Hi Everyone,

I'm new in the forum. By way of introduction, I've been into watches since I was a kid. Started diving in Florida and the Bahamas when I was 9 and when I was 12 I bought a used Tudor from a family friend. When I was 15 had enough saved for a non-datejust Rolex Sub, because diving. Also James Bond. I bought the Sub without the date function because I was told that it would keep more accurate time than the ones with the date. Heh. I became fascinated with Rolexes and then Omegas and so on.

This UG Tri-Compax is a watch my dad wore for a while when I was pretty young. It's been sitting in the back of a safe for 25 years and hadn't been worn for a number of years prior to that. I found one on a "Bring a Loupe" Hodinkee post from Oct. 16, 2015 that was for sale for $23,000! It's identical except that the bottom (hours) sub hand on mine is black, not red, and the moon-phase sub hand is red, exactly the opposite of the one in the Hodinkee piece. I haven't seen any like it other than that one.

The case mics out to a touch under 36mm and the watch runs great. Alligator strap by Concord. The gold subs are not smooth but have concentric circles, like ripples on a pond. Very cool.

There are no numbers on the exterior of the case at all. I read somewhere that the case back is "pop off". Is that something that is doable by an amateur like myself? Otherwise, I have a competent watch smith in the neighborhood. I have felt along the case back rim and can't feel a lip. I would like to have it opened and see what caliber / model # is. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

The case back should be a screw in, you can use a sponge or an air ball, press it against the back and unscrew it then it should come off with out much of an issue (caveat: I don’t have a gold watch but do have similar case which is steel, so it could be that the gold ain’t a screw in, don’t have sala around to look it up as I am traveling)

The caliber inside should be the 281. This is the first time i see subdials turn yellowish for this reference do you have a better picture of the dial?

 

The sub dials are golden colored. Always have been. Concentric textured circles, not flat. I will try to take a better picture tomorrow.

 

It looks awesome, I'm not a gold watch guy but this one I could get away with

 

You are correct. These are actually called 'forte pressione' cases (hard pressure) and contrary to common belief they are snapbacks, or better an evolution of snapbacks that is ultra tight, almost waterproof. These are almost always the case on these late 50's early 60s gold cases.

MOVEMENT should be a UG calibre 281.

The red handset is correct on the date subdial so no worries about that. At least that is my perception. Eg this datocompax:

It was born Yellow. It's not a tropical effect. Here is one for comparison:

http://davideparmegiani.ch/watches/universal-geneve-en/for-sale/3851/universal-geneve-Tricompax/




Congrats it's a fantastic piece!

 

LOVELY watch and great history also ! congrats on that piece

 

Great piece. Happily, I have the same one and my numbers were also polished at some point in it's life. I know of one other person with one and sadly his numbers are missing also. The piece above is the Hodinkee piece. It was flipped from the dealer that had it to the dealer above - and the new ask went up! Obviously it must be over priced relative to peoples perception of market price since it really is mint (numbers visible on this one) and yet it hasn't sold in over 2 years from two well known dealers.

As far as the date and chrono sub hands, your's is correct and matches mine and the other one that I know of. I told both dealers that in my opinion it was reversed by of course I was told that I was incorrect. It is not in Sala to my knowledge unless it's buried in the ads and I didn't see it, but it is pictured in Paul White's chrono book I believe.

Congrats on a rare and distinctive piece.

 

This is so great! Thanks for the info and the photos. I was only able to find one like it after some fairly intensive searching, so your photos are much appreciated. If it is a late 50's or early 60's mfg. it is a bit older than I thought, but fits in with some of my memories of my dad.

I'm going to post some photos that I hope will show the textured circles in the subs.

 

Thank you!

 

Thanks! Such great info. It really seems absurd that they would polish the numbers right off. Different times I guess.

 

I'm not a gold watch guy either. Turned down some great deals in Gold Rolexes back in the day because I knew I wouldn't wear them and spent the money on watches that I did wear. This watch does wear nicely however, and looks nice on the wrist. It's just big enough. That being said, I have other watches from my dad that he wore more and later in his life, plus one of his from the War (he was a B-17 pilot), so I don't really have much of an attachment to this one.

 

I added 3 more photos to try and show the concentric ring pattern in the sub registers. They show fine on my computer but after resizing and uploading you can barely make them out. Anyway, I just think that it's a very cool detail. I will try to find a macro lens I can borrow and maybe get enough detail so that it will survive the uploading process. You can see them better in the photos Lucas posted above.

 

NIce ..Have it serviced and have your watchmaker make a movement photo. I’d not put a knife blade to a gold case if you have not done it before.

 

I agree. I'm not nearly experienced enough to know what I'm doing in this case. You give me a problem SIG, Glock, AR, etc., and I will have it diagnosed and fixed in no time, but I leave the high-end watches to the pros. I do have an old "Cylindre - 10 Rubis" pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather; it has a lip inside the case back which was easy to pop open to get a look. This TC has nothing so obvious. I'm debating on whether to take it to one of the neighborhood watch guys. (I live in LA). I think he may be good enough to get the back off so I can take some pics. Not sure if he's up to doing a proper servicing though.

 

wow a sub at 15, you started young!

mine in steel says hi! btw mine has a screw in caseback, and i think the models with the twisted lyre style lugs are all screw in casebacks, based on my limited knowledge. i'll let the more experienced experts chime in. mine has a red date hand as well and movement is a 281

 

Don’t give a Tri Compax to a neighborhood battery swapper! You can search OF for LA watchmakers.

 

Caseback if your watch

 

Pic of the one for sale but from previous dealer.

 

Got the watch to ABC in LA today and here's some pics. I'm really appreciative for all the help here! If you can't read the numbers, let me know. I can try enlarging the images before I resize for uploading.

 

Correct movement
Correct caseback

But the reference / Case number and serial would be engraved on the outside of the caseback

The inside is just UG logo, parents, case maker hallmarks.