Lot 504

Universal Genève

Tri-Compax

A vintage Geneva wristwatch with tropical dial, chronograph, full calendar and moon phase

When the Tri-Compax appeared on the market in 1944, the sales figures of the Universal Genève watch manufactory increased considerably. The Tri-Compax with full calendar, moon phase and chronograph was considered a horological masterpiece and Universal Genève 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 Tri-Compax model in a 18 K gold case features square chronograph pushers and three buttons on the left for setting the day of the week, the month and the moon phase, which is displayed together with the date in a small window at 12 o’clock. Below are two windows for day and month, both in French. There is also a tachymeter graduation on the outer rim of the dial.

The Devenoges were a Swiss family of entrepreneurs in the watchmaking sector. In 1919 and 1920, they founded 2 companies for balances (balanciers) in two locations in French-speaking Switzerland. In 1929, the company of Edouard Devenoges was cancelled. The assets and liabilities were taken over by his sons Camille and Charles from St. Aubin into the company "Les Fils de Edouard Devenoges", fabrication et vente de balanciers pour montres in Travers. On 18.12.1933, however, this company was deleted again. The reason was that they joined the holding company Les Fabriques de Balanciers Réunies S.A., founded in 1932, like many others at the time.
Les Fabriques de Balanciers Réunies S.A. (FBR) was a holding company in Biel that included numerous Swiss balance manufacturers until the founding of the Swatch Group in the 1990s.