Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Universal Geneve Automatic, Square Cased 18K Gold Dress Watch, circa 1950s
- Maker / attribution
- Universal Genève (maker)
- Date
- c. 1950s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- gold
- Stock no.
- vws3346cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3346cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Universal Geneve Automatic - Square Cased 18K Gold Dress Watch - c.1950s (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3346cs), this is a wristwatch by Universal Genève, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Beautiful 1950s Universal Geneve Dress Watch in an 18k Gold Case with a Stunning Silver Sunburst Dial and Gilt Applied Furniture Universal Genève, established in 1894 in Le Locle, Switzerland, has a storied history marked by innovation and elegance. Initially known as "Universal Watch," the company quickly gained a reputation for precision timepieces. In the 1920s and 1930s, Universal Genève introduced some of the first chronographs designed for both men and women, setting new standards in watchmaking. Despite facing challenges during the quartz crisis of the 1970s, Universal Genève managed to retain its reputation for quality craftsmanship. Today, vintage Universal Genève watches are highly sought after by collectors worldwide, symbolizing a legacy of timeless elegance and technical mastery. What's on Offer This 1950s Universal Geneve vintage dress watching 18k gold is in super condition. The dial is a simple time-only design and is very chic with a stunning silver sunburst and applied gilt furniture. There are some signs of wear as we would expect but nothing of any concern and it wears beautifully on the wrist. A beautiful dress watch that is perfectly appropriate for any occasion and a very worthy addition to any collection.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Automatic (self-winding) watches
Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.
What to look for
- A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
- 'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
- A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.
Dating clues
- Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
- Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
- Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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