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Thread: Universal Geneve Polerouter

  1. #1
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Universal Geneve Polerouter

    I bought myself a little Christmas present on Ebay, a bit of an impulse buy so didn't do any research.

    Sellers pic:


    With the age and price I suspect it may be a frankenwatch, but it's got exactly the look I wanted namely gold plate case with no date. I love the Genta design, amazing to think he was only 23 when he designed this.

  2. #2
    Master
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    Great watch from an even greater maker. I've always wanted a Space Compax myself...

    Congrats!

  3. #3
    Master
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    Hi to a fellow Worthing resident.

    Out of curiousity what size is it.

  4. #4
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis View Post
    Hi to a fellow Worthing resident.

    Out of curiousity what size is it.
    Hello too. It's 36mm.

  5. #5
    Master SSK007's Avatar
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    Looks ok to me nice to see that.

  6. #6
    Good catch OP if not Franken, love mine..

  7. #7
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Looks lovely - what makes you think it's a franken? The crown doesn't look original (unless it's extremely worn) and I don't think a replacement crown qualifies a watch for franken status. Polerouter.de has a Polerouter very similar to yours:



    The hands are different to yours but there is one in the same gallery with your hands and, in my view, juxtaposition of handsets and dials on these are so all-over-the-shop I don't think you can necessarily assume franken just because of the hands either.



    http://www.polerouter.de/frameset-sammlung.htm

    Your best bet for a full and frank assessment is to post some better quality pictures on the Universal Geneve forum:

    https://omegaforums.net/forums/universal-geneve-forum/

    In the meantime can we have some more here please?

  8. #8
    Master DB9yeti's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snoodles View Post
    Good catch OP if not Franken, love mine..
    A perfect piece of vintage; first dibs if you ever part with it please!

  9. #9
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    Your best bet for a full and frank assessment is to post some better quality pictures on the Universal Geneve forum:

    https://omegaforums.net/forums/universal-geneve-forum/

    In the meantime can we have some more here please?
    Will do that when the watch arrives. It won't be posted till Tuesday at the earliest, but here's a link to the auction with more pics.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gents-Gold...vip=true&rt=nc

    I did ascertain from the seller that it does run and keep ok time, but has no service history.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by DB9yeti View Post
    A perfect piece of vintage; first dibs if you ever part with it please!
    Thanks will do, although someone else has already asked! I don't wear it much but always enjoy it when I do...

  11. #11
    Journeyman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snoodles View Post
    Good catch OP if not Franken, love mine..
    That is such a beautiful watch. The one in the op is very nice too but the one you have is something special.

  12. #12
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Will do that when the watch arrives. It won't be posted till Tuesday at the earliest, but here's a link to the auction with more pics.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gents-Gold...vip=true&rt=nc

    I did ascertain from the seller that it does run and keep ok time, but has no service history.
    I saw that and didn't touch it on the basis of the description of the dial and the fact that it's Christmas. I have a feeling that you've done alright there but look forward to seeing better pictures.

  13. #13
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    I saw that and didn't touch it on the basis of the description of the dial and the fact that it's Christmas. I have a feeling that you've done alright there but look forward to seeing better pictures.
    I hope so. It's at the lower end of the price range, so my expectations aren't too high. Sometimes I like to buy an ok version of a watch to see what it's like to live with before investing the proper money in a really good one like Snoodles' brilliant example.

  14. #14
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Bit of an update...Sadly it arrived with misaligned hour marker ring and a gap between that and the face. I couldn't see a way of correcting it without removing the crown and stem and that was a bit more than I was willing to do myself.



    Still the seller was good and accepted the return without problem.

  15. #15
    Craftsman
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    Love the micro rotor.

  16. #16
    Master Wexford's Avatar
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    Universal Geneve Polerouter

    Pity it didn't work out, that's nearly as nice as your motor. :)
    I take it the old girl is still in rude health?
    Give her my regards.

  17. #17
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wexford View Post
    Pity it didn't work out, that's nearly as nice as your motor. :)
    I take it the old girl is still in rude health?
    Give her my regards.
    Yes thanks. Not getting much use in this weather though.

  18. #18
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    It's a shame that didn't work out; I can't help thinking that, in the same circumstances, I would have given it to a watchmaker and negotiated a discount. I say this only because I returned a gold-capped Polerouter bumper about 4 years ago - in truth I wish I'd fixed it up and kept it as the prices have shot up. Mind you I paid £100 and not £280.

  19. #19
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    I did consider a negotiated discount, but I've found that can leave both buyer and seller with a sour taste so opted for a straight return.

    It hasn't put me off Polerouters though. It wore nicely for it's 36mm.

  20. #20
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Could I ask people's opinion on this Polerouter.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1514592429...torefresh=true


    It's had a redial, non original crown and it's not a microrotor, but I do like the blue dial and no date.

  21. #21
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Could I ask people's opinion on this Polerouter.

    It's had a redial, non original crown and it's not a microrotor, but I do like the blue dial and no date.
    Hopefully someone else who knows more about Universal Geneve will be along in a minute but two things occur to me:

    (1) I really like that redial. I love blue dial watches and that really appeals to me.
    (2) But the watch seems way overpriced to me. £400!? More like £150-£200 in my opinion, considering non-original dial, crown and probably hands. But that's just me. Perhaps I am under-valuing the bumper movement.

  22. #22
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    This watch has been for sale for a long time - maybe a year or more. Certainly since I started looking. However prices do seem to be moving, and perhaps it's time to make an offer on this one as I do like a blue dial. But what offer to make?

  23. #23
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    I'm pretty certain that this watch has had a mention on the UG forum, on this thread:

    https://omegaforums.net/threads/univ...-on-ebay.3584/

    When I have a minute I'll see if I can find the relevant bits; it will have been sometime ago and the link will be to a previous and dead Ebay auction for the same watch.

    Edit: I'm not sure that I could live with a Universal Gevève, though .

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Could I ask people's opinion on this Polerouter.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1514592429...torefresh=true


    It's had a redial, non original crown and it's not a microrotor, but I do like the blue dial and no date.
    Very clean looking watch and uncluttered. I also like the dial and no date

  25. #25
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    Edit: I'm not sure that I could live with a Universal Gevève, though .
    Good grief, I completely missed that! What a shame that they made such a horrible error on the dial. I know I couldn't buy it at any price now I've seen it. That's a shame.

  26. #26
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xellos99 View Post
    I also like the dial
    Do you live in Swavsea? You unutterable tøsser.

  27. #27
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    Do you live in Swavsea?
    And the subliminal message is spot on.

  28. #28
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    I'm pretty certain that this watch has had a mention on the UG forum, on this thread:

    https://omegaforums.net/threads/univ...-on-ebay.3584/

    When I have a minute I'll see if I can find the relevant bits; it will have been sometime ago and the link will be to a previous and dead Ebay auction for the same watch.

    Edit: I'm not sure that I could live with a Universal Gevève, though .
    Thanks for spotting that! I was all for making an offer, have to rethink that now. I could live with it - I'd need my reading glasses to spot it - but it would affect resale should the need arise.

  29. #29
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Finally picked one up, from our very own sales corner.



    The display back is a big bonus showing off the Microrotor movement.


  30. #30
    Master cirotti's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Finally picked one up, from our very own sales corner.



    The display back is a big bonus showing off the Microrotor movement.

    Congratulations....you just picked up a very nice watch with a great movement....well done!!!

  31. #31
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Finally picked one up, from our very own sales corner.

    The display back is a big bonus showing off the Microrotor movement.

    Is that a screw back?

  32. #32
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinker View Post
    Is that a screw back?
    It's a custom display back, and I believe it screws down.

  33. #33
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Congratulations and welcome to the club.

  34. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    Finally picked one up, from our very own sales corner.



    The display back is a big bonus showing off the Microrotor movement.

    Missed this one! Is the dial original?

  35. #35
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caruso View Post
    It's a custom display back, and I believe it screws down.
    Yes, I know it is and it looks as if it does.

    It just seems unusual that an aftermarket case-back maker would be willing to go to the trouble of machining a screw-thread into a case that doesn't normally have one.

    (Polerouters didn't have screw-backs, did they?}

  36. #36
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinker View Post
    (Polerouters didn't have screw-backs, did they?}
    I think they normally do; mine certainly has.

  37. #37
    Master bobbee's Avatar
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    Some gorgeous watches here, and glad you got one you like, OP!
    Here is a vintage Swiss article showing a few variants.







  38. #38
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlton-Browne View Post
    I think they normally do; mine certainly has.
    Thank you.

  39. #39
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Here's a video of it in action.

  40. #40
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    I've added another Polerouter to my collection. I really love how the appearance changes with the light.


  41. #41
    Lovely watches and another great pick up. Any issues with it? It looks in pretty good nick.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  42. #42
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Congratulations. I'm waiting currently waiting for my 3rd Polerouter to turn up (and I still haven't sent the 2nd one off for an overhaul).
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  43. #43
    Craftsman Robbo12's Avatar
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    Very nice ,one of Gentas first designs ( so i believe ?) and I think he did alright for a first go

  44. #44
    Craftsman
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    The crown is incorrect however on this one. The rest was very charismatic ! Enjoy yours


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  45. #45
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazyp View Post
    Lovely watches and another great pick up. Any issues with it? It looks in pretty good nick.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    The case and caseback are pretty scratched up, but it does still retain the serial number and Poleroute globe on the case back which is a rarity on the ones I've seen for sale. It has a UG logo on the crown although I'd be surprised if that's the original. The dial has some patina so is hopefully original. Overall I went for what seems like originality over than a nice condition refinished watch. I love the look of the date version but don't want another non-quickset watch in my collection! Timekeeping is showing plus 12 sec per day which seems reasonable for a watch that is older than I am.

    Here's a video I made of it.

  46. #46
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Galaxia View Post


    The crown is incorrect however on this one. The rest was very charismatic ! Enjoy yours
    That's lovely!

  47. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by Galaxia View Post


    The crown is incorrect however on this one. The rest was very charismatic ! Enjoy yours


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    beautiful!

  48. #48
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    I've discovered that the bracelet from a midsize (36mm) quartz Aqua Terra fits pretty well!


  49. #49
    ^^^that doesn't look that bad at all! How is it for comfort?

  50. #50
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazyp View Post
    ^^^that doesn't look that bad at all! How is it for comfort?
    It's fine for comfort, just like wearing the Aqua Terra really.

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