Well, the deed is finally done. I've now taken the UG plunge.

Just snagged this little 33mm guy on eBay today and wanted to open up a discussion about the originality of this piece. I hope some of our resident experts will weigh in, but to my admittedly amateur eyes, this looks to be in fairly all-original condition, including the strap. I'm gladly welcoming all feedback and opinions... thanks!

Uni-Compax ref. 22273
Universal Genève Cal. 283
Serial no. 1201xxx - dated to tail end of '45 or possibly early '46?

 

I think the original case finish should be Matt-polish but seems this one has been polished to a shine?

I am basing this on similar case tricompax reference 22258 from the same period.

also the dial, everything looks okay except the “A” in Universal looks pointy which is a bit of a concern to me.

 

Thanks for chiming in. That's an excellent note - it does seem rather polished/shiny, but is that explained by the difference in case style, i.e -78 vs. -73? Once I have it in-hand I'll have to take a closer look because you're right, it's certainly looking a bit different... nice catch.

Will have to get it under a loupe or macro lens once it arrives to inspect the signature too. Hopefully I can update with better shots for examination.

 

quick look: minute hand looks to be too short, chrono hand lacks "leaf" bottom, case would be brushed from factory and as mentioned, 'A" in "Geneva" would have a flat top

 

Both hands look a little short. Intresting that so many of these shield logo dials -- and they seem to be more common on time-only watches than chronos -- don't seem to have an accent above the second E in Genève, but having said that UG dials are pretty random. It's a good-looking watch, congratulations

 

To my eyes this looks like a nice and honest watch, with a polished case and a wrong main chrono hand. Of course the left subdial hand is not correct too, but frankly it's not a bid deal.
Congrats!

 

for $780 its a great deal despite the minor issues

 

The dial looks fine to me, including the "A" which does seem to have a flat top.
The chrono hand is indeed wrong or a part of it is missing.

Nice catch, congrats!

 

Great dial ..... hands can be corrected ... case is over polished ...

 

Whoa, didn't expect this to get much attention, so thanks to all for the feedback. I appreciate it.

I can't complain for the given price, but will have to mull over what's worth trying to track down/replace and see what the seller says. Since it's not a particularly big ticket item, I will probably keep and wear it as-is.

 

The rabbit hole continues.

Digging through Sala I found an early Uni-Compax will an almost identical chrono sweep. Is it possible this is original to my watch as well, then?

Additionally, the archive shot has terrible lighting, but could the argument be made that the case was polished from the factory?



So many unknowns. Now I feel like there's more questions than answers.

 

The chrono hand in the Sala color plate is not the same IMO as the one on your watch. I have a 1960/61 Tri -Compax with the one in the Sala color plate. It seems to belong there, having resisted two attempts to replace it. These may have been UG service parts, later originals, its hard to say. I’ve seen them on other watches. At $780, the issues are priced in as well as the size.

 

Ah, yup - the counter-balance is shorter/thicker than the one in Sala. You're absolutely right. Service parts would be interesting, because they do seem to match the age/wear of the rest of the piece.

Guess the next order of business is trying to straighten out the hands situation.

Overall, I can't complain for such a bargain of a find. C'est la vie!

 

Imho. the chrono hand in Sala is also wrong. It is way too short and doesn't touch the tachy scale.
In my eyes, the style of the chrono hand is later than 40ies. It should be one with a tear drop tail.

Concerning the polish, that wouldn't bother me too much. These cases are quite thick and the lugs don't have facets. So a skilled watchmaker can bring back the (original) brushing.

The strap seems to be old. What buckle does it have?

 

Good point ... Style is familiar however.

 

It looks most similar to the seconds hand found on the Polerouter. Regardless, I'm now certainly convinced it's not correct to the model.

Regarding the polish, are there any watchmakers recommended by the forum who I should reach out to? Would love to have an expert restore the correct brushing. Unfortunately, the seller stated this watch is unpolished, and further research shows he's connected to other highly reputable dealers... more confusion ensues... bleh.

I don't have it yet - those are listing photos - but the description stated it's a Universal strap. Imagine if the correct buckle is also present!

 

Buckle would be a big plus - these are the best buys. Keep us up to date

 

Unfortunately the watch arrived non-functioning, and with that, all other points are lost.

Thankfully, the seller immediately and graciously accepted the return.

The hunt continues. Thanks to all who pitched in and lent their time/expertise.

 

I don't get the rationale behind your statement. When buying a vintage watch, you always have to factor a service in. And this watch clearly needed a caring hand. So what changed the situation?
Before returning, I would have asked my watchmaker what's wrong with the watch.

 

Good quality UG Chronographs are lovely, cool and expensive, They can be 80+ years old. They almost always require a service upon arrival* and generally frequent check ups. Parts are dear. They need to be worn gently on dry sunny days. The same applies to all elderly, complex watches.

I’d re-think your desire for one and your watch needs.

*Just because it was running when shipped, does not mean it will arrive that way. Vibration is a bitch.