There are many classic Swiss watch brands from the mid-twentieth century that didn’t survive the advent of quartz technology in 1969. The “Quartz Crisis” of the 1970s and ’80s saw a proliferation of affordable and accurate quartz watches flood the market, pushing the mechanical watch industry to the brink and extinguishing many brands from existence.
Many of those brands were later resurrected, some to great success and acclaim, but one has long remained elusive. The brand is Universal Genève, the brand responsible for such all-time bangers as the Gérald Genta-designed Polerouter, the motorsports classic Compax, the funky Uni-Compax “Big Eye” chronograph and the complicated and cool Tri-Compax “Eric Clapton.”
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Like so many other brands, UG fell on hard times during the Quartz Crisis and its corpse was acquired by Hong Kong-based holding group Stelux Holdings International in 1989. Under this new ownership, the brand technically still exists but as a shell of its former self. Universal Genève watches have been produced in recent years but as unrecognizable and generic fashion watches mainly for the Asian market, with none of the prestige or style that defined the brand’s mid-century run. Others have tried to purchase the brand in recent years to revive it to its former glory, most notably Guillaume Laidet, the man who acquired and relaunched fellow defunct Swiss watch brands Nivada and Vulcain to great acclaim, but all came up empty. That is, until now.
Breitling is bringing back Universal Genève
Late in 2023, the investment group owners of Breitling, Partners Group, acquired Universal Genève for around CHF 60 million (~$70.5 million) and are set to relaunch the brand as the true successor to the company vintage watch enthusiasts have come to adore. Breitling’s leadership will oversee the relaunch, meaning the brand is quite literally in the best hands it’s been in since the 1970s, as Breitling aims to go for a “modern-retro” take on the brand while developing new in-house movements but still honoring the brand’s iconic history and designs, according to Hodinkee’s reporting.
“Rebuilding a brand with such a rich narrative is not a quick endeavor — it is a meticulous labor of love that we anticipate will unfold over the coming years,” Breitling CEO George Kern, who is overseeing Universal’s relaunch, said in a statement. “A dedicated team will be brought on board to allow Breitling and Universal Genève to operate as separate maisons.”
