Universal Genève Monodate 'Jumbo'

Overall Condition: Excellent condition overall. Case is very strong, retaining original shape and showing only light signs of wear associated with age and use. Dial and handset are also in great condition given its age. Caseback numerals are crisp.

While Universal Genève's chronographs have gained a well-deserved reputation for their superior craftsmanship, the brand's three-hand timepieces have remained relatively unexplored. These elegant watches — with their oftentimes textured or guilloché dials and well-crafted movements — typify the excellence of midcentury horology.

Universal Genève is unique among its contemporaries in that the brand developed many of its own calibers entirely in-house. Its factory in Pont-de-Martel, built in 1941, allowed the firm to expand its production to include all ranges of movements, from automatic bumper-wind calibres to micro-rotor drivetrains. While the Polertouer, with its storied connection to trans-continental aviation, is perhaps the most notable of these, Universal Genève did not stop there.

The watch that we offer here, the Monodate, is driven by the Caliber 138C bumper-wind movement, which Universal Geneve developed in 1948. Like the bumper-wind calibers found in many Omegas, the Caliber 138C limits the rotation of the oscillator with a spring on either side of the weight. However, unlike its Omega counterparts that restricted the rotation of the oscillating weight to 160° — rather than the standard 360° of modern automatics — the design of the Caliber 138C was able to accommodate an increased revolution of 315°.

In addition to being unique to this in-house calibre, the design stands as a sort of benchmark of Universal Genève's technical development; the Caliber 138C allowed for more efficient winding of the mainspring, offering the wearer greater timekeeping and reliability. Still, as the brand continued to grow, advances were made in its automatic technology and U.G. ultimately discontinued production of the Caliber 138C after only one year, replacing it with the Caliber 215 micro-rotor — the movement that would go on to power the famous Polerouter.

Like most offerings from Universal Genève, the outside of this watch was designed with as much care and intention as the inside. At first glance, the eye is drawn to the warm glow of its gold case, the gentle curvature of the lugs, and the stunning silver guilloché dial. Then, however, one notices the subtle date window at 3 o'clock and the small-seconds subdial above 6 o'clock. The result, complemented by the applied gold 'Arabic' numerals and 'dauphine' hands, is a sophisticated feel reminiscent of the days of Breguet. And, at just shy of 35mm and paired to a black leather strap with a signed yellow gold pin buckle, the Monodate is perfectly appointed for modern dress or semi-dress wear.

Whatever the use, this one is sure to keep you checking the time — if only so you can glimpse the bygone design of a top manufacture recently back from a long slumber.