It’s been two-and-a half-years since Breitling bought Universal Genève and, after a couple of archival releases in the Compax Nina Special Editions and Polerouter SAS Tributes, the storied tool watch brand is back in force. But perhaps not in the way you were expecting.
Universal Genève is a storied name even among Swiss watchmakers. Founded in 1894, they were a dominating force in mid-century watchmaking, with plenty of iconic collections like the Compur, Compax and Gerald Genta-designed Polerouter. They created some fantastic chronographs, popularised micro-rotors and, like so many exceptional watchmakers… closed shop during the quartz crisis.
Fast-forward to 2023 and December saw the announcement that Breitling had bought the Universal Genève name. This was exciting. Finally, someone was taking on one of the most important historical names in watchmaking – and it was a brand who already had a vested interest in the kind of chronographs and pilots’ watches Universal Genève was known for. And now the relaunch is finally here.
Along with a substantial slate of watches, the relaunch comes with the new tagline of the ‘Watch Couturier’. So, let’s take a closer look at precisely what they’re launching – and what ‘Watch Couturier’ actually means.
The Polerouter
Let’s start with arguably Universal Genève’s most iconic model, the legendary Polerouter. This was a watch designed by Gerald Genta for SAS pilots navigating over the North Pole. It was an intensely practical tool watch with magnetic resistance and a micro-rotor movement. That’s not entirely the case here.
The overall Genta design has been kept, but has been split into two sub-collections. In keeping with the new fashionista angle, we have the Prêt-à-Porter versions, otherwise known as the core collection, and the Capsule Editions.
The core pieces are the Polerouter we know and love, 39mm or 37mm cases in steel or rose gold with a crosshair dial in blue, brown and black. Along with dial-matched leather straps, they also have an archival Gay Frères, ‘four bricks’ bracelet that, having tried it on over Geneva Watch Days, I can attest to being excellent. The fine links hug the wrist, and it has a charming throwback style that plays up the Polerouter’s heritage.
Then we have the Capsule Editions, which really play up the ‘Watch Couturier’ idea. The dials all have a Camaïeu effect, split into four quadrants. In two of those quadrants, the grain goes one way; in the other two, it goes the other. And I love it, particularly in the tiger’s eye version. As our round-up of the best stone dials shows, there are a lot of them out there, but the new Polerouter still finds a way to make it feel fresh. Along with the 39mm stone models in tiger’s eye and lapis lazuli is a trio of 37mm, diamond-set models with dials in aqua mint, toffee and berry that have the same effect but with brushed metal instead of a natural stone grain.
All watches are equipped with the new UG-110 calibre automatic movement with a 72-hour power reserve. True to Universal Genève’s history, it’s a micro-rotor movement that’s just 3.8mm thick and finished with Geneva stripes, perlage and a beautifully engraved rotor.
It’s an interesting take on the Polerouter. At one end you have the classic in steel with a blue dial, diamond-set women pieces with fashion-inspired colours at the other – and it’s a split that we’ll see across the Universal Geneve launch line-up.
Price and Specs:
Compax
The 60s chronograph returns and, like the Polerouter before it, it’s split between the Prêt-à-Porter core collection, with an emphasis on the archival designs, and the Capsule editions which offer a bit more colour.
The core collection is just what we’d expect from the previous limited edition: 39.5mm cases with an updated ceramic bezel, available on a leather strap, bund strap or Gay Frères-inspired bracelet. There are two steel versions in classic panda and reverse panda colourways and a rose gold version with a blue dial with white counters. It’s a handsome new version of an iconic chronograph.
The capsule editions are a bit more interesting. The cases are the same in 39.5mm, but the dials are not, dropping the sporty look of the core pieces in favour of pastel linen dials with white counters. I love these. Linen dials are vastly underrated and seeing them here in summer-ready colours makes me happier than it probably should. The sage and lilac versions are available in rose gold, the light indigo in steel. That last is now on my wishlist, though I’d probably swap out the dial-matched strap for the vintage bracelet in the core collection.
All six models are powered by the new UG-200 chronograph movement. Again, it’s a micro-rotor automatic with a 72-hour power reserve, this time with the addition of a column-wheel chronograph. It’s obviously thicker than the UG-200, but at 6.63mm it’s still very slim for a chronograph.
Price and Specs:
Cabriolet
While the Compax and Polerouter were inevitable, the Cabriolet is a nice surprise. Originally designed in 1933, this is essentially Universal Genève’s answer to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, complete with similar Art Deco looks – and indeed leaning a little more into the style.
Rather than the Reverso’s system of rails, the Cabriolet’s reversing function is a bit more straightforward. The central watch body is secured with a pivot at 6 o’clock. You pop it out of the rectangular frame, spin it around and push it back in. It’s satisfying and easier to use than the Reverso, but feels a little more delicate than I’d like.
Most of the launch watches are core pieces, which is great because they’re superb. The dial is available in four lacquered colours, black, white, red and blue. The Bifur numerals – a typeface designed by 1920s icon A.M. Cassandre – are fantastic. first three are all in rose gold, 27mm x 17.5mm cases, the blue is in steel. They look and feel good on the wrist and the 9-link bracelet is the best in Universal Genève’s entire launch line-up – which is saying something.
The capsule edition is just one watch – kind of. Dubbed the Cabriolet De Lempicka, each watch has the classic Art Deco dial in teal on the front, and a miniature painting by renowned miniaturist Isabelle Villa on the back. The 15-piece limited edition offers three different paintings by Polish, Art Deco artist Tamara De Lempicka: “Portrait of Mrs Bush,” “Tamara in Green Bugatti,” and “Docteur Boucard”. Like all Geneva enamelling, they’re very particular but it’s impossible not to be impressed by the work. I imagine there will be many more of these to come.
The Cabriolet is powered by the UG-111 calibre, a manual-wind number just 3mm thin with a weekend-proof 72-hour power reserve. No micro-rotor here, but it is a properly shaped movement designed from the ground-up to fit in the Cabriolet case.
Price and Specs:
Disco Mini
Next, we have the Disco Mini, the only newly-designed collection in the line-up. The name and design both come from 1920s disco volante watches, sleek, lugless and thanks to brands like Furlan Marri, seeing a resurgence. The Disco Mini however is purely for women.
At 28mm in rose or white gold, the Disco Mini features a clous de Paris (hobnailed) bezel and white, three-dimensional mother-of-pearl dials. If I was particularly excited by jewellery watches, I’d probably like them and their interchangeable straps. They’re not aimed at me and that’s ok.
Given their size, it’s no surprise that the UG-300 is a quartz movement. It’s still impressive at just 2.7mm thick, but it does rub me up the wrong way that Universal Genève’s launch line-up includes battery power.
The capsule edition here is the Disco Mini Lace, which takes the Disco Mini case and drapes it in a lattice of diamonds, with a blue mother-of-pearl dial. It’s incredibly pretty and I can imagine it on a red carpet or two.
Couture and Signature
The Signature Editions are time-limited reinterpretations of archival Universal Genève designs and at present encapsulates two designs: the classic Disco Volante and even quirkier Dioramic.
Housing the same chronograph movement as the Compax, the Disco Volante has that signature, round, lugless case with sleek pushers and a 43mm diameter. It’s relatively big, but without lugs sits nicely on most wrists. It’s available in monochrome rose gold or stainless steel and blue, and this is one of the few times I prefer the gold.
The Dioramic is much odder, with an oversized bezel characterised by concentric fluting and a small, two-hand dial with trapeze hour markers. The bezel is only interrupted by a date window at 6 o’clock. At 37mm, there’s not much space to actually read the time, but this is the kind of watch that will get more than a few second glances. Available in rose gold or steel with a black or blue dial respectively, the Dioramic is powered by the UG-110 movement of the Polerouter.
The couture editions are Universal Genève’s high jewellery pieces. That means a Dioramic with a snake scale gem-set bezel and an imperial jade dial; a Disco Mini draped in Australian fire opals; a larger, Disco Maxi in pink sapphires and a ruby heart dial, and a bracelet-like Mini Cabriolet with mother-of-pearl marquetry on each of its sections. They’re maximalist flashes of glamorous colour – just what you want from high jewellery.
More details at Universal Genève.
