Universal tre tacche "Colonial" wristwatch

Wouldn't surprise me if it needed some fettling. The lugs on these are 16.4mm.

This one came in a short while back.

I'm used to the occasional tobacco-stained dial but this is the first I have seen that looks like it's been dipped in the nasal secretions of a previous owner. The observant amongst you will have spotted that the small second hand has not been lost.



Onto the real business of whether it's a Colonial and in my view it is:


A proper UG case and the only other example I can find of the case reference (I'll admit to hoping/expecting that it would be 4 digits) has UG on the dial and a rather obscure Cal 251. I've no reason to believe that having Uweco on this suggests the dial has been swapped as it is/was a recognised sub-brand.

https://everywatch.com/universal-geneve/watch-9232227



I can't get the back off to check the movement in this example but I'll persevere.

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to what the cause of the greening is 👃?

Verdigris from copper/brass parts?

Yes, you're likely correct. I suppose there may be some corrosion of the movement which is equally not helping my efforts to get the caseback off.

I used to have a Heuer U-Boot stopwatch which had some minor verdigris in it. Lots of brass parts to withstand the saltwater

i just wrote to a Ebay seller, quite helpful, he mentioned he came across an adapter actually , anyone familiar?

Yes to install a metal bracelet, not practical to pry open the end links, seems like IG collectors taking to the vintage metal pieces....