Universal Geneve 206515

[auchenberg]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the Universal Geneve world and I need your help. I'm currently eying my first Universal Geneve, and found this watch in NYC:

Based on what I can dig up its a 206515, and it looks similar to this watch https://www.splendidfinetimepieces.com/product-page/1950s-universal-geneve-tuxedo, but the dial on this one have gone tropical, while this one is original:

My question to you all. Is this an original dial or has it been modified?

Thank you,

Best
Kenneth

 

[bgrisso]

Both dials look good. Whats the last digit on the case reference for the first example? The second is a 206515/3. With some watches there’s lots of different dials with the same case reference. For other watches you have special dials tied to specific case references. If the first watch is not a /3, it’s possible in this situation you have different dials delineated by the /X part of the case reference.

it’s pretty small watch, so just be sure it works for you.

 

[Timetosell]

bgrisso

Both dials look good. Whats the last digit on the case reference for the first example? The second is a 206515/3. With some watches there’s lots of different dials with the same case reference. For other watches you have special dials tied to specific case references. If the first watch is not a /3, it’s possible in this situation you have different dials delineated by the /X part of the case reference.

it’s pretty small watch, so just be sure it works for you.

I have a similar one , your dial looks really nice !
Mine isn’t small 35mm. Mine looks to be a redial almost certainly ?

Edited: May 3, 2024

 

[Mazoue]

Image of a 206515/1 from a 1950s brochure, courtesy of The Polerouter book.

 

[auchenberg]

Timetosell

I have a similar one , your dial looks really nice !
Mine isn’t small 35mm. Mine looks to be a redial almost certainly ?

Very interesting. This indeed looks to be the same dial! But the reference in this watch is a 206515-4, so not a -3

Does anyone know what the difference between 206515-3 and 206515-4 is?

 

[auchenberg]

bgrisso

Both dials look good. Whats the last digit on the case reference for the first example? The second is a 206515/3. With some watches there’s lots of different dials with the same case reference. For other watches you have special dials tied to specific case references. If the first watch is not a /3, it’s possible in this situation you have different dials delineated by the /X part of the case reference.

it’s pretty small watch, so just be sure it works for you.

It's a 206515-4

 

[bgrisso]

Timetosell

I have a similar one , your dial looks really nice !
Mine isn’t small 35mm. Mine looks to be a redial almost certainly ?

I don't have any of these, I'm responding to the OP. Although it's hard to tell from that one blurry photo, yes your dial looks like a redial

 

[bgrisso]

auchenberg

Very interesting. This indeed looks to be the same dial! But the reference in this watch is a 206515-4, so not a -3

Does anyone know what the difference between 206515-3 and 206515-4 is?

It's not the same dial, but it's similar, but it's a redial, so it doesn't matter. Your has crosshairs, the font is different, etc. The chapter ring is also quite different.

It's good to know your example reference # is different, which is what I suspected. But what we don't know in this situation is this an example of earlier UG approach, where lots of different dials in the same case reference, or later UG approach, where specific dials match specific case designations, (such as with pola/polerouters, later chronographs, etc). I suspect these watches are from a cross over time period in between those two approaches, but if I had to venture a guess, I would say that the different case numbers DO correspond with different dials. But again, that's just a guess.

Edited: May 3, 2024