Universal Genève

• cal. 178, manual winding copper finish lever movement, 17 jewels • bicolor black and white dial, Arabic 24 hour numerals, outer minute and second divisions, subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 12 hour and 30 minute registers, luminescent baton hands, hour hand revolving once in 24 hours • stainless steel case, fluted lugs, reeded bezel graduated to 24 hours, screw down case back • case, dial, and movement signed 

Universal’s Aero-Compax began its run as a four-register chronograph, and evolved into the present reference 890101/01 as a standard three-register chronograph with a 24-hour dial. The chronograph was offered with three different dial colors: black, white and the present two-tone black and white. The bezel for the monochrome dials featured a two-tone bezel to differentiate night and day for the 24 hour dial and second time zone, whereas the black and white dial version was a single brushed finish, as seen on this example. The model was also offered with a 12 hour dial with a caliber 130 inside, and the present 24 hour example features a caliber 90 with a 30-minute chronograph register, jumping every minute in contrast to the examples featuring a 15-minute register (which jump in 30-second increments). Additionally, the present lot is offered in unpolished and original condition, retaining the facets to the lugs and the reference and serial number engravings to the case back.