Universal and Hermès, A Rare 18k Gold Chronograph Wristwatch

A similar double signed chronograph wristwatch with its elegant script signature was advertised and illustrated in French magazine L'illustration in its issue No. 4894, December 19th, 1936. The original edition accompanies the present watch.

In the early part of the 20th century, Universal Genève was a brand heralded as one which created groundbreaking designs and technical advances within the horological world. The present watch is an example of a very rare vintage Universal Genève chronograph wristwatch that belongs to those designs famed for being one of the impressive chronographs of the 1930s-60s. The chronograph movements were so impressive that they used to manufacture them for Jaeger Le-Coultre, Girard-Perregaux, Zenith.

What is most notable and rare about this particular model is that it was manufactured for Hermès and comes from the Compax family of Universal Genève watches. The Compax was introduced in 1935, the world's first chronograph wristwatch with hour and minute registers, particularly appreciated by members of armed forces. The models were available in various case materials, and dial layouts. The distributorship that the watch manufacturer enjoyed was through Patek Philippe in the U.S. as it was the sister brand at the Henri Stern Watch Agency, and in Europe the Compax models were launched at the well-known chic store Hermès. While the Universal Genève and Hermès partnership was short-lived during the 1930s and 1940s, the store played a prominent role in building the brand in France as well as the rest of Europe. These watches have become exceedingly collectable amongst enthusiasts as few have surfaced to market, especially with the Hermès signature on the dial.

Only a small handful of these watches have been known to survive, making this presently offered watch a very important discovery within the watch world.

According to our research, this is the only Universal chronograph known to the market with the early script signature.