Here is the best list I can find for production dates on Universal Geneve watches:



I've found it to be pretty accurate based on corroborating evidence such as other web sites and advertising dates of specific models.

Here is the website for the modern Universal Geneve company. While it doesn't look to be active since 2009 (I think they have since gone out of business), there is some historical information buried there.

http://www.universal.ch/

Although I know that most of the major machers here have already seen this site on Polerouters, it is one of the best researched works out there on Polerouters:

http://www.polerouter.de/index-english.htm

Hopefully, others can add websites and we can make this one a "sticky" at the top of the forum.
gatorcpa

 

Book references:

Sala's Universal Watch Geneve - restricted to chrongraphs (and only the ones with UG calibers at that so no Valjoux 72 models like the Space Compax), but gorgeous, systematic and an example of what a vintage watch reference should be.
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Watch-Genve-Chronographes-Complications/dp/8895684257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359686457&sr=8-1&keywords=sala universal geneve

Bonifacio & Rivolta's Universal Geneve - 100 ans de tradition horlogere - a mess, this is a volume that came out in conjunction with Antiquorum's single brand sale (think Omegamania) in 1994, with what looks like heavy involvement by the company and corresponding emphasis on some then-current models that are less than legendary. The best part is the reproduction of the sale catalog in the back of the book.

UG is not out of business, but I think it fair to say they are not thriving. They are owned by Stelux, a HongKong holding company that also owns Cyma. It's not clear what the business plan is.

 

Pics, Sir, pics!

 

Sorry, could you elaborate on that last part? Are you talking the movements were shared or just that they had the same importer?

 

I think Reardon's remarks were made during Sotheby's sale of the Fullerton collection last year - I don't think there is all that much to them. The implication from the examples offered above is that Patek and UG shared movements, or even models. I've never seen anything to support that. Mr. Reardon's going to have to convince me if he believes otherwise. UG made chronographs for V&C, JLC, GP, Zenith, Eberhard, but never Patek. They did have the same importer (which just happened to be the Henri Stern agency - M. Stern later headed PP), but I've not seen anything to suggest a closer relationship than that (and I suspect that if there were, UG would hardly have been silent about it!). If anyone is aware of anything, please enlighten us.

 

This Hodinkee post may be the source of some of this

http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/2012/6...tor-why-i-bought-pete-fullertons-univers.html

 

Most interesting! There's no doubting Reardon's an informed fellow, and I don't think he's casual with his conclusions. I'll be interested in the details of what he knows.

 

Really nice, a very classic Compax in all but name. It looks to be in very good condition too, with all of the dial details preserved. When you get a chance, take some pics by natural daylight - I'd love to see more of it.

 

Very nice sir!

 

Oh, don't hold back - the more the better

 

There's a link in the Hodinkee article to an eBay auction for an ad for the Tri-Compax. I'd figure I'd better upload it here, before it goes away:



Here's another one, that shows a 1947 copyright date:



This certainly shows that there was some relationship between Henri Stern and Universal, at least with respect to watches sold in the USA. According to the Wikipedia site on Universal:

"Hermès' Paris headquarters would in turn act as a major sales hub for all Universal brand watches in Europe until the 1950s, while the Henri Stern Watch Agency in Manhattan, the U.S. distributorship of Patek Philippe, would be an official Universal Genève dealer in North America."
8 "Apparel arts". Esquire 22: 137. 1952

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Genève

The picture in the article of the movement seems to show an HOX code, rather than HOW. I found this picture of a similar Tri-Compax cal. 481 movement out on the web that shows more detail:



Here is a listing from Christies that shows a Patek Philippe chronograph that also shows this US export mark, as per the auction description:

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/...s.aspx?pos=8&intObjectID=5395414&sid=&page=38

In looking at Dr. Rafft's website, the export code "HOX" was assigned to IWC.

http://www.ranfft.de/uhr/info-uscode-e.html

Not sure what this means in this context, since the watch is clearly made by Universal and I don't think IWC ever used Universal movements in their chronographs. FWIW, the people over at the IWC forum are confused by this anomaly as well.

http://www.iwc.com/forum/en/discussion/11586/

Here's another cal. 481 with the code "UOW", which was assigned to Universal Geneve:



However, I suspect that both of the above pictured watches, as well as the Fullerton specimen are older than 1947, and thus may predate the relationship between Stern and Universal.

In any case, I highly doubt the existence of any relationship between the two companies in Switzerland over and above having the same company import their watches to the USA. Much like the relationship between LeCoultre, Longines and Vacheron & Constantin (which also shared a US distributor) in the 1950's.

I think there is a research article here just waiting to be written.
gatorcpa

Note - I've edited this post at least six times as I continue to turn up more information.