Post your Universal Geneves

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Today I'm wearing my "gateway" UG 20721 cal 263. This is called "The Outdoorsman" in a Sala advert. On a HODINKEE calfskin strap. I love the warm patina. Purchased on line and then had to do a full movement restoration but well worth it.

Thanks, Larry, for this thread; I didn't know the model name that I've been enjoying for a while now.....it's lovely to wear, and runs like a train. Someone in the past took really good care of it, or put it in a drawer for decades! Either way, I appreciate having it. Regards, Wes.
 
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If you have not had it serviced and wear it a lot I'd get it done. Your watch is in beautiful shape. It was indeed well cared for.
 
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Guys, lets try to give him some actually good Advice. I like a flaming wreck as much as anyone, but, I feel obligated to give this gentleman some honest advice. I was not too long ago a newcomer,. and got amazing advice from folks like @Diabolik and Dracha

@Luisg73. I don't know how familiar you are with vintage watches, but in general, what vintage watch collectors look for is a watch that is in good condition with original parts. That's what you see when you're looking at the $10,000 versions of this watch- they have original everything, are in immaculate condition, and often have things like the box and papers the watch came with. Those are things watch collectors value extremely highly. A watch with non-original parts takes a HUGE beating on it's value. It's ok to swap out parts for identical parts- for instance, it's perfectly ok to replace the subdial hand, but only with one that is identical to the one the watch was born with (or else you lose a significant portion of the watch's value)

Watch collectors obsess over the tiniest of details, and we pay a significant premium for what sane individuals would think are meaningless. For instance, lets take a Rolex Submariner, one of the most famous and ubiquitous watches. It came out about 50 years ago, and the early variations of that watch are called the gilt gloss submariners. Now some of those watches, for whatever reason, had the name Rolex lightly underlined. These PCG Underline Gilt Gloss Submariners are worth about 15-20k more than their almost identical brethren that dont have this line.

Now let's talk about your watch. Let's first talk about what is good about your watch. It's dial seems to be in good condition, and the hour and minute hands have a nice patina. The bezel is ok, and you have what I think are the original mushroom pushers

But it's got a lot of significant problems, issues that are not cheap or easy to fix. Let's look at this picture-
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0AsAAOSwTglYmjdH/s-l1600.jpg

And compare it with this:

http://images.europeanwatch.com/images/24/24660-8.jpg

Can you see how badly the movement in your watch has corroded? It will be surprising to see that movement run, even after you replace the hairspring. Another thing you can see in these pics is that the EWC example has an original crown, while your's does not

Next, let's look at this other picture on your listing

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IQYAAOSwjDZYmjc6/s-l1600.jpg

Do you see how the top right lug in this picture is bent badly? That's not something that's easy to fix
Now let's look at this:
https://omegaforums.net/attachments/14874251469651609470211-jpg.346859/

Things that immediately jump out: you're missing the chrono minute subdial hand, and presumably the pinion that drives it. In additional, the plexi crystal needs to be replaced

These are pretty major flaws. The most expensive parts of a watch are the dial, the movement, and the case. You have a decent dial. The movement almost certainly needs to be completely rehauled. The case may be salvageable according to people wiser than me, but would still be a significant undertaking. Not to mention that you have to be patient for the minute subdial hand to show up on the market.

This kind of work can't be legitimately done for $100, or even $250
Holy crap. If those pictures are this watch we are talking $2 Grand or more for a full restoration. I cannot believe what I've been reading.
 
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Thanks, Larry, for this thread; I didn't know the model name that I've been enjoying for a while now.....it's lovely to wear, and runs like a train. Someone in the past took really good care of it, or put it in a drawer for decades! Either way, I appreciate having it. Regards, Wes.

Thanks, Larry, for this thread; I didn't know the model name that I've been enjoying for a while now.....it's lovely to wear, and runs like a train. Someone in the past took really good care of it, or put it in a drawer for decades! Either way, I appreciate having it. Regards, Wes.
Thanks, Larry, for this thread; I didn't know the model name that I've been enjoying for a while now.....it's lovely to wear, and runs like a train. Someone in the past took really good care of it, or put it in a drawer for decades! Either way, I appreciate having it. Regards, Wes.
Heres my workhorse, love three hand watch simplicity!
 
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I should wear this more often. Nice to see yours back @CajunTiger

Thanks...now that she has been serviced, Im enjoying wearing it.
If you ever get tired of yours let me know 😀
 
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I only have one!

272313-1ffe9ebecae9a2cbabe488d4d70ab087.jpg
 
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only one UG is left... but will be here forever. how many blue bezels are known?

28551166nw.jpg
 
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Delayed posting but better late than never! My UG Tri-Compax in the Sun.

Now in for a full service. UG1243.png.html