Hi Folks, A while ago I bought a lady Polerouter for dirt cheap because I thought it looks cool next to my own Polerouters. I now have some free time on my hands and I've been wanting to learn to do minor repairs on my own so I thought it's a good idea to start with this one. The watch is not running and I don't intend to make it work again at least in the first pass. All I want to do is to give it a good clean and put it together again. So far I've removed the crown and decased the movement and the dial. I was trying to clean the inside of the plexi with a q-tip and it just fell out. It seems like it was held together by some sort of glue (see the green color on the edges). It may be hard to see in the photos but the plexi is signed with a U in the middle so I would definitley want to reuse it. I removed most of the dirt on the case but there's still some I couldn't remove with a toothpick. Also the dried glue that was holding the plexi in place is very hard. The dial is a challenge of its own. It seems to be covered with some sort of varnish that has turned yellow over time. Unlike the men's Polerouters the chapter ring here is not a separate piece and is attached to the dial. Initially I thought it's gold but now I think it may be stainless steel under the varnish. Are there any experts in here with suggestions on how to proceed with cleaning the dial, case and plexi? I think I may need some kind of solvent for the varnish to come off the dial as well as for the glue residue. But I wanted to ask here before I do anything. Thanks
Are you sure it is not supposed to be that colour? These two look to have the same finish: https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/universal-geneve-automatic-1142119354/ https://theoandharris.com/shop/vintage-watches-sold/universal-geneve-ladies-polerouter/ Could it be a particular reference that had the golden colour...? I would check/compare casebacks before taking any action like that... Otherwise, there is a NOS dial available: https://www.ebay.com/itm/153806278893Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Hmmm, interesting. I think you may be right. The reference number on mine is 27601-1, not sure if that alone tells us anything about the dial variation. The reference for the ones you posted is not visible unfortunately. I did however find this older ebay listing with the same ref number and from the thumbnail it seems to be the same color: https://picclick.com/Vintage-Univer...omatic-RARE-Complete-Estate-183242924914.html If that's the case, then I would wanna preserve the original color as much as possible. But is there any minor treatment that can be done to the dial to improve it without completely removing the color? What do you think about the plexi being glued to the case? Is that normal or someone just hacked it together?
All UG from this era seem to use internal tension rings of some sort, and were signed with the UG logo in the centre of the glass - this includes the ladies references. Sometimes the centre needs a loupe to see the remnants of the logo, but often they have been replaced. An aftermarket plexi would explain the glueing, but hard to say with confidence without having the watch in hand.
You can dip the whole case in acetone to remove glue residue, or try boiling it in water. I would not recommend cleaning the dial and rehaut. Good luck
Have you seen this? https://www.ebay.com/itm/154240743368?ul_noapp=truePurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Well the pexli definitely is signed with "U" in the center and therefore I assume is original. That's why I don't understand why it was glued to the case.
Thanks, I saw that listing too and seems to be the right one but the seller said he doesn't ship to US at the moment. But I'll keep an eye on it.
Acetone seems to be the way to go for removing the glue. There's some glue stuck to the plexi as well. Do you recommend dipping that in acetone too?
No! It will destroy it for sure. I will recommend using the right glue for the plexi also, maybe get a watchmaker to do it instead of buying a whole kit.
I appreciate the offer @Carlton-Browne and @Capt Cave Man. I'll look around a bit more and if I don't find anything locally I use your help.
Update: I got a NOS dial from Germany! thanks to @Carlton-Browne for helping it reach America! The old dial looks like it's done. The paint had become so brittle that some of it came off while removing the hands, I think I could have been more careful but lesson learned. Fits perfectly and looks brand new. Next steps: -Dump the case in acetone to remove glue residue -Somehow get the dried glue off of the edges of plexi -Put everything back together.
@berrychlossom I’m sure you are aware but there are a couple of lovely and reasonably priced (for UG Gay Freres, anyway) ladies Polerouter bracelets currently up on eBay with their end links. Provided they fit your model properly, I think one of these would finish off your project beautifully. Here’s one example; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303843816017Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Thanks @Woops, I would love to pair it up with a bracelet but the lug width on this is 9mm. The bracelet you posted is 12mm
Obviously my girlfriend was an excuse to buy a tiny version of a Polerouter But she'll be wearing it for me when it's complete
Ah, I was hoping you were just doing it for fun so I could offer to buy it for my daughter or wife after .
Here another version of a ‘lady’ 26mm Polerouter in almost NOS condition. Original crown and signed crystal. Ref: 825603/05