Universal Genève Polerouter

Why We Love It

The introduction of the micro-rotor movement was a feat of engineering that gets less than its fair share of attention today.  

Wrist watches have really only been around for a little more than 100 years.  Sure, queens and dignitaries have worn them for centuries, but it wasn’t until WWI that wrist watches were produced on a mass scale.  Self-winding, or automatic movements — movements with an oscillating weight which winds the mainspring via the movement of the wearers wrist — only came onto the scene in a meaningful way roughly 70 years ago.  Since their incorporation into the cannon of watchmaking, only a handful of companies, including Patek Philippe and Piaget, have employed them. 

Why?  Well, the answer is deceivingly simple: they’re hard to get right. 

That’s why Universal Genève’s development and production of a micro-rotor movement in the mid 1950s is an impressive and noteworthy achievement.  It’s further impressive that those early movement are still reliably ticking away today. 

By employing a micro-rotor design, which embedded the oscillating weight in the bridge of the movement rather than atop it, Universal Genève was able to build a watch thinner than its contemporaries.  That watch was the Polerouter.   

This particular Polerouter sports a stunning gloss black crosshair dial, Dauphine hands and a very strong case, rivaling some of the nicest Polerouters we’ve seen. 

The Story 

Released in 1954, the Polerouter, despite its elegant appearance, had exploration at the heart of its development.

A mere five decades after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, air travel was burgeoning, widening the horizons of the modern day.  Despite the technological advances in avionics and aeronautical engineering, considerable challenges still loomed, especially to sensitive equipment and instruments.

On November 15 of 1954, a DC-6 aircraft christened the Helge Viking departed Copenhagen for Los Angeles, becoming the first flight to traverse the North Pole.  The route, devised by Scandinavian Airlines, sought to shorten the flight time from Europe to the United States.  To celebrate this feat, Universal Genève launched the 'Polarouter' (which was later renamed the Polerouter) leaning on the then 23-year-old Gerald Genta to design a watch capable of resisting the magnetic fields over the Pole and remain accurate during the flight.  Both the flight and the watch were successes, leading to a fruitful partnership between the growing airline and the Swiss watch manufacture. 

We've offered Polerouters before. It's safe to say we never get tired of them, because they have everything we want: an interesting history and a sleek exterior designed by the hand of a master. 

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.