- Universal Genève has launched three special edition Polerouter watches, celebrating the model’s 70th anniversary
- The Universal Genève Polerouter was designed by legendary watchmaker Gérald Genta in 1954
- The release comes almost a year after the announcement that Universal Genève will relaunch under the guidance of Breitling CEO Georges Kern and private investment firms Partners Group and CVC Capital Partners
The Universal Genève Polerouter is one of the most significant—and dare we say, underrated—timepieces designed by legendary watchmaker Gérald Genta. A purpose-built watch, the Universal Genève Polerouter was designed at the behest of the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), who tasked Universal Genève with creating a watch that could support pilots flying over the North Pole (hence the ‘Pole’router moniker).
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The timepiece needed to be water-resistant, anti-magnetic, shock-resistant, and able to withstand the extreme climate found in the skies above the North Pole. Designed by Genta at age 23, the resultant timepiece was differentiated by its twisted lugs and two-part dial construction, the latter of which saw a tension ring with hour markers affixed to the crystal above a curved dial that secured the movement in place. The unique construction provided the watch with shock resistance and contributed to its striking three-dimensional appearance.
The Universal Genève Polerouter made its professional debut on the 15th of November 1954, when the SAS flew from Copenhagen to Los Angeles, with the new polar route trimming 2600 kilometres off the journey.
Over half a century later and the Universal Genève Polerouter is back, with the formerly defunct Swiss manufacture releasing a trio of special edition models. The news follows last year’s announcement that Universal Genève would be relaunching in 2026, under the helm of Georges Kern ( CEO of Breitling) and backed by private investment firms Partners Group and CVC Capital Partners.
Each of the three tribute pieces are one-of-one editions, with two bound for the Universal Genève archives and one set to be auctioned off at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in May of 2025, with proceeds going to CFP Arts in Geneva.
All three models feature a newly designed case and are powered by the calibre 1-69, a micro-rotor movement that was introduced into the Polerouter lineup in the late-1950s and made history for being the thinnest automatic movement at the time. The calibre 1-69 features a two-day power reserve, which was achieved by positioning the rotor between the plate and bridges instead of above the movement as in most self-winding watches.
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Departing from the practical origins of its predecessor, the new Universal Genève Polerouter models take on a luxurious tone, with rehaut of each watch is diamond guillochéd to achieve a luminescent effect that complements the satin-finishing on the dial. Each of the models retains vintage proportions, with the case diameter clocking in at 35mm.
The watch set to hit the auction block next year features both the new Universal Genève logo and the historic and modern SAS logos on its blue dial and is clad in a white gold case and presented on a white gold bracelet handcrafted by métiers d’art craftsman Laurent Jolliet.
The other two timepieces rounding out the collection draw from the original Polerouter designs. Both are presented on a leather strap, with one featuring an 18k rose gold case, rehaut, and hands paired with a black dial and the other crafted from stainless steel. These timepieces feature the Universal Genève logo and the historical SAS logo in rose gold.
Price: N/A
Model: Polerouter SAS Tribute (ref. JU6910 (white gold); RU6910 (rose gold); AU6910 (stainless steel))
Case size: 35mm
Movement: 1-69 (automatic)
Water resistance: 5ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Power reserve: 57 hours
Words by Theo Rosen
