Is this Tri-Compax a good buy?

banders · Jun 20, 2022

Hi everyone,

I am looking to get into vintage watches and I've set my sights on a particular Tri-Compax.

It is from a dealer I consider very reputable but I don't have enough background knowledge to know if it is a good buy and what I should be paying for it.

I am hoping that people on this forum can fill in the gaps for me:
What is this watch worth?
Do the dial, hands, and rest of the watch look original?
Is there anything I should know before pulling the trigger?

I don't want to say what it costs yet because I don't want to bias anyone's estimates.

Larry S · Jun 20, 2022

I’m missing the moon. Should have a face but I’m betting on a service disc. Right away, this dealer is hiding his cards. Not that a service disc is a bad thing. That dial is in the right S/N range. Does it match the factory pic? No but it’s very close. Nice piece. As far as valuation, that’s between you and the dealer.

banders · Jun 20, 2022

Larry S
I’m missing the moon. Should have a face but I’m betting on a service disc. Right away, this dealer is hiding his cards. Not that a service disc is a bad thing. That dial is in the right S/N range. Does it match the factory pic? No but it’s very close. Nice piece. As far as valuation, that’s between you and the dealer.

Hey Larry, thanks so much for your input. A few more questions that will reveal my lack of knowledge here:
Is a service disk a replacement disk from a later period?
Is it an issue that the dial does not match the factory pic? Also how were you able to figure that out?

Larry S · Jun 20, 2022

The original moon face discs did not age well. It was common to replace them with gold on blue starred background starting in the 50’s. So its not a big issue but I don’t like the fact that the dealer is hiding it. I’d ask to see the moon disc.

Sala …AKA “the bible”, has Black and White factory reference pictures. Like the bible however, it is subject to interpretation. This dial is in the right serial number zone.

Larry S · Jun 20, 2022

Larry S · Jun 20, 2022

As you can see, you need to think directionally with UG. The color plates have issues. The BW factory plates are a snapshot in time. Dealers were allowed to swap dials etc so overall nice watch.

CaptainWinsor · Jun 20, 2022

Larry S
The original moon face discs did not age well. It was common to replace them with gold on blue starred background starting in the 50’s.

what did the original discs look like? Thanks

Larry S · Jun 20, 2022

CaptainWinsor
what did the original discs look like? Thanks

See color pic

CaptainWinsor · Jun 20, 2022

Looks blue gold. I thought maybe it was completely different

TexOmega · Jun 20, 2022

CaptainWinsor
what did the original discs look like? Thanks

Mark020 · Jun 21, 2022

Close siblings:
Nice one https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en...ri-compax-lot-347-7?page=1&q=universal+geneve
Redial: https://www.montresmania.com/produit/universal-chrono-tri-compax-grande-taille-or-rose/

The one you are looking at should have a numbered movement with serial around 220k

Mark020 · Jun 21, 2022

And some serials further away:
https://www.proantic.com/en/display.php?mode=obj&id=928565
https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/55991...t=Lotart&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=coop

cristos71 · Jun 21, 2022

Larry S

Where can I find this book and how much should I expect to pay? I don't collect UG but I'd like to educate myself and this book seems like a must.

Mark020 · Jun 21, 2022

http://www.librouniversal.it/acquista_-_buy_now.html

Paper one will be expensive now as in hundreds of euros. Found 1 copy for sale in Korea: http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/...lGb=ENG&barcode=9788895684253&orderClick=&Kc= (asking is EUR 367 according to Google)

Larry S · Jun 21, 2022

@banders …Really need movement, moon, inside case back pics.

cristos71 · Jun 21, 2022

Mark020
http://www.librouniversal.it/acquista_-_buy_now.html

Paper one will be expensive now as in hundreds of euros. Found 1 copy for sale in Korea: http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/...lGb=ENG&barcode=9788895684253&orderClick=&Kc= (asking is EUR 367 according to Google)

Thanks for the link, if I don't manage to score a paper one I'll get the digital version.

Mark020 · Jun 21, 2022

You may borrow mine 😉

timjohn · Jun 21, 2022

If it’s a redial, it’s a good one. The Moonphase should look like the one in my avatar. The only things that worry me is the lack of a ring around the date register, and I would have thought it likely that the ‘31’ would be in red…

Oku · Jun 21, 2022

Larry S
That dial is in the right S/N range. Does it match the factory pic? No but it’s very close.

CaptainWinsor
what did the original discs look like? Thanks

Reference numbers only refer to the cases, not the dial. There are usually innumerable dial variants in one case.

timjohn
The only things that worry me is the lack of a ring around the date register, and I would have thought it likely that the ‘31’ would be in red…

The one that @Mark020 postet first (Antiquorum) also does not have that ring. However, I agree that it looks suspicious and I always avoided them. I believe that these are service dials. Both watches have a dial without ring, with black 31 and a faceless moon but the serial is from 1943 to 1945. So at least, the moon disc was changed.

Oku · Jun 21, 2022

By the way, has anybody noticed the double reference and serial number at the top and bottom of the case back?

Is this Tri-Compax a good buy?

banders

Larry S

banders

Larry S

Larry S

Larry S

CaptainWinsor

Larry S

CaptainWinsor

TexOmega

Mark020

Mark020

cristos71

Mark020

Larry S

cristos71

Mark020

timjohn

Oku

Oku

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