lot of valjoux based UGs. I still have a thing for triple date moonphases and have lusted after many a tri-compax online.

 

[pdxleaf]

My local watch shop guy knew I liked/obsessed over speedmasters. He called me up one day and said I have a watch for you. Do you want it? It was a rose gold UG that they bought from the family. I asked if I could come in the next day and look at it. I was going to say no, but he called and I wanted to keep that door open.

Next day, he shows me the watch and I say, shoot, I didn't want to buy another watch, here's my check. I spent about 30 minutes parked in the car staring at my wrist. It was just so beautiful.

I actually wore it quite often but ultimately sold it as I go through stages of trying to weed down the numbers. (I would have a pretty nice collection if i had kept everything I weeded out.)

Here's a pic from the FS ad I had on OF. It sold to a local forum member (who got a good deal.)



I don't qualify as a UG collector since I don't have any now. But, I have come to believe that UG and Gallet are the nicest vintage brands. They have a clean and beautiful design that seems to have come at the height of the best of vintage watch making. Like Steve, I seem to see the best UG (and Gallet) in the collections of forum members. It's probably best that way, as I'm currently trying to weed down the numbers.

 

[aap]

Great thread idea, @Larry S! It got me feeling a little nostalgic about my own (short) UG journey!

I got into watches late 2014 and joined OF in 2015, where, not surprisingly, I quickly discovered the UG subforum. I immediately fell in love with the brand, due to its reputation and story - particularly that it was a great and respected watchmaker that has gone defunct, it was shrouded in mystery (i.e. Martel - Zenith connection) and urban legend, it was quirky, and of course, the style of the watches. These characteristics of the brand resonatd with me the same way I loved obscure movies and music, old world wines (i.e. Rioja, Burgundy). I also found the UG subforum's inhabitants and threads more engaging and unique than others.

Around August 2015, I went to Tokyo and saw a Polerouter Sub (Gen 2) that had the wrong hands, which made me fall in love with the brand even more (hands aside).

Inexplicably, my first UG was this modern Compax, which I got sometime Sept 2015 and sold a few months thereafter (posting the first pic I took of it):


A few weeks later, I got my first proper UG, from no less than Jordan (again, first pic taken):

After seeing my first Polerouter Sub in August 2015, it took some time to finally get a correct one, which I got March 2016 (first pic again):

Then, a month later, I got this Tri-Compax from Private Eyes, documented here (and yes, first pic ever):

Around March 2018, this was the STOTC:


To date, it's this:

Edited: Nov 15, 2023

 

[RevZMan123]

1 year ago, I went to the g2g and blacktalon had a Ferro strata MK2.with him. I instantly fell in love with the dial and design and total aesthetic. I saw that vujen knew where to get them and he landed me a set of mk1 and MK2 from the same original owner. I looked around at the line and really liked the white shadow, so I found one of those and have it on today.

 

[TexOmega]

tri-compax-22543-circa-1945.56119


I essentially stopped the UG search after this one.....My haired turned Snow White and I developed a tick in my research and search.

UG broke me. Sala broke me.

Love it, wear it

 

[Flatfoot]

Great idea Larry!
My first UG was a 18k compax which I bought in approx 2015-2016 from an online dealer. Looking back on it now, the watch was less than optimal from a condition standpoint, However it had an original dial but with a fair amount of wear. The teardrop lug case had been polished a bit, it’s got a funky crown, but the whole timepiece had a fairly consistent overall charm and patina. It was pleasant to look at- and important to me it ran nicely. My adult middle son loved the watch and its overall appearance, so I gave it to him at Christmas of 2017. He still wears it. His message to me tonight is “it’s running like a top” and sent this photo.


I joined OF late in 2017, and quickly found my way to the UG threads. A nice early “Fab Suisse” market Compur 30 had made its way around the hands of several members of the forum, and then turned up in the FS listings. It has a lovely rose gold 18k? case, which is my favorite tone for gold watches. I proceeded to buy it. I wear it periodically, perhaps every other month. It is still a very appealing, early chronograph to my eye.


I then began researching tri-compax watches. But the mistake I made was that I got impatient. I ended up rushing to to buy one. And the one I selected has some cosmetic issues with the case, and questions on the handset vs. the dial indices. The good part is that all functions work well, it keeps good time and is still appealing to me. The dealer I bought it from indicated it had been serviced prior to my purchase. And based upon how it has run and continues to run, I’d have to agree. But settling for the less than optimal aesthetics became a powerful lesson for me.


I got Sala’s book when it was released and continued to learn more about UG. However I have slowed my pursuit of adding more UG’s to my stash. At least for the moment.

 

[jumpingsecond]

You guys all inspired me @ decade ago when I joined. I was scared to get into it at first with the warnings that came with it- the amount of redials / frankens / uncertainty. What was rewarding was the amount we've collectively discovered over the years about the brand and still continue to do so. Go look back numerous threads where watches were questioned, investigated and then confirmed or exposed over time and diligence of the collective hive. The best part is brand still challenging as ever and has much more discovery left. I always say it was patek before patek. And I have learned some very big news that suggests a revival that I can't share but maybe others know about it. The prior HK stellux ownership of UG was recently bought out by a major swiss watch brand. Im thinking the only reason they would buy a dead brand is to hopefully revive it!

 

[Redondo444]

As of now only 2 short sentences:

Unlike many other watches the majority of the UG watches looks much more better in reality than on pictures.
Once u have seen one example in reality the likelihood to get hooked appears to be quite high.

Edited: Nov 26, 2023

 

[mikeo1]

I discovered the vintage watch community in 1981 and was smitten with chronographs and triple date moonphase watches. I asked a respected watch repairman in our area who he thought made the best complicated movements and he said he was always impressed by the rugged universal geneve asemblies and UG's ability to combine both complications. Later when I learned repair myself and still to this day I continue to be impressed by the robust (not fancy) nature of these movements.

 

[MarktheTime]

I was late to the game, admittedly, about 6 years ago. Was just getting into some other vintage watches and splurged on a 1960s Patek calatrava…then got hooked on Instagram and it’s watch community to learn/see more, when one day I stumbled on a post of a 1940s UG Tri-Compax that I believe (but am not certain) was owned by @Dre and photographed/posted by a jeweler friend of his. Stopped me dead in my tracks, and the rest is history. I had to have one. Took a few months, but I snagged a beauty from Europe. Then two. Then four. I think I’ve now had 6 or 7 Tri in my collection over the ensuing years, in steel, yellow gold and rose gold. Still have 3 Tri, including an Evil Clapton. And have had 4 Polerouters (now 1). And a Monodatic. And an FS railroad. And an exotic Compax. And a Nina Compax. And an oversized steel Compax. And an oversized rose gold Uni-Compax. And a time only. And a pocket Compax. And a time only pocket. And…well, you get the idea. The rabbit hole of UG is DEEP!! But the scenery within it is stunningly beautiful.

Edited: Nov 17, 2023

 

[mikeo1]

MTT You are HARDCORE!!!!

 

[MarktheTime]

mikeo1

MTT You are HARDCORE!!!!

If by “hardcore” you mean suffering from raging OCD and addiction, then…yes! Guilty as charged.

 

[mikeo1]

Exactly what i was referring to and apparently you are not alone!

Edited: Nov 17, 2023

 

[Larry S]

mikeo1

Exactly what i was referring to and apparently you are not alone!

“Not alone” is an understatement. Plenty of UG collections out there. That DeLux Polerouter!!!!

 

[ikanbilisclub]

i think mine was a mix of influences from everywhere - instagram (also much credit to dandywatchman answering my questions), hodinkee and then subsequently grateful for the UG content and pics on OF that I would devour, even the age old threads.

went big with UG when I got my first tricompax back in 2021 which is now in the loving hands of a fellow OFer as well



fast forward after consolidating this UG for some other pieces I was floored when a local dealer/acquaintance offered me a 222100/1 from Japan that he had received some a seller there.

Immediately awestruck and still on rotation since I got it

 

[itsjustausername]

Daaaang you all have some beautiful UG examples. Personally I don’t recall where or when, other than that the internet and digging into Gerald Genta’s history led me to discover Polerouters and micro rotors. It still took 10+ years after that for me to get my one UG watch: the Sub that was my grail for ages!

 

[styggpyggeno1]

I really do not remember... But I guess it was all @LouS fault (as he got me into Zeniths, he probably infected me with UG: s also). Around 2010-11 I believe.

All found here in Sweden

Rose 18k

De Luxe

Plain Jane 357 with spares

And this one of course... (no longer mine but kept in my heart).

Edited: Nov 25, 2023