Universal Geneve Polerouter Date 'Glossy dial’

Now, everyone knows the story of this watch but here’s a reminder, just in case: To shortcut the flights from Europe to California (USA) by some thousand kilometers, the airline SAS (Scandinavian Airline System) opened new routes over the North Pole in the 1950s. All crews on these flights had to take part in a special training at the "SAS's Arctic Flight School". The Swiss watch manufacturer Universal Genève provided the crews with automatic precision wrist-watches that are resistant against the strong magnetic field of the polar region. They became the official chronometers of SAS. This design was commended to 23 year old Gerald Genta who also was the same designer of the legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. Soon this Polerouters, specially the Date versions, became a sought after for collectors all around the world.

This particular example circa 1964-65 is all correct for the reference 204612/2; black glossy dial with big tritium hour lume plots markers, applied logo, dauphine hands, big UG signed crown and Microrotor cal. 218-2. The 36mm (excluding crown) all stainless steel case is part of Watch History as young 23 year old Gerald Genta (same designer of the Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus) designed it especially for SAS. It remains sharp and unpolished. The famous twisted lugs are UG’s sign of character adding so much value to the piece. It has the original acrylic crystal with trapezoidal date magnifier showing off the lovely open 6 and 9 date font and signed with the logo on the centre. The case back has also remains unpolished letting the logo and reference/serial numbers still visible. This particular version has a supercompressor case with bayonet closing and BREVET reference on the case back. The in-house cal. 218-2, looks clean and it is running strong although service history is unknown.

It comes suited on an 18mm handmade leather strap.

Polerouters are not too hard to find, but those examples with all correct and original parts to that particular reference (there were many different references) and in untouched condition are the ones that are getting really hard to find and that are becoming very sough-after collectors.

This example here is one of those, remaining untouched as it has lived for the last many years stuck on a drawer.