Universal Genève

3 collections · 6 references

Probable

Overview

Founded at Le Locle in 1894 by Numa-Émile Descombes and Ulysse Georges Perret; after Descombes's early death the business continued as Perret & Berthoud with Louis-Édouard Berthoud, moving to Geneva in 1919. Known for the Compax chronograph family from 1936, the Tri-Compax of 1944, and the Polerouter of 1954 — designed by Gérald Genta and, from spring 1955, carrying the caliber 215, one of the earliest micro-rotor automatics. The company passed into the Bulova group in 1966 and to Stelux of Hong Kong in 1989, then lay dormant for three decades. Its intellectual property was acquired in December 2023 by Partners Group, majority owner of Breitling, and the brand relaunched in 2026. CRITICAL FOR AUTHENTICATION: the historical production archive did not survive that ownership history in a form that can confirm an individual watch, and acquiring the intellectual property did not recover it — no extract is obtainable.

Notable innovations

· Caliber 215 micro-rotor (1955), 4.1mm and among the first of its kind
· Tri-Compax (1944), chronograph with full calendar and moonphase

Official name: Universal Genève SA
Country: Switzerland
Founded: 1894
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Status: revived

Collections

Compax

3 references · 1 model

1 documented

Polerouter

2 references · 1 model

1 documented

Shadow

1 reference · 1 model

0 documented