Universal Geneve Polerouter Date 'Gilt'

Why We Love It The Universal Genève Polerouter is one of our absolute favorites around Analog/Shift HQ. So popular in fact, that this particular example comes from the personal collection of one of our team members - yes, we do occasionally sell our own watches, but don't worry, we have more! An extremely clean piece, this guy features a stunning gloss black crosshair dial with gilt printing and the iconic asymmetric date window, considered one of the most popular configurations amongst collectors. Fitted with the Calibre 69 Micro-rotor automatic movement, a signed crown, beautifully aged luminous plots and dauphine hands and even the correct (and signed!) magnified acrylic crystal, this is without question one of the nicest examples on the market. That's why we bought it in the first place.  The Story Most of us, even the most diehard collectors, know only one watch designer by name: Gerald Genta. The man behind the AP Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the IWC Ingenieur, Genta changed the watch industry with his luxury stainless steel sports watches with sharp 70s lines and his characteristic integrated bracelet design.  But before he could pioneer haute horology, he had cut his teeth on a more approachable timepiece; the Universal Genève Polerouter. The Polerouter was Genta's first watch design brought to market, penned by the young Swiss designer in his early 20s. The watch was a sales success and propelled Genta’s career forward (allowing for the greats such as the Royal Oak and the Nautilus.) The first Polerouter was released in 1954 (and originally called the POLARouter) to celebrate and promote Scandinavian Airlines’ Royal Viking polar flights between New York City, Los Angeles and Europe. The flights forged a new route over the North Pole, reducing flight times between the two continents. Flying over the North Pole presented a unique set of challenges for a watch, and the Polerouter was designed to be highly resistant to magnetic fields (in addition to the usual shock and water resistance) so as to maintain accuracy during the trip.