Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub

Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub

Description
I am offering my Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub for sale. ( Nevertheless it has to go for a other vintage diver I am working on) This is the grail version obviously – rare, large, iconic and just plain cool. For those unfamiliar with this watch, below is a bit of history (content largely borrowed from www.polerouter .com) and some details regarding the watch.

The Story:

The airline SAS (Scandinavian Airline System) opened new routes over the North Pole in the 1950s to significantly shorten the flight time from California to Europe. The swiss watch manufacturerer Universal Genève was charged with providing the crews with automatic precision wrist-watches that provided resistance to the magnetic fields over the polar region. Universal Genève introduced a watch with the name "Polarouter" in fall 1954, which was created and designed by one of the most admired watchmakers of the 20th century, Gerald Genta (he later created the "Royal Oak" for Audemars Piguet and the "Nautilus" for Patek Philippe). The watch was re-named "Polerouter" soon thereafter and fitted with the famous calibre 215 "Microtor". Several other Polerouter models followed over the next twelve years, including the Polerouter Sub. During the 1950s/1960s, Polerouters were considered to be high-quality luxury watches – costing as much as a Rolex Explorer during the late 1950's.

The Movement:

In the early 1050s Universal Genève created (at the same time as the Buren Watch Company), a radically new automatic winding system: the Micorotor with its incorporated rotor mass. The first movement was introduced in 1955 and was called the Caliber 215. The rotor wound the mainspring in both directions, enabling more energy to be stored. The principal characteristics of this movement were as follows: 28.0 mm diameter, 4.1 mm height, 18,000 vibrations per hour, and 28 jewels. The 2-arm monometallic balance was protected by an Incabloc antishock system. The self-compensating flat Nivarox hairspring was blue colored. The escape wheel was fitted with a Gyrocap shock-protection. The power reserve of 60 hours was exceptionally high (and remains so). The rotor was pink gold-plated, and the movement was decorated with a fine "Fausses cotes de Genève" decoration.
After a few additional iterations of this ground-breaking movement, UG finally released the most advanced of their microrotors – the cal. 69. The cal 69 is the movement in the example listed for sale as a second caliber. The movement features a more advanced winding system, and the rotor has been given a new shape. In addition, the movement was created such that it would not require as much lubrication as other movements. The cal. 69 is the last and most-advanced example of the classical micorotor UG movement.

Attention:

The original microroter did not go round when I bought this watch. Thus I looked for an exchange. There was no one good to find used, because this happens nearly to all this watches which were worn. It is a week point of this caliber. At Universal Geneve they only had the following caliber 1-69 for exchange with date. This is a caliber which is a little bit higher and you cannot exchange it completely. Thus I exchange only the rotor group with the balance. See photos. The new NOS caliber with the old rotor and balance is in this package in!!!!

Other information specific to my example:
Functions: Hour, minutes, center seconds, inner rotating bezel, which goes not smoothly, but it works.
Dial: Textured dial is original and genuine.
One point at seven is scratched. The soft-iron gives it an amazing look. Lume is lightly faded and exhibits a fantastic patina.
Case: Stainless Steel – again, wonderful condition. Screwed case back, twin “cross-hatched” crowns. Upper crown rotates the inner dive bezel, while lower crown winds the watch and sets the time. Attention:
This watch has engraving on the backside !!! which says it is military. I think it is a fake !!! engraving !!!! , but it did not disturb me to buy this watch.

Movement: Microtor cal. 215 with 28 jewels in excellent condition and replacement caliber 69
Measurements: Approximately 42 mm (without crowns or lugs).
All in all it is a vintage watch in used condition, The mechanism of the inner bezel is repaired, it has a exchange rotor, a false engraving on the back, and a point of luminescence is broken at 7 a clock, but it comes with a new NOS Universal caliber ( it was 700 Euros from Universal Geneve!!!). The crystal is at the inner side a little bit dirty. This can surly be removed from a watchmaker.
The watch is sold as it is to see on the pictures and I do not take it back. More pics can be send on demand.

My price for this watch is 1500 Euro with the exchange caliber.
See above in the text.

Best regards
Fifty Fathoms