Polerouter case with twisted lugs

Probable

Gérald Genta's Polerouter case, whose character lies in the faceted, twisted lugs and the dished dial opening. Recorded as a component in its own right because the lug facets are both the design's signature and the first thing lost to polishing.

Part reference

Brand: Universal Genève
Maker: Universal Genève and its case suppliers
Material: Stainless steel, gold-capped and solid gold
Introduced: 1954

Documented variations

Classification

FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.

Unpolished case with defined lug facets
FactoryProbable
Whole production
Crisp transitions between lug surfaces, legible case reference and serial stamping inside the back. Scarce, valuable, and the condition in which the watch can actually be authenticated — which is a reason to examine an unpolished claim closely rather than to accept it.
Polished case with rounded lugs
FactoryProbable
Whole production
Soft, rounded lug transitions and often weakened interior stamping. Common, and a real evidential loss on a brand with no archive to consult: the stamping is a meaningful part of the available evidence and polishing removes it. An originality and condition finding, not an authenticity one.

Documented on these references

Universal Genève 20217Factory
1954–1955
Universal Genève 20357-2Factory
Whole production
Rounded lugs mean polishing, and polishing weakens the interior stamping this brand cannot afford to lose.

Provenance of this record

Sources & Evidence

Secondary sourceCollector research

Dealer and collector research on Universal Genève dials, redials and reference structure

Specialist vintage dealers and collector communities

Accessed: 2026-08-19

Cited for

This referenceProbable

Secondary sourceAuction archive

Auction-house archives and condition reports for Universal Genève

Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams and specialist houses

Accessed: 2026-08-19