Universal Geneve Uni-Compax

Why We Love It  If we've said it once, we've said it a hundred times- we love mid century chronographs.  Theres just something about the balance of the dials- the proportions of the cases, the functionally elegant design language, its just as good as it gets. Even the 'oversized' examples at 37-39mms are so effortlessly wearable, we can't help but obsess. This particular piece is special for several reasons. First, its a Universal Geneve Uni-Compax, which in and of itself makes it a cool, off the beaten path option for the vintage enthusiast. Second, it features a combination of beautiful black snail dial and richly white stylized arabic indicies and white handset. Third, it is a watch that was way ahead of its time when it was made in the 1930's. To put it simply, its incredibly clean and rarer than hen's teeth.  The Story Universal Genéve has become synonymous with chronographs. In the last decade, the demand for their vintage models has risen sharply, with some examples making world record appearances on the auction circuits. Surely, Universal Genève is a staple of vintage collecting. The 1940s to the 1960s were in many ways the golden years of chronograph production for Universal Genève. The timepieces produced during this period (in particular the "Nina Rindt" Compax and the "Eric Clapton" Tri-Compax) have attracted the attention and admiration of collectors. So in the 1990s, when Universal Genève wanted to commemorate its centennial, a chronograph espousing similar design language seemed a natural choice. Already a stunning sports watch, the original Panda Dial Compax of the 1960s was catapulted into the collector's periphery after it became closely associated with famous model Nina Rindt, née Lincoln, who married the legendary Formula One driver Jochen Rindt in 1967. We're certain that this version of the Compax would have become a classic with or without Nina Rindt, due to its brilliant design and similarities to the Omega Speedmaster, Roled Daytona, and Heuer Carrera, but when the ever-stylish Nina Rindt put her white-and-black Compax on a leather Bundeswehr strap and wore it to one of Jochen's races, she unknowingly created a juggernaut that still has collectors hungry for more.