Opinions on Universal Geneve Compax dial - original or redial?

Diabolik · Nov 17, 2020

I agree with bgrisso. It is a very early compax and dials of that period can look a little messy when compared to later compax references. Very early dials are not blessed with the 6 o clock Swiss. Perhaps the dial printing process underwent a some sort of refinement around that time. IMHO it does not scream of a redial and is possibly a very good condition original late 30 s dial.

I would go as far as identifying it as the dial in reference 12239 on the sala bible (page 289)
...

OllieOnTheRocks · Nov 17, 2020

Through my research, I considered fonts to be all okay, albeit a little clunky in areas. My main concern was the lack of Swiss at 6, but I guess this has been cleared up as not always being present on these earlier iterations. The case reference was 22268. Of those I have managed to find of this case reference, they appear to be mid 40s. I could not see one with these same leaf hands for this case reference.

martinc · Nov 17, 2020

I think the dial is fine.
Absence of “Swiss” is normal for earlier dials.
Nonetheless the subdials are a little bit strange, since it’s a kind of mix of early (closed 6&9s, black “ring” printed on inner edge of subdial) and later font and graphics (open 6&9s, no ring).

Adding some pictures to illustrate. Early Compaxes (1937-41) and one later Compax (1945).

OllieOnTheRocks · Nov 17, 2020

martinc
I think the dial is fine.
Absence of “Swiss” is normal for earlier dials.
Nonetheless the subdials are a little bit strange, since it’s a kind of mix of early (closed 6&9s, black “ring” printed on inner edge of subdial) and later font and graphics (open 6&9s, no ring).

Adding some pictures to illustrate. Early Compaxes (1937-41) and one later Compax (1945).

Some real beauties you have there, thank you for the pictures! They're very useful 😀 Also if you fancy selling that one with the light tan strap dibs 😜

martinc · Nov 17, 2020

Thanks. Dibs noted. 😀

Regarding the OP watch.
I found it here: https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/universal-geneve-compax-chronograph-1144407644/

The serial number dates the case to 1945, so the subdials correctly have the newer font with open 6&9s, although the font is a bit thick and unusual... but on a 1945 dial, there normally should be "Swiss" at the bottom. Difficult to say, with this case design, whether it can be hidden under the edge of the case...

Adding more photos from the above cited page which were not included in the OP:

Diabolik · Nov 17, 2020

martinc
Thanks. Dibs noted. 😀

Regarding the OP watch.
I found it here: https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/universal-geneve-compax-chronograph-1144407644/

The serial number dates the case to 1945, so the subdials correctly have the newer font with open 6&9s, although the font is a bit thick and unusual... but on a 1945 dial, there normally should be "Swiss" at the bottom. Difficult to say, with this case design, whether it can be hidden under the edge of the case...

Adding more photos from the above cited page which were not included in the OP:

I dont see it as a 1945 dial. More like very late 30s to very early 40s. That case would not have started life with that dial. With that serial on case, my summary on watch is an early dial on a later case.

martinc · Nov 17, 2020

Diabolik
I dont see it as a 1945 dial. More like very late 30s to very early 40s. That case would not have started life with that dial. With that serial on case, my summary on watch is an early dial on a later case.

I don´t think it´s necessarily so.
The font on the subdials of the OP watch was not used on late 30s / early 40s dials. It´s the usual story of the closed and open 6s and 9s.
And I would dare to say that this reference as such did not even exist in the late 30s.
But a 1945 dial "should" have a Swiss sign at the bottom...

You are right thought that the overall graphics of the dial is more of those "Bauhaus" style dials often used at the end of 30s or very beginning of 40s. But I still think, judging also from the archive pictures in Sala, that UG produced dial with the same layout even later and used them on their later references. But font on subdials was updated.

But obviously I can be wrong. 😀

vujen · Nov 17, 2020

in my humble opinion, once again, 100% correct.

Opinions on Universal Geneve Compax dial - original or redial?

Diabolik

OllieOnTheRocks

martinc

OllieOnTheRocks

martinc

Diabolik

martinc

vujen

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