====== Universal Genève ======
{{wst>menue|Universal_Genève}}

{{wst>image_r|Universal_1-69_Werkansicht|Universal Calibre with Microrotor}}
**Universal Genève** is a Swiss watch [[manufacture]].

===== History =====
Numa-Emile Descombes and [[Perret, Ulysse Georges|Ulysse Georges Perret]] founded an etablissage workshop and watch dealership in [[1894]] in [[Le Locle]]. Early on, the company specialized in wristwatches, developing a [[chronograph]] with a 30-minute counter in [[1897]]. In [[1917]], during the first World War, Universal produced one of the first bracelet [[chronograph]] watches. By [[1918]], Universal had already openend a branch in [[Geneva]], which was gradually expanded to become the administrative center of the company. It was officially renamed Universal Genève in [[1937]].

In the 1930s, the focus was on the production of wrist chronograph models with the models //Colonial, Compur// and the very successful [[Universal Geneve Tri-Compax|Compax]] [[chronograph]] range. In [[1941]], Universal built a new factory in [[Pont-de-Martel]] to meet the demand for watches as war equipment. It is unclear whether the chronograph movements came from Martel or Universal's factory there, but Universal also developed and produced their own time-only movements.

In the fifties, Universal patented, among others, a jumping [[central seconds]], an [[automatic]] with bidirectional rotating [[central rotor]] and the "[[Microtor]]", an [[automatic]] with off-center [[planetary rotor]] (also called [[micro-rotor]]). In [[1954]] the company launched the [[Universal Polarouter|Polarouter]], predecessor of the well-known wristwatch model "[[Universal Polerouter|Polerouter]]". In [[1956]] a new production facility in Geneva was established and thus the entire production was shifted there.

In [[1966]], Montres Universal Perret and Berthoud SA, as it was then known, joined together with [[Bulova]]. The companies remained somewhat separate from a product development and sales perspective, but this did give Universal access to Bulova's [[tuning fork]] movement technology, resulting in the [[1968]] introduction of the [[Universal Unisonic]] line. Universal would go on to use Bulova's tuning fork emblem on the dial of their watches, leading to some branding confusion between the two.

The 1960s and 1970s also saw continued technical innovation. [[Universal 66|Cal. 2-66]] and [[Universal 67|2-67]], released in [[1966]], were the brand's first [[ultra-thin]] [[micro-rotor]] movements. A decade later, in [[1975]], Universal released [[Universal 74|Cal. 74]], the world's thinnest quartz movement.

In [[1989]] the Stelux group bought the company and the brand Universal. It was re-launched again in [[2005]], focusing on the [[Microtor]] and its heritage in [[chronograph]]s. The Microtor was re-launched as Cal. UG101 in [[2007]].

  *See also [[Universal calibres]]

===== Address =====
Universal Genève SA\\ Route des Acacias 6\\ Case postale 515\\ CH-1211 Genf 24

Tel. 022 / 307 78 80\\ Fax 022 / 307 78 90

===== See also =====
  *[[http://forums.watchuseek.com/f27/short-history-martel-watch-co-zenith-chronographs-660565.html|A Short History of Martel Watch Co and Zenith Chronographs]]
  *[[http://www.universal.ch/|Universal Genève SA]]


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Manufactures Le_Locle Geneva Universal}}