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The Beautiful UG Ten

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:31:07 GMT

The Beautiful UG Ten

This collectors' book - Universal Geneve Ten - celebrates a relatively small period of Universal Geneve's output. Many collectors consider the 1960s the golden period of chronograph design, and the ten watches that feature in this book are considered - by those with a discerning eye - to be amongst the most beautiful of all.

In contrast to the previous Heuer books we have produced, my task on this occasion was made harder because there was so little information readily available about Universal Geneve from this period. There is virtually no historical data (even with Universal Geneve themselves) and very few period adverts, dealer brochures, price lists or books to be seen. The excellent 'Universal Watch Geneve' book is the only other tome but Sala covers nearly 50 years of UG's output and is not full of detailed information, which is how I prefer my watch books. My aim is always to make the books 50% beautiful and 50% collector tools. I've been told by many people who have bought our Heuer watch books that they are the only books they can treat as reference bibles (as much as any book can be). What Paul Gavin, an exceptional watch photographer, and I aim to do with our books is to combine stunning images with knowledge amassed from years of research (and obsession!).

While researching this book, I have gathered several hundred serial numbers for these specific 'Ten' references, which has been demanding but essential to work out serial batches and production estimates for each dial variant. The serials have demonstrated there was definitely a method used by Universal Geneve during production and it is also clear that there were particular dating features during the lifecycle. UG, like all other watch companies, changed parts such as crowns, pushers, dials, hands, and even used more than one style of case. This was partly for natural progression/improvement (and design tinkering) but also, no doubt, a cost saving tactic. For example, it seems likely that the Mk1 steel applied logo on the Nina and Evil Nina dials was more expensive than direct printed style of the Mk2 dials.

What strikes you when you research these chronographs, is that the output is relatively small and some of them are amongst the rarest of all chronograph production. With so few dial options you would not expect to find this level of rarity but, in some cases, fewer than 25 examples have been seen to date. Certainly, when you compare the overall production of this series with the Heuer Autavia and Carrera, the numbers are much smaller, and they are tiny in comparison to the Rolex Daytona and Omega Speedmaster ranges. Perhaps the conclusion is that UG's avant-grade design meant they were less attractive to a traditional mid 1960s clientele and it is only in more recent times that their style and quality has been appreciated. This was certainly the case with the Daytona Paul Newman and the Monaco too: chronographs ahead of their time...

To preview or buy a copy of the Universal Geneve Ten book click here .

The Universal Geneve Nina & Evil Nina Timeline

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:42:57 GMT

The timeline for the Universal Geneve Nina & Evil Nina Compax - 885103/01 & 885103/02

Sadly there isn't much detailed material out there to read, either online or in book form, about the beautiful series of watches Universal Geneve made in the 1960s. Instagram has plenty of nice, but ultimately repetitive pictures, yet is inevitably short on the details. The Sala book aims to cover the entire UG output and is a little short on the specifics of each reference. However the "UG Ten" book covers this period in detail, sharing dating features, production estimates and serial numbers, with the very best hi-res images of these watches available. This short blog covers an overview of the timeline of this special pair of Universal Geneve Compax.

First the nicknames. Watch collectors love a nickname, although personally I think sometimes it goes too far. Not every watch needs one, BUT of course when a certain watch is worn by a notable person in history or has a standout feature then I concede it makes sense. Here much like the Paul Newman Daytona we have a watch that was worn by Nina Rindt, the stylish wife of the Formula One world champion from the 1960s. She wore and often timed her husbands laps with the white dial version "Nina" and to simply note the difference between the two contrasting dials collectors called the black dial version the "Evil Nina", simply due to black being a more sinister colour...

The first examples of the Nina and Evil Nina Compax came to market circa 1964 and this first iteration featured a beautiful metallic UG logo applied to the dial. It also featured wide plain steel hour and minute hands, and thin "stick" sub register hands. The chrono sweep hand is either blue/black or red depending on the reference and is always the "short" version at this point. These Mk1 dials also feature a different text layout, script that is "finer" and has more serifs than the later Mk2 dial. Additionally the initial batches featured a thinner crown and smaller pushers which, as was often the case on vintage watches, grew in size later in the run for ease of use.

The next time we see a change to the initial set up is when we have some "transitional" features, namely the wider stick sub register hands (V2) with lume in and some longer red chrono hands mixed in with the more usual shorter version on the Evil Nina. Later in this period, we also see the introduction of the final type of sub register hand, the thicker "block" style (V3).

The final phase of the Universal Geneve 885103 Nina and Evil Nina Compax is the move to the Mk2 dial, which features a printed, less refined UG logo and a different script layout with less refined print. The Nina is then observed with black painted hour and minute hands as well as the chrono hand, and the Evil Nina continues with the same hands as before (silver and red). These Mk2 dials also see slightly larger sub registers, although it is minimal, and "Swiss T 25" at the bottom of the dial, as opposed to "Swiss T" on the Mk1 versions. This final batch sees a small run of official "Pulsation" Ninas, all within a tight serial range, as opposed to the usual Tachymetre bezel. This serial range also coincides with a batch where the sub registers could turn tropical.

As the information above shows, like all watchmakers Universal Geneve had a timeline of parts which were subject to subtle changes during model lifecycles. These changes were born out of the quest for improvements in legibility, usability and cost: black hour and minute hands instead of silver against a white dial on the Nina Rindt for legibility; large pushers and crowns for usability; and the Mk2 dials would have been cheaper to produce without the metal UG logo and with less refinement when printing text.

These differences sound complicated but, when viewed in the UG Ten book with the serial information and pictures, they are not too difficult to memorise so when you hunt for an example to add to your collection you know what to focus on. Click the button below to view the UG Ten book which is available to purchase exclusively via Blurb.

Note: Please do not reproduce these images without permission.

The Universal Geneve Exotic Tri Compax

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:04:50 GMT

The pinnacle of chronograph design in my opinion lies in the 1960s. Watches such as the Autavia 2446, Carrera 2447, Zenith A386 and the Rolex Daytonas are amongst my favourites. However all the watches I cover in the UG Ten book, and especially the UG Tri Compax Exotic pair, are up there in the conversation for the best chronographs of all time...

There is relatively little information out there about the Universal Geneve "Exotic" Tri Compax 881101/03 and 881101/04 pair. Universal Geneve catalogues and price lists from this period are thin on the ground, as are any meaningful archives from the original brand, with any available information lacking pictures or mention of the exotic pair, only the black and white dial /01 and /02 variants. We cannot even accurately say when this pair first appeared or when they ran until but our "best guess" would be the late 60s, into the early 1970s and certainly for only a very short period of time.

What is it that makes these Universal Geneves "exotic"? The term exotic is mainly referring to watches where the outer dial edge is contrasting to the remainder of the dial, and of course it is best known for applying to the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman dials. This period at the end of the 1960s saw Singer design various exotic dials for various manufacturers and they were no doubt influenced by the general changing of the design guard at this time. This new design ethos did not catch the publics attention at the time and both the Paul Newman Daytona and this pair of Tri Compax sold in very small numbers when launched, far fewer than their standard dial cousins at any rate. However, that lack of sales success has made this pair of watches very popular and highly collectible in the 21st century! You could argue the exotic dial designs were ahead of their time because today they are certainly more appreciated!

The term Tri Compax stands for triple complication - chronograph, date and moon phase - and it does not refer to three sub registers as some collectors assume. This series of watches are powered by the beautiful Universal Geneve signed Martel Calibre 281 movement, which features a Breguet hairspring, a movement whose origins date back to the 1930s. The 881101/03 features a metallic slate grey/blue "step" dial with a contrasting white minute track and the 881101/04 a very "exotic" teal dial with a contrasting royal blue track, with a mirror step. Both feature striking and unusual glossy white hour and minute hands, which really pop against these dials, and the red chronograph hand only adds to that aesthetic. The look is unique and one of the appealing features of this pair is that, in the crowded world of vintage watches, nothing else looks quite like them! Last but not least, the design is completed with a spectacular 36.5mm case, one that is beautifully balanced and sits perfectly on the wrist thanks to its 12mm depth. It's the perfect marriage of case, dial, and hand design that makes for the very best watches, if one area falls short, then it can be a matter of "nice face, shame about the legs".

Serial number research reveals how rare this special pair of chronographs are, with a serial allocation of circa 300 on the /03 and an even smaller 150-200 on the teal /04. So far, fewer than 30 of the slate /03 have been documented and fewer than 15 of the teal /04, making these some of the rarest desirable chronographs known to vintage watch collectors. Price wise they range between £10000-12000 for a poor example to perhaps as much as £35000+ for the best on a GF bracelet, with the rarer Teal dial the more valuable of the two. Not cheap then but, in comparison with many other very rare, beautiful, important chronographs in today's market, perhaps still very realistically valued. Even though Universal Geneve watches from this period are worth significantly more than they were ten years ago (as are all beautiful, desirable chronographs from this period), I still believe their following will grow and with such a small supply values seem unlikely to fall anytime soon.

Collectors should be wary of watches without correct serial and reference numbers on the back case, or ones that don't conform to the house style and have been re-engraved as they will always be less valuable/collectible. I have even known loose dials placed in cases and serial numbers being polished out to hide the fact that the original serial reference was for another dial. White hands would have been born on this pair and steel hands can potentially be another sign that the watch originally had a black or white dial to start with. Some steel hands have been painted white and sadly look a bit of a mess, as the thick white enamel paint can ripple, so look out for these factors when buying.

All of this data and much more appears in the the UG Ten book, to read more about the Universal Geneve Compax, Tri Compax and Uni Compax series of watches from the 1960s click on the link below...

Note: Please do not reproduce these images without permission.