Lot 268

Universal Genève

Tri-Compax

A remarkable vintage Geneva wrist chronograph with black dial, full calendar and moon phase

Sold

When the Tri-Compax appeared on the market in 1944, the sales figures of the Universal watch manufactory increased considerably. The Tri-Compax with full calendar, moon phase and chronograph was considered a horological masterpiece and Universal became a synonym for quality, taste and reliability. The watch came in several case variants – steel and red or yellow gold, with case sizes ranging from 33 mm to a large 38 mm.
This steel Tri-Compax has an extremely rare, distinctive black dial and silver registers with a concentric pattern and features three adjusting devices on the left side to set the day of the week, the month, and the date as well as the phases of the moon, which are displayed in a small cutout within the hand date display at 12 o’clock. Below are two windows for the day of the week and the month, both in English. The watch has a diameter of 35 mm and is 13 mm thick – a modern and comfortable size that is complemented by the round chronograph pushers and looks good on any wrist.
The watch is illustrated and described on page 350 of "Universal Watch Geneve" by Pietro Giuliano Sala.