This Universal Geneve Compur has an awful lot of good things going for it, but the hinged lugs do make it stand out from others.
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
From the serial number on the inside of the case back we can date this watch to being made in 1936. Some sites say the movement wasn’t around until circa 1945, but Universal Geneve’s own website say 1930’s-1940’s for these models, and we have found adverts from 1935 and 1938 showing different dials but the same or similar hinged lug case, so we are confident with circa 1936. The name Compur was trademarked by Universal Geneve in 1934.
CONDITION
Hinged lugs are not complex to make, and the main benefit is making the watch more comfortable to wear, so it is a wonder than more makers never offered them. The lug to lug measurement for this watch in 1936 would have been large, so the added comfort of two pivot points (the hinge and the bar the strap attaches to) would have been appealing. The Compur refers to the chronograph and telemetre scale on the dial, allowing you to compute speed. The outer blue scale on the dial is all but unreadable now, but many collectors would prefer that to a redial. The inner, red scale is better, and overall the dial is not too bad considering the age of the watch. The blued hands are looking all original too. The manual wind, Universal Geneve caliber 285 movement is working well but if you did want to use it a lot it is always better to get a watch like this serviced. The case carries the Swiss hallmarks for 18k gold, and is in very good shape – only one small dent in the case back is noticeable. The leather strap is new, and could be swapped for a different colour if preferred.
This watch will be supplied with our branded presentation box and our Certificate of Authenticity.
This watch has been checked against the Watch Register and has not been reported as lost, stolen or implicated in fraud, and a copy of that certificate will also be included.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 37.1 mm
Width without crown 34.4 mm
Between lugs 18 mm
Lug to lug length 46.3 mm
Case Thickness 11.6 mm
All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 190mm/7.5 inches.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.
