From a prior post (http://omegaforums.net/threads/a-long-time-coming.7657/), you may recall that I had been squirreling (there's that rodent again) away a Gay Freres bracelet for a Space Compax for many years before I got the watch to go with it.

Well, a scant ten days ago, on my final pass through eBay before turning in, a BIN posting popped up for another bracelet. What would I need with another? Except that the price was low and the bracelet is not an easy find, and at the end of the day, it's part of the collecting instinct to acquire little bits and pieces, so I Bought It Now.



A mere four days later, a nice lady from Ohio with an eye for the unusual and the good instinct not to let herself get taken by a local watch shop posts a find from a 0.99 cent bag of junk watches in a thrift store: http://omegaforums.net/threads/universal-genéve-space-compax.9708/ - nothing less than a 1st execution Space Compax.

Such a lady is entitled to a generous profit, and I put myself in charge of rendering same to her. Now, said lady lives far from our world of watch trading, but acquits herself like the most honorable and courteous of watch collectors, so the deal proves simple, straightforward and prompt. She holds up her end to a T, despite her obviously rising realization she is dealing with a community of total loons.

SUCH is the juju of an empty bracelet.

The watch and the bracelet were recently married.



what a sacred beast this watch is



A beautiful mass of metal on the wrist



The dial is perfect, and the blued hands add a great deal



Valjoux 72/UG cal 85 inside



only one watchmaker sig on the inside of the caseback - it'll get a prompt service



Curiously, a second execution caseback number, but I am not inclinded to quibble. It could hardly be a replacement. It's only 303 numbers away from my other Space Compax



SO, the obvious question - which do you prefer, 1st or 2nd execution?

 

Nice pair of UG Chronos, Lou! Not too many collectors have one of these, let alone two.

Here's a question for you...

I noticed that UG seems to have more instances of hand engraved reference and serial numbers on their casebacks than any other major brand.

From my Polerouter Date:



If you look closely at both casebacks you can see where the engraver started and ended each figure using a stencil.

Any idea why?
gatorcpa

 

it is the way of UG after about 1960. Maddening, really, as only a little polishing will obliterate the numbers altogether.

 

That's right when my watch was made, 1960. I had a friend use his super-macro lens to take that picture. If you don't know where to look on my watch, you'll never find these numbers. As you can see, the watch has been well used over the years.

Both my bumper Polerouter and Jet have the numbers stamped into the caseback. Serials on both are less than 2M.

Thanks Lou,
gatorcpa

 

Hi lou

great chronos ! I have one Polrouter Sub in a symmetrical case.....

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Good hunting

Bill Sohne

 

OK, so it took a while, but I think I'm catchin' on here

 

Maybe I'll try to buy a 7077 and see if a 2915 pops out of the bushes to claim it

 

thank you all

Oh, that's lovely. I'm thinking about matching Subs for the Space Compaxes.

Yes, exactly. I think that's how it works.

 

Gavin, both rubber pushers are replacements. The problem is not the rubber part, which you can get a reasonable facsimile of off of eBay (albeit for an extortionate sum) but rather the metal washer underneath. It is always missing, but Candy's watch had one of these. I McGyvered the other one out of a particularly thick foil that I find in packaging of a product we use at work, something like the stuff laser printer cartridges comes in. If I knew where to look for such things, i could probably find washers of an appropriate size, but I haven't a clue.

 

Various Omega pushers have various sized washers, one possible source.

 

Love the blued hands on the first generation, that's a really subtle but nice touch.

 

I'm going to be in that bush before the 2915 has a chance to pop out.