Thoughts on UG Compax 22498

Hi all,

I've really been learning a lot quickly from all the detailed work done by folks on the forum. I'm looking at this Compax and there are a few things leaving me with questions. I'm pretty new to this, so maybe the questions are just natural with UG given the nature of the solid primary documentation that's available.

Main one really is the dial. Is this a re-dial? Would love a point to some good threads or further reading to get a bit better at assessing dials. I haven't found similar examples dated to the mid-40s as the serial on this case back suggests. There's one Hodinkee had back c. 2018, different dial, Compax is curved over the sub dial and it's sporting different hands. The lugs on the Hodinkee example look more angular to me than these, but wondering if that's lighting. The seller (apparently used to be here 👀) has an ad showing the watch. I've seen a date of the 1950s put on this and 1948. Funnily enough just noticed compax is curved over the subdial on the watch in the ad so am I answering my own question here ...

Finally bit really is dating it. Did UG produce these watches over multiple years (or even a decade) such that you get a serial number dating it to 1944ish and an ad that may be from 1948 or even the 50s showing the watch? Or is that suggesting that it may have been pieced together from different parts?

Thanks for any thoughts in advance. Really keen to keep learning more about these.

Great stuff. Thanks all. I’m not sure how I got the early date in the 40s.

Is it common for compax from this era to have a mix of open and closed “6”s for example? I was looking more at the numbering and felt there were differences between the subdials like this.

Dial is original UG imho, but perhaps it could be a service dial.

Yes, you can sometimes find a mix of open and closed 6s on original dials from that era.

Thanks @Mark020 Those comparisons are great help. Can see some of the variations too @Tohz mentioned which you reckon can be on factory/originals.

Think I need to get one of these reference books and start looking at the dials more to work on my eye.

The hands are too long and don’t match this dial. So if the hands were changed, what else ?