ike the Great Masters of Watchmaking feature in Europa Star 4/25, the story of Universal Genève could open with the words “once upon a time…”. And so once upon a time in 1894, in the Swiss town of Le Locle, watchmakers Ulysse-Georges Perret and Numa-Émile Descombes set up their company and filed the Universal Watch trademark.

They were joined, in 1895, by a young man with a famous name, Louis-Edouard Berthoud. After Numa-Émile Descombes unexpectedly passed away in 1897, Perret made Berthoud a partner in the business, which became Perret & Berthoud. Less than a decade later, a Gold Medal at the 1906 world’s fair in Milan would be the first acknowledgement of the quality, pioneering spirit and accuracy of their watches.

In 1914 the Bureau Officiel de Contrôle du Locle, forerunner to the COSC, awarded Perret & Berthoud a First Class “bulletin de marche”, providing further endorsement of their watches’ chronometric performance. Circa 1917, the company produced its first wrist chronographs for the Italian armed forces. Universal by name, it was now universal by nature.

From Geneva to the world

Now with a full range of elegant and accurate watches to their credit, in 1919 the two partners decided to relocate the company to Geneva, adding the prestige of the city to an already excellent reputation. Two years later they moved their headquarters to 43, Rue du Rhône. Raoul Perret, the son of Ulysse-Georges, joined the business in 1923, at the age of 22.

At the age of 31, he took the helm of Perret & Berthoud, at a time when Switzerland was taking measures to protect its watch industry with the introduction of a “statut horloger”. A decision was taken: Perret & Berthoud would become a full-fledged Manufacture. This was a bold move but also a reflection of the company’s wish to have complete freedom to create its movements.

Following the death of his father in 1933, Raoul Perret introduced what would prove a winning strategy to specialise in chronographs and Geneva-quality watches, as well as to expand the brand into Europe and the Americas.

©Archives Europa Star

Europa Star reported on its visit to Universal Genève in 1956, and on a meeting of international distributors in 1961.

Full speed ahead

The first watches that would make Universal Genève the icon it is today appeared around this time. In 1933 the brand filed a patent for the Ideo. One of the first reversible watches, its case could pivot thanks to a hinge at 12 o’clock. Production lasted only a few years but this was long enough for the Cabriolet, as it became known, to make its mark.

Having registered the Compur name in 1934, the brand unveiled an entire range of two-pusher chronographs at the 1935 Basel fair, making Perret & Berthoud – or Universal Watch Genève as it now signed most of its dials – one of the pioneers of the two-pusher design that would revolutionise the chronograph. This would lead to the Compax, the name still given to the layout of the chrono’s registers.

Always one step ahead, the company became a regular advertiser in both trade and mainstream press. Then in 1940 Perret & Berthoud was officially renamed Manufacture des Montres Universal. The following year saw the opening of a second, state-of-the-art factory in Les Ponts-de-Martel. Despite the outbreak of World War II, the company continued its expansion and established Universal Geneva Watch Co. in New York, acquiring a truly international dimension in the process. Launched in 1944, the Tri-Compax chronograph with a full calendar and moon phases would be a resounding success. The brand followed this with its first automatic movements as early as 1948, alongside dressier watches with cloisonné enamel dials. And the best was yet to come!

An age of icons

1954 would be a milestone year for Universal Genève, when an up-and-coming designer by the name of Gérald Genta imagined his first icon: the Polerouter. It was commissioned by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) for its pilots flying the new Copenhagen-Los Angeles route over the North Pole (hence the Polerouter name). In addition to an elegantly clean design, which included a textured crosshair dial, the Polerouter provided vital magnetic resistance. By 1958 Universal was equipping the Polerouter with a revolutionary micro-rotor calibre, patented in 1955, that allowed for much slimmer watches. A cult classic was born.

A Universal Genève Compax from the 1960s.

After opening a modern new factory in Carouge in 1956, the brand released new versions of the Compax and Tri-Compax chronographs in the 1960s. Nicknamed the “Nina Rindt” and the “Eric Clapton” by collectors, they remain favourites today. Its extra-thin watches took advantage of the micro-rotor movement, which at 4.1mm high was one of the slimmest automatic calibres of that time.

Nina Rindt

By 1966 the brand had surpassed even this with the Calibre 66: a micro-rotor movement just 2.5mm thick. Fitted in the White Shadow, Gilt Shadow and Golden Shadow models, respectively steel, gold-plated and gold, it held the record for world’s thinnest automatic watch until 1978. Still in the Sixties, the brand debuted its famous “Le Couturier de la Montre” (the tailor of watchmaking) slogan.

Universal Genève presents its tribute to the “Nina Rindt” Compax. The wife of Formula 1 champion Jochen Rindt became an unexpected style icon. The Universal Genève Compax she wore was one of the twentieth century’s most collected vintage watches.

Under new ownership

After its takeover, in 1966, by the American Bulova Watch Co., Universal Genève took a fresh direction and released its first electronic watches. Launched in 1968, the Unisonic ran off the Accutron tuning-fork movement. Next came the Uniquartz, in 1970.

Raoul Perret left the company a year later, followed in 1977 by René Perret, who had joined in 1940. Universal was now without any member of its founding families. In 1976, at the height of the Quartz Crisis, Bulova sold a 27% stake to Stelux Holdings, based in Hong Kong. More changes followed when Diether Kübel-Wilsdorf bought part of the company, backed by Muraki Trading, Universal’s distributor in Japan, and Holzer Watch, distributor in the United States.

The brand survived until 1986 when it was fully acquired by Stelux Holdings, whose various attempts at a relaunch never got off the ground. Becoming Universal Genève SA in 2001 and still under its Hong Kong owners, there would be yet another failed revival in 2002, led by Stuart Wood. The contemporary version of this once illustrious brand slowly sank into oblivion – but its glory days were never forgotten.

The Tri-Compax in a 1952 issue of Europa Star.

©Archives Europa Star

A legend returns

For vintage chronograph enthusiasts, Universal Genève has lost none of its lustre, and its watches continue to hold their value on the pre-owned market. Announced in December 2023, the acquisition by Breitling and its group of investors, Partners Group and CVC Capital Partners, looks set to restore this long dormant brand to greatness. The coming years will be decisive if Universal Genève is to reclaim its place in the history book of watchmaking – Swiss and universal.

Interview

“IMAGINE WHERE LE COUTURIER DE LA MONTRE WOULD BE TODAY”

For Georges Kern, the CEO of Breitling who is overseeing Universal Genève’s relaunch, the brand has the capacity to stand out even in an already crowded high-end segment.

Europa Star: Universal Genève has a huge following among collectors. Its acquisition and relaunch represent a major new challenge, with enormous potential but also a high level of responsibility. Where do you begin?

Georges Kern: We bought Universal Genève for its history and its products. It would be unthinkable to acquire a brand such as this and not use its heritage. The hard part is picturing what the brand, the “Couturier de la Montre”, would be like today, had it kept going. That’s the first big challenge. Obviously the Polerouter will be part of it, the Compax and the Tri-Compax will reappear, the Cabriolet will return. The real question is, what would Gérald Genta have done 30 years later? Imagine if Porsche had discontinued the 911 in the 1980s and was relaunching it today! The second challenge is to differentiate the brand and not re-do what others are already doing, whether that means products, collections, communication or distribution in boutiques. For every one of these points, we’ve thought carefully about how we can differentiate the brand and bring real added value to the market. We want the launch to make our vision for the brand absolutely clear from day one and immediately establish the new Universal Genève style.

After taking over Breitling in 2017, you introduced a strategic shift away from the focus on pilot’s watches to develop new categories of land and sea, too. Act one at Universal Genève was the launch of three unique SAS Polerouter watches to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the airline’s first flight over the North Pole, in 1954. Were you “testing the waters” or was this the first phase in a strategy centred on this emblematic model? And what will Universal Genève’s scope be?

The acquisition had to be made public in 2023 because the previous owner was listed on the stock exchange. We had to manage the transition in communication. The Polerouter’s jubilee in 2024 was a great opportunity to start a conversation about Universal Genève. We recently released a re-issue of the Compax, in a new case with a vintage movement and a Bund bracelet created by the Japanese leather artisan Satoru Hosoi, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France who has a workshop in Paris, in honour of the original “Nina Rindt” Compax.

Universal Genève is reviving “the Nina” for the first time in 18k white and red gold, as an ultra-exclusive edition of two series of three Tribute to Compax watches with Grand Feu enamel dials and vintage Calibre 281 movements. This new collection features hand-crafted Bund straps by esteemed Japanese artisan Satoru Hosoi, in his first collaboration with a watch brand.

Universal Genève has a rich past but how would you define its contemporary DNA?

When you look at the very-high-end market, objectively you have brands that are extremely conservative and brands that are more extravagant. Within this high-end segment, Universal Genève will be somewhere in-between: not overly conservative but not ostentatious either. And it will target both men and women. I think there is a real opportunity to carve a new space in the market, both in terms of aesthetics and brand expression, between the two.

The brand has been bought and relaunched several times in the past, in 1966, 1989 and again in 2003, unsuccessfully. What do you think went wrong and does this put extra pressure on you?

Earlier attempts were half-hearted, they didn’t really register… and so much the better for us! The brand’s aura is intact. Never in my entire career have I had so much interest from so many collectors as for this brand. There is an almost inexplicable passion for Universal Genève that has never waned. Many of the earlier relaunches were in Asia, with products that had no connection to Universal Genève’s heritage. Our strategy is completely different.

Are current market tensions – US tariffs, political instability in Europe, weaker demand from China - affecting your strategy for Universal Genève?

In my 30 years in the industry, I’ve experienced my fair share of crises and this won’t be the last. Possibly this one is more intense because it’s lasting longer and is multifactorial, but we’ll come through it. What’s important is to be better than the others in your segment to win market share. You can’t control external factors, you have to focus on what you can influence: make better products, with better movements, sold in nicer boutiques. We’re focusing all our attention on these key factors.

From the 1960s, Universal Genève was known as “Le Couturier de la Montre” but was also famed for its innovative designs and movements. Will you try and continue in these two directions?

The public is watching and waiting, we know that. Well they can rest assured: they’ll get the micro-rotor, with a technical evolution that will guarantee it performs like a contemporary movement. It will be the same extra-thin calibre but with more amplitude and more power: a modern, accurate, efficient movement. We’ve worked a lot on aesthetic creativity too, and everything that goes with it.

Will production be separate from Breitling? Will Universal Genève have its own manufacturing facilities?

Currently we’re working with Le Temps Manufacture in Fleurier. We’ll develop production capacity step by step. First we need to focus on our head office on Rue du Rhône and on opening Universal Genève boutiques. Then we’ll see whether we buy an existing production facility or build our own site.

We’re hearing about a price point from CHF 15,000 for a non-complicated steel watch. Is that the strategy?

We have a clear strategy, along the same lines as in the couture industry. All I can tell you for now is that collections will start from around that price.

Breitling demonstrates a strong commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and is recognised for its efforts to be sustainable and reduce its environmental impact. Will you be adopting a similar strategy for Universal Genève?

Obviously we’re trying, but this is more a mindset, a business philosophy. At Breitling we always aim to be credible and authentic. When we’re working to reduce ocean plastic, it makes sense that we team up with surfers. We must pay attention to the environment, for ourselves and our children. We will be consistent but there won’t be a specific policy for Universal Genève that’s similar, for example, to Breitling’s policy for lab-grown diamonds.

Last year, Universal Genève unveiled three watches as a tribute to the legendary Polerouter, with a reimagined case and historic micro-rotor movement.

Where do you see Universal Genève in ten years’ time? What will it take for it to be newly successful – or for you to feel the work you’ve put in has made this a successful relaunch?

Success doesn’t come down to a single element. First and foremost are coherent products. It’s easier to relaunch brands that have a strong heritage, such as Universal Genève or Gallet*, and no “dead weights” such as obsolete production facilities, erratic distribution or inappropriate products scattered around the market. The break in production meant we could fine-tune the relaunch and be ready with a long-term vision for the brand. At Breitling, the move from a purely “aviation” watch to more generalist models also took time. Obviously, the “repositioning” is a much bigger job but the public will see a very clear expression of Universal Genève that is faithful to the brand’s history.

At Universal Genève, watchmaking is in the service of aesthetics. Form doesn’t follow function so much as function serves beauty. And that is the brand’s image: a harmonious alliance of quality movements and superlative design. Focusing entirely on movements wouldn’t make sense for Universal Genève. We’re not a brand of cabinotiers. Yes, we do have a powerful identity in our micro-rotor movement but our greatest strength is precisely this association of mechanisms with a unique design language. We didn’t invent the “Le Couturier de la Montre” slogan. It started in the 1960s and it’s what we intend to be.

At the risk of upsetting the purists?

I don’t think in terms of risk, more opportunity. We will have horological legitimacy. Fans of Universal Genève also appreciate the beauty that was inherent to the brand in the past. They’re as excited about the exceptional designs the brand introduced throughout its history as they are the quality of its watchmaking. Universal Genève will be a brand for men and women, with targeted collections that can also be worn by both.

*After Universal Genève in 2023, Breitling this year announced it had acquired Gallet. The brand, established in 1826 and known for precision watches that were popular with travellers and adventurers, will be the entry-level offering in Breitling’s expanding portfolio.