How do I find a Tri-Compax?

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pnw98406

·Nov 7, 2026

First of all, thank you to everyone who has contributed to the UG forum. It has helped me learn a lot since I was introduced to Universal Geneve a few years ago.

In large part due to this forum, I fell in love with the Tri-Compax. I’ve been softly searching off and on for the last year or so, but I’ve become more intent in my looking lately. I swear I've looked everywhere (online), but nothing (I’m sure I missed some.

So here’s the dumb question: where in the world to a find a nice jumbo Tri-Compax?! I’m 95% sure the answer is that I can’t because they’re so rarely sold these days and that this question shows what a beginner I am. If that’s true, then great, I’ll bide my time. But if I’m just really not looking in the right place, I’d love to know that too.

Thanks all.

 

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vujen

·Nov 7, 2026

chrono24
ebay
auctions (so you can check in Liveauctioneers etc)
watch dealers in IG

 

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STANDY

·Nov 7, 2026

How deep are your pockets.


(Deep pockets are known to pry certain watches off certain wrists. )

 

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Mark020

·Nov 7, 2026·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

And decide what you want first: steel, gold or a combination and which size you want

 

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MarktheTime

·Nov 7, 2026

P pnw98406

First of all, thank you to everyone who has contributed to the UG forum. It has helped me learn a lot since I was introduced to Universal Geneve a few years ago.

In large part due to this forum, I fell in love with the Tri-Compax. I’ve been softly searching off and on for the last year or so, but I’ve become more intent in my looking lately. I swear I've looked everywhere (online), but nothing (I’m sure I missed some.

So here’s the dumb question: where in the world to a find a nice jumbo Tri-Compax?! I’m 95% sure the answer is that I can’t because they’re so rarely sold these days and that this question shows what a beginner I am. If that’s true, then great, I’ll bide my time. But if I’m just really not looking in the right place, I’d love to know that too.

Thanks all.

I just sent you a direct message. Somebody I know (not me) is likely selling a nice one…

 

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banders

·Nov 7, 2026

Finding a nice Tri-Compax (or any vintage watch) takes a ton of time

To make the search a little easier, I built a tool that pulls together listings from dealers and marketplaces in one place and alerts me when something I'm looking for pops up

https://thewatchlist.ch

Happy to share access if you want to try it. Just shoot me a DM!

 

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pnw98406

·Nov 7, 2026

Mark020

And decide what you want first: steel, gold or a combination and which size you want

At risk of a begger being a chooser, I am pretty committed to a jumbo with a white/silver dial. I’d prefer a steel case but am more open on case material.

 

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TexOmega

·Nov 7, 2026

For a clarifying example of what you seek........something kinda like this?🤔

 

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pnw98406

·Nov 7, 2026

TexOmega

For a clarifying example of what you seek........something kinda like this?🤔

Right. Wow, those hands are great!

 

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theluckyluke

·Sun. 2:17am

Goldhammer has some from time to time. They have been discussed on the forum now and then.

 

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Redondo444

·Sun. 5:31am

MarktheTime

I just sent you a direct message. Somebody I know (not me) is likely selling a nice one…

Pls post here as some might be interested 😀

 

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MarktheTime

·Sun. 2:54pm

Redondo444

Pls post here as some might be interested 😀

A friend in Ireland is selling this one. A bit of patina on the dial but all original/correct in 18K Rose gold. 35 mm I believe.

 

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TexOmega

·Sun. 4:52pm

Yes that example has the 285 and is smaller.

 

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MarktheTime

·Sun. 6:09pm

It’s a wonderful and honest example, serviced in recent years, and all original/correct. He’s reachable on Instagram at @mcwatchy, where you’ll see more pics and videos, for anyone who is seriously interested (I’ve now shared that with a couple of OF members via private message).

 

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vujen

·Mon. 4:26am

nice watch but not jumbo...

 

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Ron_W

·Mon. 7:51am

banders

Finding a nice Tri-Compax (or any vintage watch) takes a ton of time

To make the search a little easier, I built a tool that pulls together listings from dealers and marketplaces in one place and alerts me when something I'm looking for pops up

https://thewatchlist.ch

Happy to share access if you want to try it. Just shoot me a DM!

Hi, how does it work because i set up an account and then it ask again for a password in a new page ? The one i used for logging in is "not correct" for the 2nd box.

 

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ShaneH

·Mon. 9:30am

That's me and my watch mentioned by @MarktheTime above. Happy to talk should you be curious, even it's just for a bit more info.

 

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banders

·Mon. 6:21pm

Ron_W

Hi, how does it work because i set up an account and then it ask again for a password in a new page ? The one i used for logging in is "not correct" for the 2nd box.

Just DM'd you

 

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pnw98406

·Wed. 3:11pm

Thank you everyone for your engagement and for those who have reached out to me directly. I really appreciate it. I have a potential opportunity to acquire a 22502 and would really appreciate folks' thoughts. To my amateur eye, it would appear the indices and hands have been relumed? The lime looks brighter in the first picture than in the second, so maybe not?

And is tail on G in Geneve right? I could not find examples in the Sala book or elsewhere on this forum (though my searching skills may be off).

The retailer didn't do a great job of blacking out the serial, and I can make out that it is 1106973. This watch sold at auction in France last year, though there's not much helpful information on the auction site. https://mirabaud-mercier.com/lot/17...-geneva-tri-compax-ref-22502-circa-1945-steel

 

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pnw98406

·Wed. 3:18pm

Would have helped if I actually uploaded photos! Here we go...