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Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub 1st generation

  1. marcoppa Apr 26, 2015

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    Hello to everybody,
    first of all I wanna thank the admin and moderators of Omegaforums.net for this wonderful section dedicated to Universal Geneve watches...it is certainly the most interesting and valuable in all the www!
    I'd like to share with all the other users - especially with experts and collectors of the brand - few pictures of this UG Polerouter Sub that, thanks to other posts of this forum, I could assign to a 1st execution of the 1st generation.
    I have no doubt about its authenticity because it was, and it has always been, my grandfather's watch. It is still working but is in need of a full service and of some sort of restoration: glass, as well as the case, is very scratched (but luckily it does not present any crack) and the bracelet is streched, I fear, beyond the point of no return. Apart from that dial, hands and bezel all appear in very good shape (it seems that has been applied some kind of luminova over the hands and on the triangle in the bezel). What I'm not convinced about is the unpaired game of crowns: I suspect that the monoflex crown at 4, lower and without logo, is not the original one. About this aspect I am keen to know some expert's opinions. Another minor detail that differs to the few pictures found of this model regards the loops of the case that in this case are not perforated, but I'm not too worried about that.
    Thanks in advance to those willing to contribute with their advice.
    Marco

    PS: I presented the same question in another forum in Italian language, not specialized in UG but nevertheless with very competent users. http://orologi.forumfree.it/?t=70690219


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    Diabolik and LouS like this.
  2. Carlton-Browne Apr 26, 2015

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    I'm sure that others will be along to talk about options for the watch itself. You could possibly contact Michael Young in Hong Kong to do a rebuild of the bracelet. Of course what you want done will have to sit happily alongside the level of refurbishment you attempt on the case, if any. Michael is very well regarded on various Rolex forums however I believe he has indicated in the past that he can do more than just Rolex. Most of his work involves making everything looking like new but given that some vintage Rolex enthusiasts also don't like a complete overhaul I'm sure other options are available. My reading of the thread on the Italian forum was that the bracelet was too small for you in any case - or have I got that wrong?

    I do have one word of warning however! Michael's communication skills can blow hot and cold - if they exist at all. He held onto an Oyster bracelet of mine for 3 years without a word until I decided one day to send yet another chasing email and received a response almost by return. The bracelet was then complete and in my hands in a week. No explanation, nothing. I can't fault the quality of his work, though.
    http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?104646-Preparing-for-Bexley-it-s-ready-and-now-with-pictures!
     
  3. marcoppa Apr 26, 2015

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    I will certainly try to restore the bracelet to its original status - even if it doesn't fit to my own wirst - and Michael Young in Hong Kong is a very good suggestion to have the job properly done, thank you Carlton-Browne. About the case I'm tempted to do the same but still undecided.
    Any idea about the two crowns? At this point I really like to get one with the Universal logo...
     
  4. styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer May 1, 2015

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    About the different crowns - it might be (towards likely) an original configuration. I have collected pictures of this first version for some years now and at least half of them have one large and one small crown. Always with the larger at 2 and the smaller at 4.

    Regarding the bezel - all bezels I have seen with lume at the triangle have just the outline of it lumed - not filled in the middle. The dial looks relumed in your first picture. In the next pic they (index dots) look better. What makes me lean towards relume is the thickness of the dots. But I am in no way certain of this.

    I would be happy to have that watch regardless - congratulations!
     
    Edited May 1, 2015