This strikes me as a significant sale of a nice all-original Polarouter over the weekend, with many high-quality photos, and a top price achieved. Did anyone here win this one? The dial patina--or damage, depending on your point of view--is pretty heavy on this one, but it is even. Someone could put a nice leather band on this watch with a complimentary color. Also, it has one of those rarer scalloped UG crowns.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
I am interested to hear everyone's thoughts on the level of dial patina: beautiful? too much?

 

Heavy patina but I think it is ok on this one. At least it deserves to be seen IRL or under proper light to better judge it.
It is the first Polarouter I see on sale. A shame that they fitted it with such an ugly crystal...

 

"The U is for Universal Geneva."



I'd say it's trashed, not patina. The condition of the rest of the watch is the reason for the sale price. To me it's a case and movement in search of a dial.

 

It was discussed briefly here https://omegaforums.net/threads/universal-geneve-watches-on-ebay.3584/page-224

I agree - all original, including that crown, and that does make it really quite rare.

I was the underbidder. Due to a lack of communication, a good friend ended up paying more than he had hoped.

I look forward to seeing more pictures of the dial. I suspect it will look slightly better in person than in these photos.

 

Good luck finding a Polarouter dial...

 

What's wrong with the crystal?

 

The reflection is weird, you usually got this with cheap thin crystals. I do not know if this is the correct wording but a thick crystal gives you several "levels" of reflection with hard light on the edges and soft light across the rest of the crystal. Most of the time you even see the reflection on one edge and on its opposite.
Here, the light looks dull to me. So either the seller is really not good at taking picture, or your friend should think about finding a new crystal

 

My opinion is that the dial is awful, it's a parts watch. Maybe you other collectors like this model, but why would pay that much unless you have nicer condition dial to replace it. This condition doest impress me much. I guess I'm not a Polerouter expert by any means.!

 

The Polarouter dial, despite the poor condition, contributed to the outcome IMO. I wish the buyer the best of luck in finding a good dial. Have a good early Polerouter with a refinished dial and have been iso the right dial for a long time - no luck so far.

 

I'm more inclined to call it damage rather than patina on this dial. Pity, everything else looks decent.

 

Personally, I like it very much, but not for that price. It is an "honest" watch passed down through time, that had exposure to moisture at some point, and that no one tried to restore or make pretty. I would wear it like that, but again, I would not pay that price for it. It's like driving an old, very rare Ferrari that has very worn out paint from sitting in a barn for 20 years....

 

Totally agree, you have patina, and you have that....

 

The "A" in Polarouter seems to be fairly bright considering the rest of the text. In the different angles it's the only letter that really pops.

 

With vintage watches, there is always a compromise for a given budget; here the trade-off was condition, specifically the condition of the dial, for rarity.

A very small number of all original Polarouters change hands each year; I would estimate 5-10. An immaculate example of this same watch sold at WoK in July for around £6000 including commission. That is four times the price of the eBay watch.

You can see much later Polerouters offered by dealers for considerably more than the eBay Polarouter and these watches are commonplace in comparison (and not always as honest and original as this one).

I hope that the dial looks better in person than in the unflattering eBay photos but even if it does not, the buyer has a rare watch and as a very worst case scenario, an excellent Polarouter parts watch with crown, case, case back and marker ring that are all unique to Polarouters.

 

I am happy to report that I was the winner. I will be cleaning it up a bit but replacing nothing but the crystal with a proper original U crystal. Once that is all done I will be posting some pics and I am confident that you will all be surprised and any naysayers will quickly recant . Stay tuned.
Thank you Mazoue for your support on it, much appreciated my friend!

 

Well for god sakes bin that horrible bracelet!!!!!

 

Congrats Matt and welcome to the club.
To have a Polarouter in the collection is a great honor.
I hope that all works out as you think, I'm sure you will enjoy it a lot.

 

Congrats; can’t wait to see it once it lands. I especially like that thin chapter ring variant.

 

You may sleep well Larry, its already been trashed!

 

Congrats Matt. Another Uber-cool score!