Hands on Phillips Presents Universal Genève’s First Timepiece Following Its Revival

Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, announced the watches will be presented in the first auction for this year the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, this event will showcase an extraordinary selection of nearly 200 rare and collectible timepieces, spanning both vintage and contemporary horology. we have mention some timepieces will be present in the auction in this article.

Waqt team got the chance to see the watches being presented in the auction. It was a wonderful meeting with Alexander Ghotbi who presented to us unique pieces there and told us the story behind each watch.

Between all of this timepieces a unique piece get our attention, a design that give us an early how the new revived brand watches will look like, the Polerouter from Universal Geneve, While the relaunch of the brand is still two years away, Phillips exposed the first watch that brand sell after its revive, a unique piece between three made To commemorate the 70th anniversary of Scandinavian Airlines System's (SAS) historic first flight over the North Pole from Copenhagen to Los Angeles in 1954.

While the other two watches have been reserved to remain within the brand’s museum, this unique piece crafted from white gold will be offered at the upcoming Phillips auction. The watch reflects the original designs of the iconic Polerouter collection and uses the same movement that the brand employed in the 1960s, a remarkable engineering achievement at the time, as it held the title of the world’s thinnest automatic movement for a period. This watch marks the brand’s first release to give collectors an early glimpse into the company’s direction following its revival.

The Polerouter SAS Tribute collection builds on the classic Genta design while incorporating modern advancements. a white gold case features a reimagined 35mm case with a height of 9.95mm, preserving the iconic twisted lugs and sleek lines of the original. Enhancements include a cambered sapphire crystal, a reworked solid caseback, and a crown with a double gasket to ensure water resistance up to 50 meters.

The unique timepiece showcases both the new Universal Genève logo and the historic SAS logo on its vibrant blue dial, boasts innovative two-part dials available in blue hue. The hour chapter ring is guillochéd with a diamond-tipped tool, creating a dazzling brilliance that contrasts beautifully with the satin-finished dial. Adorned with rhodium-plated hands.

Powering the watch is a vintage micro-rotor movement from Universal geneve the calibre UG1-69 dates back to 60s, It was at that time the world’s thinnest movement at just 4.1mm. Featuring a two-day power reserve, this innovation repositioned the rotor between the plate and bridges, rather than above the movement, setting a new standard for creativity in watchmaking. it beats at 18,000 VpH  (2.5 Hz).

The Polerouter SAS Tribute paired with a handcrafted white-gold bracelet, made by master bracelet maker Laurent Jolliet, this unique timepiece will be auctioned by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo take place on 10 and 11 May 2025. Proceeds from the auction will benefit CFP Arts in Geneva, an institution dedicated to preserving the art of watchmaking for future generations. The estimated price range Estimate: CHF 25,000 – 50,000.

For more information visit the official website of Phillips.