UG compax reference 22209

Diabolik · Feb 3, 2026

bgrisso
If the case ref and serial were on the exterior, the only plausible reason I can see they would be missing is if there was a personalized engraving that someone later removed, and the numbers were lost in the process. Otherwise they are usually pretty deep and I can't see them disappearing. If they were on the inside caseback there's no reason I can see they would be removed. If the caseback never had a case ref or serial I don't have an explanation.
It doesn't appear the caseback is seated properly in the case, there is a large gap. I don't know if that something as simple as the wrong gasket, or could be indicating the caseback and case were not originally paired.
Has the seller been able to come up with a convincing explanation of how they know it's a 22209?

I second the ground and polished back hypothesis on the basis that there is normally a lip between the knurled ring and the flat back of case back. On that case back it looks like the knurling goes to the very edge and is very clean/shinny indicating it has been recently ground and polished ...

Tohz · Feb 4, 2026

Could be a 22203 as shown in the archive.
I think I've never seen one of this reference.

Seabass23 · Feb 4, 2026

Tohz
Could be a 22203 as shown in the archive.
I think I've never seen one of this reference.

Wow, thank you for posting this. The numerals on the dial are a very close match!

bgrisso · Feb 4, 2026

Of course the case reference does not dictate the dial, and vice versa, but still its cool to find an early waterproof case with breguet numerals. IMO the 22203 case size looks too small to be this exact watch, as the subdials are so close to the outer track there is not room to fit the 15/30/45 outside the subdial, whereas those numbers are present on the example under discussion.

Mark020 · Feb 5, 2026

Tohz
Could be a 22203 as shown in the archive.
I think I've never seen one of this reference.

I've never seen one as well

Seabass23 · Feb 5, 2026

Mark020
I've never seen one as well

I have a decision to make on this watch and I've been invited to make an offer. From what those here have said, I've summarized a few key points and would like confirmation:

-the reference number on this watch is unknown. It is unlikely a 22209, but the dial shares similarities with the (presumably scarce) 22203 documented in archives.
-the subdial hands and pushers are NOT original.
-the case back has either been borrowed from another model of Universal Geneve, or, it is correct and the serial number and reference were ground off (along with some engraving).

I believe @Mark020 was the one who first indicated concerns with the dial and quality of the lume. I'm curious now, does the archive picture of the 22203 change your perception, or do you still question the originality of the dial?

I also learned that there is no dust shield between the movement and the caseback and I'm not sure if there should be.

At the risk of adding more wrinkles. Here is a better movement picture than the one posted previously.

An lastly, thank you all again for your patience with these questions. Your time is sincerely appreciated.

bgrisso · Feb 5, 2026

Seabass23
I have a decision to make on this watch and I've been invited to make an offer. From what those here have said, I've summarized a few key points and would like confirmation:

-the reference number on this watch is unknown. It is unlikely a 22209, but the dial shares similarities with the (presumably scarce) 22203 documented in archives.
-the subdial hands and pushers are NOT original.
-the case back has either been borrowed from another model of Universal Geneve, or, it is correct and the serial number and reference were ground off (along with some engraving).

I believe @Mark020 was the one who first indicated concerns with the dial and quality of the lume. I'm curious now, does the archive picture of the 22203 change your perception, or do you still question the originality of the dial?

I also learned that there is no dust shield between the movement and the caseback and I'm not sure if there should be.

At the risk of adding more wrinkles. Here is a better movement picture than the one posted previously.

An lastly, thank you all again for your patience with these questions. Your time is sincerely appreciated.

Does that say RDR on the movement? Does anyone know what country that import code is for? I don't think I've ever seen RDR before?

bgrisso · Feb 5, 2026

Seabass23
I have a decision to make on this watch and I've been invited to make an offer. From what those here have said, I've summarized a few key points and would like confirmation:

-the reference number on this watch is unknown. It is unlikely a 22209, but the dial shares similarities with the (presumably scarce) 22203 documented in archives.
-the subdial hands and pushers are NOT original.
-the case back has either been borrowed from another model of Universal Geneve, or, it is correct and the serial number and reference were ground off (along with some engraving).

I believe @Mark020 was the one who first indicated concerns with the dial and quality of the lume. I'm curious now, does the archive picture of the 22203 change your perception, or do you still question the originality of the dial?

I also learned that there is no dust shield between the movement and the caseback and I'm not sure if there should be.

At the risk of adding more wrinkles. Here is a better movement picture than the one posted previously.

An lastly, thank you all again for your patience with these questions. Your time is sincerely appreciated.

my 2 cents....

1) first off you will not necessarily get 100% agreement here, you may get a range of opinions
2) no one can make absolute statements about UG, we can give informed opinions
3) it COULD be a 22209, but it could also be something else
4) the subdial hands are not typical, but they are all matching and they MAY be UG, but that doesn't mean they are original, we don't know
5) pushers are not like any UG I've ever seen, IMO replaced
6) dial original but lume application is sloppy, not sure if lume application original. Would help to know if it's radium? Also lume on dial doesn't match lume on hands. To me one potential situation is someone applied lume to the dial after it left the factory and added the lume lozenge hands (lume dial useless without lumed hands).
7) not sure offhand if it should have a dust cover, would require research.

Mark020 · Feb 5, 2026

Well the caseback with the coin edge is seen on ref 22205 (see for instance: https://omegaforums.net/threads/universal-geneve-watches-on-ebay.3584/post-2484361). 22205 is 381 as well. That may mean that 22203 and 22204 also have them but unfortunately I have no examples of these references recorded. So it may be a 22203. The dial is still at least relumed and the pushers are not correct. And there is still the issue with the missing numbers. I'd say it is easy to overbid on this one

Mark020 · Feb 5, 2026

bgrisso
Does that say RDR on the movement? Does anyone know what country that import code is for? I don't think I've ever seen RDR before?

You just beat me to this. I have have not seen that either. It may be ROR and that is Audemars.

bgrisso · Feb 5, 2026

Mark020
You just beat me to this. I have have not seen that either. It may be ROR and that is Audemars.

yah I couldn't get anywhere with RDR so far, and was considering the same thing about ROR, but that doesn't really make sense either, Audemars didn't use any UG movements did they?

Mark020 · Feb 5, 2026

Not as far as I know. Vacheron did but completely reworked them and this example is standard.

Only think I can think of is something along the lines of a UG produced other brand (like the Gallet ones) or even private label which imported them themselves with a replacement dial.

bgrisso · Feb 5, 2026

Maybe ask Sala or the Italian forum what they think?

bgrisso · Feb 5, 2026

Mark020
You just beat me to this. I have have not seen that either. It may be ROR and that is Audemars.

I get confused, are the 3 letter codes for USA only, and each code represents a different company? Or are the 3 letter codes international, and each code represents a different county?

Mark020 · Feb 6, 2026

US only. Each code is a different importer

bgrisso · Feb 8, 2026

Mark020
US only. Each code is a different importer

another thing I have never completely understood, the import code are for the watch brand itself or for the retailer who is selling the watch brand, or both? I guess some of the watch brands would retail themselves, some would also be sold by other retailers in addition to themselves, and some might only be sold by other retailers without maintaining their own retail presence.
So we have HOX listed for IWC and Universal Geneve, and we have UOW listed for Universal Geneve, why two codes for the same brand.
And Henri Stern has exclusive rights to sell UG in the states as of 1942, why no import code for Henri Stern ?

Mark020 · Feb 8, 2026

Interesting question (and observation)

bgrisso · Feb 9, 2026

Seabass23
I have a decision to make on this watch and I've been invited to make an offer. From what those here have said, I've summarized a few key points and would like confirmation:

-the reference number on this watch is unknown. It is unlikely a 22209, but the dial shares similarities with the (presumably scarce) 22203 documented in archives.
-the subdial hands and pushers are NOT original.
-the case back has either been borrowed from another model of Universal Geneve, or, it is correct and the serial number and reference were ground off (along with some engraving).

I believe @Mark020 was the one who first indicated concerns with the dial and quality of the lume. I'm curious now, does the archive picture of the 22203 change your perception, or do you still question the originality of the dial?

I also learned that there is no dust shield between the movement and the caseback and I'm not sure if there should be.

At the risk of adding more wrinkles. Here is a better movement picture than the one posted previously.

An lastly, thank you all again for your patience with these questions. Your time is sincerely appreciated.

where is this watch for sale? does the seller know where it was originally purchased? can you confirm if the 3 letter code is RDR or something else?

Seabass23 · Feb 9, 2026

bgrisso
where is this watch for sale? does the seller know where it was originally purchased? can you confirm if the 3 letter code is RDR or something else?

The watch was offered to me privately here in Canada. There is no additional history known. The movement photo is all we have.

The seller and I have mutually agreed to not complete the deal. He enjoys it despite all the unknowns so it's fair to say that it's worth more to him.

Seabass23 · Feb 10, 2026

I'll also add that it was thanks to the expertise offered here, that he and I came to this agreement. We never actually talked dollars, we could just see that there would likely be a gap between bid and ask so we parted from this deal as friends.

UG compax reference 22209

Diabolik

Tohz

Seabass23

bgrisso

Mark020

Seabass23

bgrisso

bgrisso

Mark020

Mark020

bgrisso

Mark020

bgrisso

bgrisso

Mark020

bgrisso

Mark020

bgrisso

Seabass23

Seabass23

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