Martel with UG movement?

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Mark020

·Apr 2, 2026·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

Never seen before: https://www.auction.fr/lot/martel-w...ite-taille-en-or-18k-750-milliemes-a-64208907

 

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TexOmega

·Apr 2, 2026

Martel built the movements for UG

 

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Mark020

·Apr 2, 2026·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

Of course but this twist is a first

 

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TexOmega

·Apr 2, 2026

Martel sold under their name in certain eras.

 

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fibonacci

·Apr 3, 2026

Very interesting. Accepting that a.) Martel made the movements, b.) Martel made its own watches, c.) there was an exclusivity agreement between them and Universal for the movements, then it's not really logically inconsistent for there to be a Martel watch with a Universal-stamped movement, though it's definitely a little weird. There was clearly some intricacy in that arrangement.

This is of course assuming that watch is original and not some kind of later reconstruction. With that said I'm not sure I've seen another Martel-branded chronograph at all. Do you have other examples?

 

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brainpap

·Apr 3, 2026

TexOmega

Martel sold under their name in certain eras.

but that's significantly later than the watch @Mark020 posted I guess

 

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brainpap

·Apr 3, 2026

fibonacci

With that said I'm not sure I've seen another Martel-branded chronograph at all. Do you have other examples?

This one sold last year at Bonhams. They described the movement just as "Nickel lever, screwed balance, column wheel chronograph", which I think could be the description of some of the first they made for UG.

 

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Dan S

·Apr 3, 2026

Not common to see, in my experience.

 

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TexOmega

·Apr 3, 2026

brainpap

but that's significantly later than the watch @Mark020 posted I guess

Indeed, and why I said "certain eras" ......I never found any other adverts back when I researched Martel and UG 15-16 years ago, but remember reading Martel sometimes sold under their name.

 

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·Apr 4, 2026

Dan S

Not common to see, in my experience.

Yes completely, I was just answering your question and that's basically the one I know of. 😀
But at least it had great provenance (collection of Gerd Rüdiger Lang), so it seemed important to add to this discussion.

 

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·Apr 4, 2026

TexOmega

Indeed, and why I said "certain eras" ......I never found any other adverts back when I researched Martel and UG 15-16 years ago, but remember reading Martel sometimes sold under their name.

yes, and I think there were some later chronos with Valjoux movements sold by Martel.