Universal Geneve Compax

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Chris75

·Feb 17, 2020

Hello, I would like your opinion on this watch please.

I am interested in buying it.

Is it a redial? Serial is correct for dial? Dial correct for the reference?

Thank you all.

Edited: Feb 20, 2020

 

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MJKauz

·Feb 17, 2020

The Universal Compax line has always been hard for me to verify because they have a tendency to use markedly different fonts between the dial, outside track, and subdials.

There's a 5 on the right subdial seems slightly off from the other subdials but I wouldn't want to stake any money on it one way or another.

 

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Oku

·Feb 17, 2020

Chris75

Is it a redial? Serial is correct for dial? Dial correct for the reference?

Serial dates the watch to 1942/1043.
Font on the dial is later.

Edit:
Crown is also later than 1940ies.

 

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MJKauz

·Feb 17, 2020

FWIW, I got to handle a very exquisite quality Tri-Compax, with original lume but overall less "pristine" dial than this piece and it was selling for quite a hefty sum. So now when I look at them I'm very very careful about any deals that seem too good to be true and particularly focused on the font as it seems like the first clue.

But the serials themselves seem to be the answer here.

 

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bgrisso

·Feb 17, 2020

As @Oku already said, looks like later dial in earlier case. I tend to think of these fonts as 50s, although there is an example in Sala of this dial with a 48' serial (however I can't be sure that one is correct).
But OP watch hour and minute hands look wrong, plus the hour subdial hand, plus the crown, so when you add all that up.......shenanigans.
(I'm still not sure if this dial could be correct even with a 48' serial as seen in Sala, but that perhaps is a side research topic for another day).
Anyhow I would def pass on this watch unless it was crazy cheap.

 

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ELV web

·Feb 18, 2020

I got a similar one, always think it is later dial in earlier watch.

 

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Oku

·Feb 18, 2020

ELV web

I got a similar one, always think it is later dial in earlier watch.

At least, yours has a consistent flat 3 in the hour subdial...

bgrisso

Anyhow I would def pass on this watch unless it was crazy cheap.

2800 Euros is not so crazy cheap imho

Whatsoever, to come back to one of the op's initial questions: the dial itself does not look like a redial but seems really well preserved.

 

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bgrisso

·Feb 18, 2020

ELV web

I got a similar one, always think it is later dial in earlier watch.

whats your ref and serial ?

 

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Chris75

·Feb 18, 2020

Thank you!

 

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Larry S

·Feb 18, 2020·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Very puzzling. Mixes fonts ....

 

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Larry S

·Feb 18, 2020·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Price is an indicator that not all is well.

 

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MJKauz

·Feb 18, 2020

Larry S

Very puzzling. Mixes fonts ....

That was always a red flag to me as well but I've seen so many Compax variations over the past year or so of looking into them that I struggle to know what is correct, so I've compared fonts within types, like subdial to subdial and track to track.

Did they mix fonts on the dial ever or no?

 

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Larry S

·Feb 18, 2020·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

MJKauz

That was always a red flag to me as well but I've seen so many Compax variations over the past year or so of looking into them that I struggle to know what is correct, so I've compared fonts within types, like subdial to subdial and track to track.

Did they mix fonts on the dial ever or no?

They did lots of things. Not all are documented. Usual tells indicating redial, overall sloppiness are not here.

 

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mrbreen

·Feb 19, 2020

Hmmm, maybe it’s just a reflection but it looks like there’s some white paint on the sides and atop of the hour markers?