Universal Geneve 12266 Tri Compax 1940s

Name: Universal Geneve 12266 Tri Compax 1940s
Brand: Universal Geneve
SKU: #1395
Price: 12900.00 EUR
Availability: OutOfStock

€12.900

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Description
BRAND HISTORY

A Rose Gold Chronograph Icon - Universal Genève Tri-Compax Ref. 12266

The Universal Genève Tri-Compax is one of the most iconic and collectible vintage chronographs ever made — and this ref. 12266 from the 1940s is a particularly rare and desirable version.

Housed in a mid-sized 34 mm 18k rose gold case with sharp angled lugs, this piece has the perfect proportions for modern wrists while retaining every bit of vintage charm. The silver dial, untouched and evenly patinated over time, displays a full triple calendar with moonphase and chronograph layout — one of the most beloved configurations in vintage watch collecting.

Powered by the revered Caliber 481, this Tri-Compax blends technical complexity with elegant 1950s aesthetics — a grail-worthy piece of Swiss horological history.

- wrist size in our picture is 18cm circumference -

DIAL:

original never touched silver dial in good condition
original hands and crown
some evenly developed patina throughout the dial

STRAP & BUCKLE:

brown KARDINAL Alligator Embossed Leather Watch Strap fitting up to 20 cm wrist size / 3.7 mm thick
rose gold plated GOLDAMMER buckle

CASE:

good overall condition, showing some traces of use
3- body 18k rose gold case with snap-on case back from casemaker Jung & Fils
34 mm (without crown) / 41 mm (lug-to-lug) / 19 mm (between lugs) / 12.5 mm thick
year: 1943-1945
reference: 12266
total weight: 44 g

MOVEMENT:

Universal Geneve Cal. 481
17 jewels, 18000 A/h, 44 hours power reserve
professionally serviced in 02/2026
-15 sec/d / 280°

BOX & PAPERS:

GOLDAMMER certificate of authenticity & service documentation card
GOLDAMMER Box

GOLDAMMER REFERENCE: #1395

Universal Genève

Before the world came to know the icons of Rolex or Patek Philippe, there was Universal Genève — a house revered among connoisseurs, yet quietly hidden in plain sight. Founded in 1894, Universal Genève was once hailed as the “watchmaker’s watchmaker,” crafting chronographs and complications that set the standard for the 20th century.

Among vintage watch collectors, the name Universal Genève evokes something special. Not mass prestige, but purity. Not hype, but heritage. Their legendary chronographs — from the Compax line to the graceful Tri-Compax, from the sleek Aero-Compax to the revered Uni-Compax — combine mechanical ingenuity with unmistakable design language. Balanced. Understated. Iconic.

Then there’s the Polerouter — a marvel of mid-century design born from a young Gérald Genta. Created for pilots crossing the polar route to Los Angeles, it’s a symbol of adventure and precision. With its dynamic crosshair dials, twisted lugs, and micro-rotor movement, the Polerouter is one of the most beloved vintage watches ever made.

Universal Genève didn’t chase celebrity endorsements. They didn’t need to. Their watches spoke for themselves — in the cockpit, in the boardroom, and now, in the display cases of collectors who truly know.

To wear a vintage Universal Genève is to signal something rare: discerning taste. You’re not chasing status. You’re preserving legacy. You understand that real beauty lies in details — beveled lugs, elegant proportions, movements finished with care.

These aren’t watches that scream. They speak — with the voice of a forgotten golden era in Swiss watchmaking.

And in today’s noisy world, that voice is being rediscovered — one collector, one vintage watch, one moment of quiet admiration at a time.

Because Universal Genève may have been overlooked by the mainstream…

But among those who know, it was never forgotten.