Unusual Tri-compax (ref 124116)

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LouS

·May 25, 2013·Mrs Nataf's Other Son

Things have been mighty slow on the 'bay for UG lately...but then comes along this Tri-Compax in a highly unusual large case in 18K. Curiusly here is an extra digit in the reference number. Price is absurd of course. What say the honorable members about the dial?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-VINTAG...280476417?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a817bc901

 

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Alpenschneerot

·May 25, 2013

Hi LouS,
it`s indeed a very interesting model, although the price is crazy.
I think, case, dial,movement and inner caseback are all original.
The case was made by Jung & Cie. in La Chaux-de-Fonds (hammer number 128).
The poincon (brand) shows, that the case was made until 1953.
What`s about the reference number,I know that Universal normally has five digits:
First number (case material) 1= 18 carat gold case.
Second number (type of movement) 2=chronograph
Third number (caliber) 2 or 3 if the movement is 281,283 or 481
Last two numbers (case design) . There were about 99 different case designs!
If there is a sixth number, it can be,that it was a variation of the five digit model.
Regards, Reiner (Universal Director h.c.)😉

 

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woodwkr2

·May 25, 2013

Interesting question about that dial. This looks like it was either a redial or a later original by Universal. The rounded 3's in 2/3 of the subdials were not seen until later UG models (or indicate modern redials). If it is a redial, it was very well executed.

Something bugs me about that gold date hand. Is it just the angle of the photo that's throwing me or does it look off to anyone else?

 

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LouS

·May 25, 2013·Mrs Nataf's Other Son

Alpenschneerot

If there is a sixth number, it can be,that it was a variation of the five digit model.
Regards, Reiner (Universal Director h.c.)😉

Right-o, that's how I figure it, although every other time I've seen a sixth digit it is separated from the others by a dash or a slash.

Anyway, I've just had a session with Sala - nothing like this in there....

 

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MMMD

·May 25, 2013

I vote that everything is good except the too-fat gold date hand, which looks out of place... agree with woodwkr2. Disagree about the 3's, unless the Sala examples from the 40's (e.g. #946, p.330) are redials. It doesn't concern me that this particular case design isn't seen in Sala, because there are plenty of unique cases in that book, and Sala, though terrific, isn't comprehensive.

 

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dsio

·May 26, 2013·Ash @ ΩF

I have to say, I really, really like that case style

 

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MMMD

·May 26, 2013

I like it too. The seller's feedback isn't exactly sterling... and he's Canadian, so he might try the old mail-it-to-my-cousin-in-New-Hampshire trick 😒... and his asking price is cray-cray... but it might be worth making an offer.

 

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MMMD

·May 27, 2013

OK, one of the UG cognoscenti at O&P just blew this listing up... even broke the rule against linking to eBay because he felt he had to expose it.

O&P Franken-Buster

He says put-together watch: redial... the reference denotes a Medico-Compax... case probably from a Compax... too much space around the movement... the moon phase subdial is from the 40's but the case number is much later... pushers, calendar hand and buckle from the 70's.

So I'm pretty proud that I didn't fall for that wonky calendar hand. 🙄 I retract my limited endorsement.

 

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LouS

·May 27, 2013·Mrs Nataf's Other Son

Good link. I would have liked to hear the poster dissertate more on his reasoning.

I had it pegged for a redial because of the sheer uneveness of the inking on the dial and the fonts of "Universal Geneve" and "Tri-Compax" but the case fooled me. It did not occur to me that someone would drill holes for the correctors into a case - not that it's a difficult operation.

I found the case - it is a Compax, case ref 12324 on page 290 of Sala.

I'd say one moral of the story is to double up on due diligence when the numbers don't make sense - e.g. six digit reference number.

 

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bubawatch

·Jun 1, 2013

Good morning gentlemen, I write from Italy.
I state that I write with the automatic translation of google!
For the tricompax in question and I 'sorry you had to open a post to give some advice.
Unfortunately there are several tricompax messy, also doing important work such as changing the correctors
Excluding the dial reprinted, must catch the eye movement set in an unusual way, with the brackets never used in Universal.
In any case, there is no 'spacer ring that connects the peripheral movement and case.
Sorry for the translation.
Alberto

 

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bubawatch

·Jun 1, 2013

I forgot, congratulations for the forum and your universal
A.

 

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MMMD

·Jun 1, 2013

bubawatch

Good morning gentlemen, I write from Italy.
I state that I write with the automatic translation of google!
For the tricompax in question and I 'sorry you had to open a post to give some advice.
Unfortunately there are several tricompax messy, also doing important work such as changing the correctors
Excluding the dial reprinted, must catch the eye movement set in an unusual way, with the brackets never used in Universal.
In any case, there is no 'spacer ring that connects the peripheral movement and case.
Sorry for the translation.
Alberto

Thanks Bubawatch. I understand most of this, but it might help to include your post in Italian in addition to the Google translation. 😀

Grazie Bubawatch. Capisco la maggior' parte della traduzione Google, ma forse dovresti includere anche l'italiano. 😀

There are many problems with this watch, but I was mostly fooled and humbled. Back to the books and photos.

 

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bubawatch

·Jun 1, 2013

OK, sorry
In Italy
Per il tricompax in questione mi e 'dispiaciuto aprire un post per dare qualche consiglio. Purtroppo ci sono diversi tricompax disordinati, che hanno subito dei lavori importanti come il cambiamento dei correttori.
Escludendo il quadrante ristampato, deve colpire il movimento rispetto alla cassa , fissato in un modo insolito, con delle staffe mai utilizzate in Universal.
In ogni caso, non vi è alcun anello distanziatore che collega il movimento e la cassa.
Ciao
Alberto

P.S. x Lous > La cassa probabilmente non e' neppure quella del compax da te citato. Facile che sia una cassa anonima, adattata al fondello.
Che peccato e' pure bello...!!!!

 

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MMMD

·Jun 1, 2013

Thanks Alberto. It is a strange case, but it does strongly resemble the Compax reference in Sala's book, as LouS has noted.